Friday, May 28, 2010

Nancy Cataldi's house being altered

From the Daily News:

Even a historic preservationist's home is not immune to the ravages of time and an impulse for the new.

Two years after Queens historian Nancy Cataldi died, the Victorian home that she lovingly restored has been drastically altered - its signature porch and stained glass windows removed.

The prominent Richmond Hill house was rotting so extensively due to an infestation by carpenter ants that the new owners said they had to replace key elements.

Locals sympathize with the incoming residents. But they also blame the city Landmarks Preservation Commission for not protecting Cataldi's home long ago as part of a historic district.

"We're losing too much," said Carl Ballenas, who co-authored a Richmond Hill history book with Cataldi in 2002. "We would have had this solved 10 years ago if we had a historic district."

A Landmarks Preservation Commission spokeswoman responded that even landmarked structures are routinely changed with the agency's approval.


Oh puh-leeze!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nancy...
maybe you can send down a little lightning bolt from heaven to fry Tierney's and Betts' asses.

I'm sure that our Creator will grant you this small boon.

Rest in peace...sainted, gentle lady.

Anonymous said...

Carpenter ants my ass.

georgetheatheist said...

Carpenter ants your ass. My flat roof garage and garden shed were infested with these. You look at the floor of the structure and you see piles of sawdust there. I ripped off both structure's roofs and replaced with new plywood and roll roofing.

The new rough carpentry on Cataldi's house looks pretty good to me.

Anonymous said...

Relax Georgie, settle your stomach, go have a cream soda or something.....

Anonymous said...

This house is totally changed, someone's life passion destroyed, and those I see those stupid toothpaste looking railings ready to be installed. Crap! no class, this seems to be the only way to put it. I cannot forgot the wall going up around it, it seems to be a must for all these style.