Friday, May 11, 2007

The Mysterious Mansion

The Queens Gazette is asking for readers' help in identifying this mansion in Astoria that apparently has fallen on hard times:

Help Solve The Mansion Mystery

Photo from Queens Gazette

13 comments:

verdi said...

It's a beauty!

Is it Landmarked?

Definitely not!

Should it be?

A resounding YES !

Will it be?

Probably not!

Why not?

Bumbling Bob Tierney & Co. doesn't take Queens too seriously!

Anonymous said...

Queens offers quite a large selection of "Tweed" (as in Boss) "suits" (politicos) but it's not a very good place for designating landmarks! Is it?

Anonymous said...

"Bumbling Bob Tierney & Co. doesn't take Queens too seriously!"

Why should he? Bumbling Bob follows the path of least resistance. At this point, we all know what the problems are.

Hostile Queens press, hostile Queens politicians, inept Queens preservation movement, all under the watchful eye of the Manhattan-centric preservation community that doesn't lift a finger to change a thing or give the kind of help we really need.

Until that changes, then focusing in issues that are all sound and fury and signify nothing (as far as Queens is concerned) as commissioner selection and LPC budgets (all agendas set by, and for the Manhattan crowd) will not change a thing.

Anonymous said...

Yes, lets clear up the mystery so the developer can pull down a gem and put up a human warehouse.

The people that run that part of
Queens have no pride in their community.

They bring shame to Queens.

Anonymous said...

Wow!
I realized from reading these posts how "dedicated" the lot of you are. You've been so programmed in your thinking that you came out in attack mode without even pretending to read the Gazette's article!
The home, according to the Gazette, for the rest of you who find it too cumbersome to click away at some other site for more information, is landmarked.

Good job there folks! Can't wait to read up on how many other things you'll get completely wrong and blow out of proportion in the future.

Let us also remember to thank the Commission for landmarking this gem. It's so great to see it in this fine historic condition.

All kidding aside of course, I suppose we should credit the homeowner for that. Surely if they don't see the potential in this home, there must be someone out there who wants to pour thousands of dollars to rehab it and enjoy the lovely views and sounds of the BQE from their living room; how about one of the previous astute posters?

Anonymous said...

What an asshole. I think we know our section of Queens better than you do, "anonymous!"

Anonymous said...

"Surely if they don't see the potential in this home, there must be someone out there who wants to pour thousands of dollars to rehab it and enjoy the lovely views and sounds of the BQE from their living room."

Sounds like someone from CB1, doesn't it?

Yes, who wants the BQE when you have plenty of choices of housing along scenic 21st Street (junkyards and swamps make a nice touch) or everyone's fav, Queens Plaza (your choice: strip clubs, junkies, prosties, or Rikers)

Speaking of pouring in 1000s of dollars into housing, Crappie might want to feature the latest in Astoria's 'tasteful' architechure, with your choice of out of scale railings, roof ornaments, or loud tasteless stonework. For a real thigh slapper, go down to Old Astoria and see what the local talent regards as taste. Start with Rosemont and work your way down the street.

Anonymous said...

You forgot to add the housing that is going up right along the el in Astoria.

CB1 can't wait to build that section up, too!

Queens Crapper said...

Using my array of Crapping tools, I narrowed the block # down to 733, the lot # is 30 and the address is 24-37 47th Street. The DOB online system does not register this as a landmarked property.

Anonymous said...

Good thing most of us know better than to believe everything the weekly papers tell us, eh?

Anonymous said...

Alright guys, stop it! You are just giving a green light to its demolition.

Most of the people asking about 'history' in THAT community are not interested in building community pride like everyone else. Their main concern is to make sure that a building is NOT protected in any fashion so they can rape the property.

It is a sick pathetic environment. Go ahead New Yorkers and smirk. Any doctor will tell you that a pathogen, allowed to fester unchecked, will eventually poison the entire body.

Astoria will someday come back and haunt us all.

Anonymous said...

To......"WOW.....it's landmarked"!

I recommend you for designation as the "VILLAGE IDIOT"! Any seconds?

verdi said...

Maybe that's George (anonymous) Dellis ??? who doesn't know (or care) what's landmarked within his own community board!