An anonymous Queens blogger, going by the name George the Atheist, said in an email that, “This heavy construction activity will probably damage the interior and exterior of the building. In my estimation, not only should the mansion be preserved, but also the campus surrounding it — the neighboring lots on which the backhoes, piledrivers and dump trucks are sitting.” The blogger sent an open letter to the owner of Steinway & Sons, the billionaire philanthropist and benefactor John Paulson, who was born and bred in Queens. George is still waiting for a response to the letter.
"I call Mr. Paulson the deus ex machina," said the Queens blogger. “He is the only one who can, I believe, extricate this architectural mess from the ins and outs of political ignorance.”
On behalf of Paulson’s piano company, spokesperson Stephen Millikin said in an email that, “Steinway & Sons is extremely proud of its New York heritage and fully supports efforts by local government and civic groups to preserve the Steinway Mansion and uphold its landmark status.” He also noted that since the land is privately owned, the company does not have information on any underway construction.
The company did not directly respond to a question about whether he has any plans related to the property. The press office of Van Bramer, said, “We have been approached about the mansion and the councilman fully supports the Friends group and would give support in any way he can if there was something he could do, but it’s a tricky situation when it comes to private property.”
Constantinides spoke to the Chronicle about the construction in May. “Making changes that members of the public would want would be a monumental undertaking, needing at least $1.5 million to buy the building, $3 million to renovate it, plus operating funds,” he said. Although many are upset and concerned by what’s happening, the construction is indeed protected by law.
The Queens Historical Society explained that even though its members care as well, there is not much that they can do. “As long as they are following the law, we don’t really have a leg to stand on,” said the board’s president, Pat Sherwood.
Jeffrey Kroessler, on the board of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, said he is “boggled” by the construction in a phone interview. “This is willful desecration of the first historical landmark to be named in Queens, and it is definitely a tragedy,” said Kroessler. “If the mansion was located in Manhattan, this would never be accepted.”
I have reached out to many political leaders, but none of them seem to have any other ideas for the mansion other than these warehouses and have turned their backs on the matter,” he said.
The typical Queens politician/historical society response: "We support you but don't expect anything more than that." Because this is Queens, they get away with it.
A Steinway arts district? Well why the hell not? Use eminent domain. It's been done countless times before. But that would require political will and talent, which is more than kissing the ass of the speaker and mayor whenever possible.
41 comments:
Paulson's guys said "NO, we do not care". Get it now?
How seriously would you think they took George the athiest? Not as seriously as grand old George sees himself to be.
Anyway NOBODY is going to intervene here at this late date.
All of those anemic historic preservation groups like Queens Historical Society and, of course, the more local Greater Astoria Historical Society, should have been on Steinway's case two decades ago while it's previous owner was still alive.
Playing the blame game accomplishes nothing now. GAHS is an accomplice to the destruction.
Guilty by their early silence. Why single out the crooked pol's, etc. at this late date, Mr. S ?
Look at the little you did too late GAHS! Everybody climbs aboard the preservation bandwagon at the eleventh hour.
I suggest a prayer vigil to St. Jude, the saint of lost causes. If you prefer, Ganesha, the elephant God and remover of all obstacles.
What will George, Friends of Steinway, GAHS think up next? Whatever, it will be laughable,
we are sure.
The end of the road has been reached. Dead end for the Steinway site!
The miracle man, John Paulson , has rejected any pleas to step in. He will not be using his millions to purchase the site out from under its present owner. AND that is the only way, girls and boys, that the site will be saved now.
The movie epic is finished. Roll credits. Exit theater. Dump your empty popcorn boxes in the receptacles as you exit.
What a sad ending. It could have been otherwise if GAHS were not the lazy cowardly silent organization that it is!
Business is business.
Hysterical preservation societies do not know how to do business.That is the problem.
They are only good at seeking out the same old dried up funding streams that every other not for profit group has already sucked dry.
But let's not condemn them fully.
They are good at collecting old photos, documents and artifacts. They conduct tours, write books mount shows.
Mamma, pappa and the politicians do not owe them a living.
In the future,
what will a student or researcher discover regarding GAHS or QHS having done, or not having done, to protect the Steinway mansion?
They will not find any reasonable early efforts at spearheading a move to save it.
The chronology will reveal that they grabbed some press at a late date....too late to save it.
Maybe that prickly personage at GAHS did not know how to deal with fund raising and courting monied buyers and powerful politicians.
The feed back is that he has managed to rub a lot of people the wrong way.
I heard some muttering amongst the racket, someone saying "You again, Man?"
This is the best reporting and footage I have seen that encapsulates all the "progressive" "developement" that has metastasized in boroughs. Watching the grinding process surrounding the mansion resembles something like torture. It is only inevitable that an "accident" will happen that will give them a reason to destroy it.
Mamma, pappa and the politicians do not owe them a living.
and the politicians (who are clearly responsible for this mess) should also take note we do note owe them a living either.
the lazy cowardly silent?
the Vallones, the Astoria politicians, and certain members of the community board?
How seriously would you think they took George the athiest?[sic] Not as seriously as grand old George sees himself to be.
There are no gods.
As you can plainly see, there are no heroes as well.
But we do have George the Athiest [sic].
Imagine if you will on that hill of dirt in the foreground of George's video, there was a slope of grass, mighty trees, flower plantings and a sea of people enjoying classical music during the warmer months. Music featuring perhaps a grand Steinway piano. Alas, no. We are in for a row of warehouses.
How utterly stupid. How utterly Queens.
How utterly stupid. How utterly Queens.
I think the world is about to move beyond Vallone and Crowley.
george,
glad to see you are still campaigning hard for something you believe in. not enough people do, and i know how exhausting that can be.
-somethingstructural
So what's to do next....George, God, GAHS? Anyone out there?
I have a suggestion. It may not amount to much.
Since GAHS is headquartered at Quinn's Funeral Home....why not prevail upon its owner to allow them to hold a funeral for Steinway.
Notify the press and invite the noted boroughs preservationists to comment on how our crooked pols , borough hall and some historical societies allowed Steinway to be so violated.
Classical music used to fill the FM radio band with at least three stations broadcasting it and for free.
Now WQXR , once the exalted "radio station of the New York Times" has become a public radio station.
And it has to take bowl and beg like every other not for profit.
In an ideal world Steinway could host concerts on its front lawn
But take a look around. It is located in a commercial area in the middle of nowhere.
This is not Tanglewood. That was never a realistic option even before this destruction.
But take a look around. It is located in a commercial area in the middle of nowhere.
This is that UCCA bullshit that stopped the train from going to the airport cause they want no development like they are sticking to the rest of Queens.
The fact of the matter is its one of the most convenient locations in the metro area. The airport, expressways,bridges, bus line to midtown (and subways) a block away.
Just stop with these lies now!
I had once suggested to Bill Asadorian, the late previous owner of the Steinway mansion (about 30 years ago) , to get the Steinway company involved.
He said that they were not interested. I then suggested going to their the chief competitor , at that time, Yamaha.
That formidable Japanese manufacturer might have been interested in the cache of owning and preserving the home of the iconic American piano manufacturer.
Nothing was ever done about it. Why not make an attempt? At that time Japan was riding high and had money to spend.
But, no, perhaps Bill Asadorian wanted to have his cake and eat it too.
He even thought that the Queens Historical Society might be interested in buying it.
I was on their board of trustees at the time. Though I don't recall what the actual asking price was then , I believe it was around $4,000,000.
That was way out of the reach of QHS. They couldn't even run Kingland properly at that point in time.
So the mansion remained on again and off again for sale with varying purchase prices over the years. This is the result.
Very sad it is.
Unfortunately politicians do not get campaign contributions from the owners of historic sites. They get their money from developers. If historical societies were allowed or had the financial means to curry favor with politicians, things would be different in Queens.
You have to bribe your way into power or else give service to the county political organization.
Too bad that preserving history is not a very high priority with voters who keep,electing and re-electing the same old shady politicians.
There are better concert venues to visit in midtown.
It doesn't matter if the subway is a block away.
In most everyone's eyes it is in the middle of nowhere.
This venue simply cannot compete with better stuff being offered in better surroundings.
You get what you pay for. A two dollar whore is a two dollar whore.
Steinway is in the cultural boondocks, except to its myopic visionaries.
You have to bribe your way into power or else give service to the county political organization.
Too bad that preserving history is not a very high priority with voters who keep,electing and re-electing the same old shady politicians.
--
With the advent of public forums like this blog those days are soon coming to an end. Notice that the new generation wants nothing to do with those politicians. When they get older there will be a wholesale house cleaning.
An afterthought.
Maybe the Greater Astoria Historical Society might consider filing an article 78 against the LPC for not doing their job regarding all this.
Yes, I know, that means hiring a lawyer. Find a pro bono attorney, quickly. It might not be too late just yet, despite what all of these nay sayers are yelling about ad infinitum.
Bravo to you and your efforts, George.
Too bad that GAHS did not show the kind of initiative that you have shown first.
Shame on you GAHS! You are as evasive as the politicians you keep criticizing.
Please enjoy the spectacle of destruction going on in your own back yard.
And so the world weary Dr. K finds another place to rest his tired bones, at GAHS.
What happened to his his spot on Historic District Council?
Powerful boards take on people with name recognition.
Do not kid yourself. The new generation politicians will become very adept at manipulating social media.
Bribery will still be the key to power. You sound too old to envision future development in politics.
Yes, the old time pol's are through. The new age pol's are growing.
Is George one of those retired schoolteachers, of the old school, that loves to correct papers with a red pencil?
He drips with "erratumns" and "(sic)"s, etc. He insists on dotting every "I" and crossing every "t" but can he see the forest for the trees in
(admitted) every mispelled, by accurate, comment posted?
He gets off on grammar. Punctuation tickes his....uh...better make that...."fancy". Yawn. A self indulgent and self centered personality has found his paradise online. We all love you anyway, George. Every site needs an entertainment headliner to spice things up.
I invite The Greater Astoria Historical Society and The Queens Historical Society
to hold a joint rally to protest the treatment of the historic Steinway mansion site by its developers.
I , for one, would be gladly willing to attend.
All we keep hearing is "those useless pols". What about the useless historical societies? Yes, the pol's are useless.
But you all knew the Astoria pols were useless. So why try courting them? They are dyed in the wool anti preservation.
Find a new approach to protecting historical sites. All you dummies are good for is complaining and repeating your same old mistakes.
Somebody obviously has a learning disorder at GAHS.
BTW....
What technical provisions are being made in the way of setting up seismographs to monitor vibrations at the mansion?
The LPC requires it for work which will be done at the landmark RKO Keith's Flushing Theatre.
Is Historic Districts Council keeping a close watch on what is going on here? Might they pressure LPC to keep a tight vigil?
What measures has borough hall taken, if any, to ensure that no damage occurs to the mansion?
Frankly, given their track record in the past, they will express their obligatory , minimal concern , but will take no concrete protective measures to ensure the mansion's survival during construction.
Melinda Katz's real job is to grease overdevelopment, like her predecessors, not to protect Queens' heritage.
Jerry, I've been at the site as you know quite alot. I have never seen ANYONE inside the building let alone the Landmarks Preservation Commission. A lot of responsible folks are asleep at the switch and falling down on their mandated jobs.
And Jerry, when is Costa Constaninides, the area Councilman, and Arts-Lover Jimmy Van Bramer, and Melinda Katz the self-promoting historical preservationist going to demand ASAP that these vibration monitors be erected? You've seen my videos with the backhoes and dumptrucks barreling all over this site. If one doesn't think that there is damage inside the Mansion, that person needs their head examined.
Demand that mandated look-see and vibration monitoring.
Agreed, George.
Katz & Co. Are great at going through the motions...all talk but no walk.
They are all just following the Donald Manes play book. Make believe you care but Queens has a lot of underutilized land to develop.
History can be destroyed if it can make ten bucks so that two bucks can wind up in borough hall and company's pockets.
Of course , the figures I've used are just figurative chump change. Thousands...millions of dollars feed the campaign coffers of many Queens politicians.
Overdevelopment means easy money for shady pols.
Aside from useless pols, like one of my favorites Van Bramer, it's useless voters we have to deal with.
They keep on electing these useless pols.
Maybe a certified, return receipt letter, demanding monitoring to the appropriate places from Friends of Steinway, GAHS and QHS is worth a try. I have done similar in the past with RKO Keith's, and copied NYC Corporation Counsel. Then our lawyer contacted them. It worked then when Tommy Huang owned the theater.
I think at this point legal action is needed. I footed the bill for our Keith's attorney, but maybe a public spirited lawyer would step forward and do a freebie. It is worth a try.
Thanks for your video documentation of the desecration in progress. At the least, all can bear witness to the real disregard that for historic preservation that continues at borough hall.
It certainly is worth a try but those organizations seem to be just blowhard windbags who never get off their asses to actually DO something. Always excuses, excuses, excuses but no action.
So, am I supposed to do it for them?
I have done plenty already....for many of those organizations.
My message to ALL lazy SOBs is....GET UP AND DO SOMETHING....before it's too late!
Why do these historical groups always try to befriend the same politicians who have always shown no interest in historic preservation?
"Mommy....daddy....please help me out". Are you grown men and women? Do you have any alternative plans when daddy or mamma politician will not give you what you seek? Dumbfounded cry babies keep treading the same old unproductive path that they know will probably lead nowhere. They seek political bailouts because they are bereft of any original ideas or drive to explore new paths to success.
Does that sound a lot like QHS, the borough's umbrella organization....or GAHS, the more local,group? Decide for yourselves, readers.
A warning to all historical groups.
In the long run kissing a politician's ass to attain your goal, only gets you a brown nose.
Pol's are owned by the real estate industry in our most crooked borough!
Sign all the petitions you want. Post your manifestos decrying their lack of regard for history.
You will be ignored, over and over and over again.
Without money, you have no power. Without power you can change nothing.
Seek alternative means of attaining power or be damned to servitude...begging money from borough hall for your society's subsistence.
Did you notice Queens Historical Society's glib response?
They care, but legally they have no recourse. But of course!
Such spineless organizations are composed of history hobbyists who
couldn't fight for their place at the breakfast table, let alone win a preservation battle.
They will not even try. What does that make them lazy or cowardly, or maybe both....
lazy cowards? That goes for all of you!
There can be no progress without sweat or risk.
Another example of Queens getting what it deserves. The voters don't care. The politicians care less. The historical societies are afraid of their own shadows. Be tactful. Use diplomacy. Neither have worked in decades. They will not rock the boat or there goes their needed funding. So, their only use is a place to find old pictures, paintings, old maps and a few human fossils that make up their boards.
QHS says its members care? So that's the end of their involvement. They wash their hands of any responsibility.
This group of meek old farts will not buck borough hall.
Borough hall's usual response is similar to QHS's. We care but the building is privately owned.
If QHS upsets Melinda Katz, they might see their funding cut.
Thus, money doth make cowards of them all. Historical societies are useless in a street fight. And this is what it should be now to save Steinway. Neither QHS or GAHS has the stones to knuckle down and go hammer and tongs towards shaping a better protection deal.
As long as you societies remain anemic, this poster will never give up on you.
The public needs to know who the accomplices are in the destruction of Queens' history...the Historical societies as well as the developers, for their silence or inactivity.
The silence of the historical societies regarding Steinway is similar to the silence of the German people during the Nazi regime.
Not that we wish to compare their behavior with that of the 3rd Reich. Nevertheless, with silence comes the enabling of despots to
have their brutal way unchallenged. Queens is under attack by developer despots. They care nothing for neighborhoods....only with their profits. It is everyone's responsibility to speak up or take the bitter medicine that will follow.
The historical societies, which are mandated by their very existence, to shout the loudest to preserve the fabric of history, beyond their archives, in the neighborhoods. But will they ever find the spine to do so...being captives of the political funding system?
It does not seem likely. Without risk we would have had no United States of America. Take a lesson from history, you frightened rabbits!
The difference is the developers get notice and tax breaks and tax revenues that should go to the communities.
Lets repeat this over and over and over again. Someday the people will grow a backbone and retake government back. The people were sullen and angry over this - they do not have their voice. But a few more stunts like this and things will explode.
A lot more people in history a hell of a lot more powerful and clever than these pols thought they could get away with this crap and got their heads figuratively got their heads on a pole.
By the time your "lot more people in history" have their day, it will be too late for Queens. Isn't that the borough we are most concerned about? There will be no historical sites left, except in photos, etc. in the dusty archives of the silent historical societies like QHS and GAHS.
The cry of the day will be, "tsk, tsk, tsk...look at what was destroyed". Queens is a muddle of dullards. It is bereft of the abundance of architecture that is worth preserving. The worst Brooklyn neighborhoods have been preserved because yuppies are attracted to its architecture. Those same yuppies are not attracted to Queens tract housing, vernacular repeats or boring buildings. Yes, there are some gems in our borough. They are neglected or destroyed by avaricious developers with the consent of crooked politicians and the silence of the historical societies. I rest my case.
Developers get tax breaks? Yes they do. Maybe they should not. What would you call the tax exempt status that most not for profit historical societies enjoy? Bingo! A tax break. Stop trying to break our chops. GAHS fell down on their tax exempt jobs. So did QHS. No mercy shown here to any of you lazy pompous historians.
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