From the Daily News:
For decades, the shuttered Rockaway Courthouse has served as both an example of urban decay and a symbol of hope.
The stately structure sits abandoned on Beach Channel Drive — an eyesore on an otherwise tidy block of one-family homes.
But it has also captured the imagination of many people over the years who dreamed of it being transformed into a center for education or the arts.
For the first time in almost a decade, the city is seeking proposals from developers interested in renovating the 24,000-square-foot limestone and marble building that was constructed in 1932.
There is little left inside that distinguishes it as a courthouse, other than the high ceiling and cathedral-type windows.
All fixtures and furniture disappeared years ago and years of graffiti scars some of the walls.
An ambitious plan to create a City University of New York facility on the site fell through several years ago.
The city is hoping to find a developer who will keep the distinctive exterior.
4 comments:
It looks just about as bad as RKO Keith's Flushing Theatre.
Finding a "sensitive" developer in Queens who will "respect" the exterior will be most difficult.
This is a builder's borough---the "wild west"---and developers' money has bought many a politician.
The size of the rooms, the high ceilings -- perfect for a mosque (or church or synagogue)
Maybe John Liu can be exiled there.
Great place for an episode of Ghost Hunters
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