From the NY Times:
Inside the mansion it looked as if all parties — and anything else that had taken place in the mansion since the Jazz Age — were most certainly over. Movers had carted away just about everything from the 87-room, Elizabethan-Tudor-style mansion, which was designed by John Torrey Windrim and completed in 1920 for Nicholas F. Brady, an industrialist who was the head of numerous utility companies.
It was named Inisfada — Gaelic for Long Island — and it was one of the grandest of the Gold Coast mansions on Long Island’s North Shore, with 37 fancifully decorated chimneys, stately slate roofs and a facade decorated with scenes from fairy tales. It served as the summer residence for Mr. Brady and his wife, Genevieve, who never had children. After her husband’s death, she donated the home in 1937 to the New York Province of the Society of Jesus, the local branch of the Jesuits, which turned it into a seminary and later the Saint Ignatius Retreat House.
But now, local civic groups fear that the building faces demolition. Inisfada and its 33 overgrown acres were listed for sale last year for $49 million. The Jesuits are on the verge of closing a deal with a developer from Hong Kong who some preservationists fear will knock down the building as part of a plan to create a gated community of luxury homes, said Richard Bentley, president of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations, which is mounting a grass-roots campaign to save the mansion.
It is unclear what the developer intends to do, since neither the Jesuits nor the buyers have addressed the issue publicly, but Mr. Bentley said he was under the impression that the developer’s plans did not include keeping the structure, because “They could avoid all this opposition and bad press by simply saying they’re preserving it.”
14 comments:
Thats more thats Searingtown/North Hills then Manhasset.
Both sides are villains’ in this.
These church people have been selling off that land for the last two decades wile taking “donations” so save this structure at the same time. Its now surrounded with shit box McMansions reeking of mildew Just like Shelter Rock Road. All purportedly to reduce the tax load as they been telling people.
This church filled there coffer's good and are now cashing out and skipping town.
This structure doesn’t stand a chance with Asian buyers. Forget the town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and his pack of Democrat council members rats running the town.
Manhasset's been screwed ever since all the Great Neck tower & condo people overtook the voting base and put Jewish democrats in office.
North of Northern Blvd is still good but Asians have been moving in destroying old houses and trees.
These people don't even go inside the houses they look at.
The first thing they do is take a measuring reel out the trunk then eyeball the tree's.
Some local real estate agents and sellers need a good ass kicking !!
Now, that's a real Mc Mansion...the really great kind...not like those fug-ugly Sicilian or Bukharian "palaces"!
"Manhasset's been screwed ever since all the Great Neck tower & condo people overtook the voting base and put Jewish democrats in office."
"Jewish democrats."
Ok, Joe.
Note the debate about selling pieces from bankrupt Detroit's art museum: artwork was donated; selling it breaks trust, will stifle future donations, etc.
This is the same kind of thing - taking property that was donated in good faith (lol) and selling it to make money.
What's with these guys? St. Ignatius Loyola founded the order. He was also involved in the Spanish Inquisition. His retreat was called Manressa - here in Staten Island the Jesuits built a retreat and named in Mt. Manressa. The property was recently sold ON THE SLY to a crap developer. I say on the sly because they never put it on the market; just: Poof! there will now be vinyl-sided crap, placed in a neighborhood without the infrastructure to handle full development.
Do the Jesuits own any property in Queens? Be warned!
Do the Jesuits own any property in Queens? Be warned!
Don't know about the Jesuits, but I can tell you that the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island has closed St. Paul's Church in College Point and is selling the property. I believe that a Korean congregation had already been using space there (in exchange for a donation), so they would be the likely buyer, if they can afford the price.
Knock it down. Long Island needs more McMansions for all the Wall Street banksters making fortunes off Bernanke's money printing.
"Jewish democrats." If THAT's not a redundant phrase....
Go to Sands Pt. and look at the terrible condition of the old Guggenheim Mansion and Falaise the old Normandy Style Mansion. This destruction is being done and allowed on purpose. Your political system is totally corrupt and rotten to the core.
""This destruction is being done and allowed on purpose""
------
It sure is !
Just like the Gatsby House..A father & son team (wall streeters) bought it. They stripped it of every fixture the poked holes in the roof and left windows open. The township and local Sand Point crook pols knew what was going on so they could tell everbody "we had no choice buy to condemn it for your safety". Those people wanted it gone because 7 or 8 McMansion shit boxes going up now brings in more tax.
These people vote themselves raises on Plandome road every couple months meanwhile services like code enforcement get cut more and more.
One of the TNH council member's from Port Washington is married to a builder developer.
"Jewish Democrats" is relevant, these people constantly want pro change, condos and tributes to themselves etc.
If you saw the Great Neck waterside from Manhasset bay and what these people allowed happen you would understand. Almost all sand colored Persian and Bukharian palaces with every tree and blade of green gone. These "people" hand out variances and spot rezoning to there "members of the Synagogue" like Halloween candy.
These people are also as nasty as you can get !
Its all fact so it is relevant
First of all this is an architectural gem and should be landmarked and preserved, where are the preservationist on this?
Second, the Jesuits are supposed to be against all kind of monetary ambitions and most of all greed, are they changing their ways?
I can bet that the original owner whom donated the estate to them intended for the property to be kept as is as a tribute to their family and name which is very well deserved because of the personal sacrifice of donating such a piece of real estate.
Shame on you Jesuits, if you sell to the Chinese it will get destroyed. If you don’t believe me just walk around Flushing and nearby neighborhoods as check what the Asian influence has caused to the traditional American way of life.
Nothing gets preserved with them because they are always longing for their homeland an always trying to mimic that way of life anywhere they live.
The Jesuits did not have property in Queens, but they sold off what they had in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Of course they have large holdings in Manhattan and the Bronx.
"where are the preservationist on this"
They are around but the Town would rather see more tax revenue.
Now consider the people that bought those surrounding coves or "colony's" of McMansions that now surround the old castle who see it as an old inefficient waste of real estate not making money.
Now who are those people ?
Asshole know it all's who work in the nearby Queens and Nassau county and federal courts (judges, lawyers) & Wall street thieves, Chinese developers and merchants.
These people or should I say "colonists" have a lot of money, power and leverage on the Town of North Hempstead.
They are also the signatures needed to petition the town to get involved.
NEVER gonna happen!
kiss paradise goodbye!
Late in the game, but from a hood which is swallowed by mainland China as if it were nothing but cheap Peking Duck………
Inisfada is a relic oasis to her namesake,
a lady in waiting to receive care. Why did she falls hands to filthy Hong Kong.
While they are at, annexing the Statue of Liberty also? Believing anything be be halted midstream, demonstration to stop
further demolition and save grace. Might even be a Irish Catholic type of pursuit. Certainly 'Old Money' long islanders would purvey in the stance.
Keep the land and what's left of her for
a wealthy politician, Irish and Catholic.
Ne'er say the pro-China party in office gave assist to her being thrown away…
all ugly and not of old money or grace.
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