Friday, December 20, 2013

Landmarked Bronx school is coming down


From the Daily News:

The Castle on the Concourse will face the wrecking ball — even though the city Landmarks Preservation Commission tried its best to save it.

Panel members said Tuesday they did not agree with the city’s plan to tear down the old Public School 31 building on the Grand Concourse in Mott Haven, but they could not stand in the way.

“It’s distressing,” Robert Tierney, the commission’s chairman, said at the hearing. “I do not see a solution. Right now, our options are severely limited.”

His fellow board member, Elizabeth Ryan, agreed.

“From a community point of view and an architectural point of view, I cannot condone this demolition,” she said.

Despite their reservations, they were unable to save the shuttered 114-year-old Gothic-style academy.

The Department of Buildings’ emergency order to wreck the structure, issued on Nov. 8, overrides the Commission’s advisory report.

City officials said Tuesday that the building was a public danger and would cost too much to shore up.

11 comments:

Joe Moretti said...

Well, if you would maintain structures on a regular basis (which is more cost efficient), instead of waiting till something turns to shit, then you would not have this problem.

This is the equivalent of waiting till you get stage 4 cancer and then seeking medical treatment.

Anonymous said...

Coming soon: Grand Concourse Luxury Condo

Anonymous said...

Someone got paid off to neglect this beautiful old school and now some is getting paid to push through its destruction.

It's time for a Federal investigation into DOE real estate corruption!

Anonymous said...

Quick, get it down before Bloomberg is gone.

Hopefully LPC chair Tierney will be soon gone too, along with hizzoner who appointed him as his real estate industry controlled henchman.

Bye, bye Bob. Bye, bye mike.
It looks like the Mike and Bob show will be cancelled.

Don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Anonymous said...

It was allowed to deteriorate just like, i.e. the Flushing Keith's Theatre, so now it must come down?

Let the elements soften the structure so the wrecking ball has an easier job.

Anonymous said...

Interesting to see that historic buildings even in the Bronx gets a respectful view from Tierney while Queens gets a scrawled rejection note from some staffer - if they get one at all.

Overturn the landmarks law. Once Queens grows some we will.

Anonymous said...

The same thing is happening to the NYS Pavilion. Let it rot so it must be taken down.

Anonymous said...

I still don't believe that it can't be salvaged. It's a crock of s*it just like everything else pertaining to landmarks. Some one really needs to investigate the corrupt real estate dealings in this city.

Anonymous said...

"holes in the roof"
Yeah right, all planned !
The city wants to re-zone so developers (likely from Hong Kong) can come in and build the area residential.
Link:
http://www.motthavenherald.com/2009/04/20/city-plans-a-new-neighborhood-in-mott-haven/

Under a new law foreigners who invest $500,000 receive a lifetime green cards for the whole family.

"Department of City Planning envisiones a new future for this 30-block area"

Anonymous said...

This is another "job" to take down a beautiful structure and make way for somebodies friend who wants to put up a residential Hi Rise.

ron s said...

Within two years, similar impotent and incapable community and landmarks spokespersons will be spouting the same line of crap about how the NYS towers in Flushing Meadow could also not be saved.