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Although the Bowne House — shuttered for 15 years — is about to be open to the public for regular tours following the recently completed $3.2 million exterior restoration to the historic site, cracks are appearing in the structure due to nearby construction.
“The vibrations from trucks idling have caused the damage,” said Anne Perl de Pal, an architect and resident manager of the Bowne House.
Speaking at a recent meeting of the Community Board 7 district cabinet, Perl de Pal said the cracks were caused by “incorrect machines” she said were used for pile driving, which has since stopped, and the continuing problems with idling trucks.
Rosemary Vietor, vice president of the Bowne House Historical Society, confirmed there are cracks in the plaster and blames the large number of trucks that idle outside the house at 37-01 Bowne St. for a 14-story apartment project on nearby 37th Avenue.
10 comments:
Suzuki, Corp. who was responsible for the infil building in the open space of the adjacent Lincoln Apartments might have screwed up the solidity of the ground.
Suzuki was a big contributor to John Liu's campaign. They also own the four story complex across the street. Paving over the front green spaces there and creating concrete parking lots was their handiwork too.
New building directly behind their old parking lot in the rear might have also compromised the terrain.
The physical cracks in Bowne House's walls reflect the years of neglect and corruption associated with the venerable Bowne House.
It should be seized from city ownership and claimed by our federal government. It should be under the direction of federal park rangers, just like the Statue of Liberty is.
Rosemary Vietor, have you done your job as well as you could have for all of the years you have been associated with the Bowne House Historical Society?
It was John Liu who pushed for NYC to take over the Bowne House. It should have been placed under federal control to ensure its safe future.
Who knows what will befall it in years to come under NYC's "caring" hands?
Historic houses have been moved off site before when a connected developer offers a land swap deal to accommodate a high rise building scheme in its place.
Do we dare trust CB7 to care enough about overbuilding?
Apelian and company's record to date stinks. The board of the rubber stamp has OKd the mega development we see surrounding us today.
What were they spending $3.2 million on?!
The place has stood for over 350 years and now it's falling apart thanks to shoddy workmanship by the contractors.
$3.2 million pissed away. Truck vibrations my ass!
Historic houses have been moved off site before when a connected developer offers a land swap deal to accommodate a high rise building scheme in its place.
Yes, I recall that the Lewis Latimer House was moved, but don't know if that was done to benefit a developer or not.
Yes it was? Latimer House was to be torn down. East Coast developers built a few new ones in its place. I was there...saw it all.
I agree....vibrations my ass! It's a frame wooden house that normally flexes with the terrain a bit. The Quaker meeting house does not seem affected by Northern Blvds vibrations which are far heavier. Somebody's favorite contractor is responsible for shoddy work at Bowne House. Are they related to the president?
Historic houses have been moved off site before when a connected developer offers a land swap deal to accommodate a high rise building scheme in its place.
Yes, I recall that the Lewis Latimer House was moved, but don't know if that was done to benefit a developer or not.
The answer is yes. The developer in question was prepared to tear down the Latimer House as he had purchased the property and it was moved for that reason.
This house never recovered from the law suit started by the Kupferbergs and the then borough historian when the board started to investigate things like the donation of the Jacob Titus Bowne Collection to the Queens Public Library. Still not cataloged A lot of things have disappeared in that place like our money.
Shulman got involved and made a mess of things. It is a crime that the house has remained in limbo for decades.
Is there an inventory of its contents in 1980s. Sure there is. Should be fun to make that public if the place ever opens.
This boro sucks when it comes to priceless heritage like this.
This borough's leadership is ignorant, backward, and stupid. The Deep South of NYC.
"Somebody's favorite contractor is responsible for shoddy work at Bowne House."
AAH Construction is doing most of the work on Bowne House.
They specialize in asphalt paving and are located in.....Astoria.
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