"I was looking through the Greater Astoria Historical Society's website and found a lot of good information. I've been living in Astoria for a while, and am interested in learning about the history of the place.On their "Neighborhood Pictures" page for Ravenswood, they have a picture of a Farmhouse... The description is "A surviving farmhouse in Ravenswood."
I live basically across the street from that lot, and I hate to say it, but that farmhouse burned down mysteriously one night I think about 3 years ago. So it is no longer a "surviving" farmhouse. It's really a shame. That was a beautiful house with a wrap around porch... It fell to a state of disrepair for sure, but you could tell it was a nice building. They tried to sell it for like 500k... it was shortly after that that it burned down. Though I have no real scoop, in my eyes, that definitely makes the fire mysterious.
The new owner replaced it with a brick triplex... If that wasn't bad enough, she put a 6 foot chain link fence around the lawn. It's really an eyesore now. I included a picture below. Don't be distracted by the trees and green lawn. The fence ruins everything... If that wasn't bad enough. The tenants on the top 2 floors use a separate entrance than the owner. She's blocked off their access to the porch and grass... One positive thing is that the units inside were pretty nice. I went to take a look when she was renting them.
The "mansion" is also right near where I leave. The owner there spent a lot of $$ to update the facade. It looks much better than it does in your photo."
-KG
3 comments:
Demolition by flames? Saves the owner a lot of expense if the insurance company pays for it!
Wonder what the investigation by the insurance carrier stated?
Even if arson was found to be the cause....it's hard to make a case that the owner did it.....especially if the property was left vacant and improperly sealed so that anyone could break in!
This is a technique that started way way back in the South Bronx some 35 years or so. "Slumlords' lightning"....it was called!
Hey, maybe they could have applied for landmark protection.
Oh, sorry, landmarking is only applied to certain neighborhoods in NYC.
Ravenswood is not on the list.
I like laws like that don't you? Maybe this could establish a new principle for jurisprudence in our country.
Located in CB1.
'Nuff said.
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