Thursday, January 7, 2016

Historic Broadway-Flushing home sold


From the Queens Gazette:

Paul Halvatzis of Amorelli Realty has sold a historic home in the Broadway-Flushing neighborhood. The Ferrigno family who are the founding members of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association previously owned the home, originally built in 1923. Located at 33-37 163rd St., the property is overseen by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, DC.

The goals of the association were to protect the integrity and appearance of the north Flushing area and maintain the Rickert-Finlay Covenant of 1906. The intent of the association also was to try to establish Flushing as a designated historical district. The home still retains much of the original woodwork and architecture from when it was originally built, more than 90 years ago. It is also adorned with a plaque which reads, “Broadway-Flushing has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of Historic Places by the US Department of the Interior and the New York State Register.”

“We are really excited about this and it is a real good outcome for this home,” said Shantia Anderheggen, Director of the Easement Program for the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

60 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice to see the house preserved. On a sadder note, BFHA will be holding a rally on Sat., Jan. 16, in front of a beautiful house a few blocks away that is scheduled to be torn down.

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile a dozen others have been either torn down or altered into becoming architectural atrocities.
Without LPC historic district status, Broadway's charm and grace will itself become history.
And where is goombah Vallone? Too busy earning his major money for being a developers' lobbyist.

Anonymous said...

Great that Tony Avella will be at the rally.
Not even Rickert Finlay can save the house from being torn down if the owner wants to build a huge Mc Mansion on this very big lot.
As long as he follows the NYC zoning code and Rickert Finlay covenants he can build what he wants.
Obviously he has millions to be able to afford to do this.
At least Avella gets some press coverage for the event. What do the residents wind up with?
Good work anyway!

Anonymous said...

Another Avella event. Where are the solid accomplishments in preventing tear downs?
There are plenty of half finished eye sores around.
Only by the grace of BFHA's legal defense funds, has overdevelopment been allayed.
How long will their treasury hold up? Old members with their old money are vanishing.
Does this sound too cynical to be posted? Perhaps. We'll see. Reality bites!

Anonymous said...

Broadway is becoming a location where rich economic war lords seek to build their castles.
The homes on the bigger avenue lots are desired for tearing down. These biggies have plenty of money to overpay for a home just for tear down purposes. Then they build their multi million dollar Mc Mansions with money from their piggy banks.
In eight more years you will have Malba in Broadway. At least the real estate values will no see a drop.
The nabe will not go down the crime toilet. It will remain safe.

Anonymous said...

Let's see if Don Paulo Vallone can be unseated.
Until then the assault on Broadway will not stop.
Vallone is making too much money off of it.
Let's see who will run against Vallone. Whoever it is they'd better be electable.
That means having a million dollars to run their campaign.
Vallone has deep pockets.

Anonymous said...

Anon#1

I was under the impression tear downs are not possible, allowed in this area?

Anonymous said...

I was under the impression tear downs are not possible, allowed in this area?

I guess that although the covenants set some restrictions, they are not as ironclad as historic district status. Maybe Paul Graziano can explain it for those of us who are not as knowledgeable about zoning, etc., as he is.

Anonymous said...

The nabe will not go down the crime toilet. It will remain safe.

I wouldn't bet on it. I have seen plenty of suspicious activity around these McMansions in Flooshing. Do you know where all the money is coming from for these atrocities that are being built?

Try gambling, prostitution, dope, yeah they will make great neighbors!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but there is no street crime like in Bed Stuy.
No drive by shootings. Only human trafficking and prostitution which the glorious 109th precinct is making thousands off of.
Isn't that better than your five year old catching a bullet in the head?
Well...relatively speaking.

Anonymous said...

Yeah....another Avella event.
If those polite BFHAers don't get some grit in their balls they will lose the fight.
The problem with people who are comfortable middle class is that they always look for some angel to bail them out.
That might happen in theater district Broadway. There are no angels, even Avella, here.
You are doomed unless you get your dander up and picket Vallone's office and home.
HE is the one who is sitting with his thumb up his ass doing nothing while some tea sipping ladies are busy judging front gardens and kissing his ass.

Anonymous said...

Give my regards to Broadway. Remember it only in photos of what used to be.
Ever go to Church on The Hill ?
Those old blue haired ladies are living in the past just like Broadway.
The new wealthy immigrants DO NOT want old. They want new , big and built with brick.

Anonymous said...

Let's see how many old "White" folk turn out for the BFHA Avella rally.
The area is destined to become an Asian upscale nabe.
This is why the LPC has rejected historic district status for the nabe. They are merely following instructions from city hall etc.
Learn Mandarin and be ahead of the game.

Resident said...

Maybe Maria will hand out crying towels on Saturday.
I am going to the movies.

Anonymous said...

The neighborhood has ALREADY begun to go down the toilet. At last count there are four large and prominent homes near Bowne Park who are renting rooms via AirBnB, there are guys selling steroids near St. Andrew's, someone walked in off the street and into the sacristy of St. Andrew's church after noon mass and stole 5K, there are brothels all around the LIRR station, there are day workers pissing all over the sidewalks, and people dumping trash out the windows of their cars. It's become a shithole.

Anonymous said...

When there were at least three Italian dons living in Broadway in the 1960s, nobody worried about crime. They were the criminals and conducted their nasty business elsewhere. Isn't Malba still Gambino territory? It used to be Luchese. Lucky Lucianno used to live on the northwest corner of Parsons and Bayside. Oh, but those were gentler times. LOL!
Too many church ladies in Broadway and not enough fighting goombahs any more.
Let's all be polite and genteel with Paul Vallone. He is your new don. Political mafioso that he is! Be sure to kiss his ring MB.

Anonymous said...

A lot of the money is coming from overseas investors.
The whole of NYC has attracted them. Our city has become one of the favored world addresses for the foreign wealthy.
They keep pied a terres in several world cities.
In Flushing that means Taiwanese and mainland Chinese.

Anonymous said...

And BFHA has a president who is really anti landmarking.
He has indicated such publicly on several occasions despite the overwhelming majority of homeowners who have voted in favor of it.
Why is he still president?
Maybe because nobody wants the job.

Anonymous said...

Most of the heavy duty dope and prostitution is going on south of Northern Blvd. and on 164th street near the Broadway station.
The 109th precinct blesses this because they are getting paid off to let it happen. Two of their "finest" officers were just arrested for taking bribes from whore houses. Hmmm....maybe Donald Trump is the answer to bringing back America to its former greatness.
Maybe I'll give him a chance.

Anonymous said...

Who gave you that impression that year downs are not permitted in this area?
As long as the new home that is built in its place follows zoning FAR and the covenants it can be done.
Witness the southeast corner of 35th Ave. and 163rd St.
It got torn down and is located within Ricker Finlay . But they cannot build anything but a one family residence there.
You really ought to not always depend upon the tireless Paul Graziano to defend you.
Learn about your own neighborhood and pitch in to help. You cannot ring for the butler to serve your coffee.
Thank you Paul G. for all the great assistance you have provided over the years.
Now, you lazy Broadway bastards get the f---k to work!

Anonymous said...

Most of the heavy duty dope and prostitution is going on south of Northern Blvd. and on 164th street near the Broadway station.

Trust me, north of Northern is also experiencing the joys of various criminal activities.

Anonymous said...

164 and Northern is an awful spot. Pass by on my way to the cab stand and there are two whore houses, a "companion" bar, a "business karaoke club" (whatever the eff that is).

The only legit business is the dance recital school, still going strong. I feel bad for kids taking lessons and having to see their surroundings: "Mommy, what's an MS-13?" "Not now, dear"

But its a travesty all the way down 162nd street. And getting worse...

The answer will of course be glass towers. Oh did your area turn bad? Well you need some well heeled white folks from cul-de-sacs in Wisconsin to move in. That will be the answer for any part of Flushing not protected by landmarking.

Anonymous said...

Minor compared to the rest of the area. You expect utopia her? LOL!
Move to Utopia Oarkway and see some real unoticed criminal activity. You, my friend, are really out of touch with 2016.

Anonymous said...

Only 5Gs stolen from St. Andrews?
Wasn't there some past secretary there or somebody who pocketed a hell of a lot more than that. Please, St. A was or still is a mob church.
Two old Italian families still control it according to rumor.

Anonymous said...

$5,000 in cash lying around the sacristy?
That's an awful lot of collection plate passing. How come it wasn't safeguarded better?
Who counts the money at St. Andrews anyway?
Typical of the trusting church lady mentality that is abundant in sleepy town Broadway,
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Whatever happened to the good old days here?
I need to sip some more tea....Long Island Iced Tea. Make that a double.

Anonymous said...

Let's all genuflect when we pass this "historic" home.

Anonymous said...

Does Tony ever win any real fights?
He's really a good man but always winds up holding tge shitty end of the stick.
Albany hates him because he is a reformer.
Nobody wants reform up there.
This is the fabled hole in the wall spot for term limited NYC crooked pol's to hide out.
Look at the Stavisky mob.

Anonymous said...

How come your city councilman Paul Vallone never steps forward to defend your turf?
Because his law firm is too busy defending the developers' turfs.
You have elected a developers' lobbyist. He represents them not his constituents.
He is great at introducing bogus bills and pushing new schools where nobody wants them in bad locations.
Go on....be a bunch of dopes....and re-elect him.
I'd rather have a big kookootz shoved up my tookas.

Anonymous said...

No need to visit the deli counter. There is plenty of Valloney baloney to feed an army.

Anonymous said...

Let's see if about fifty old "Whites" show up on a busy Saturday.
If three hundred appeared, it wouldn't change what will happen.
The house will be torn down and a Mc Mansion will replace it.
Who said it earlier? Give my regards to Broadway!
The only one who wins is Avella. He gets press coverage.
BUT...that can be a good thing also for BFHA.
Will BFHA president, Robert Hanophy Jr. be attending?

Anonymous said...

I was told that Dorsa and Vallone are connected to St. Andrew's finances?
Is that true or is it idle gossip? No insinuations intended here. Just like to know some facts.

Anonymous said...

LOL! Maybe some of that stolen five thousand winds up in Paul Vallones campaign war chest.
We bat zero here when it comes to getting honest politicians. Mc Laughlin and Halloroan both stole money.
Why expect anything that resembles the golden rule in politics.
Vallone has used St. Andrews as his political pulpit.

Anonymous said...

Who leaves 5,000 lying around? Is St. Andrew's that flush with cash that that kind of money is sitting in the sacristy?
sounds to me like the work of nincompoops.

Anonymous said...

The priests apparently noticed the perpetrator about a week later through the blinds of the rectory. He had come back to remove the flyers that showed his image and had been posted all over the neighborhood. The pastor called the police and he was apprehended

Anonymous said...

The only one who wins is Avella. He gets press coverage.

Yeah and he really needs it right? Like he is running for President or something.
He is from the neighborhood, so there is nothing wrong with him attending.

Will Paulie Vallone be there? Now that the question you should have asked!

Anonymous said...

Avella lives in Whitestone.
Vallone will never attend an Avella event.
They are enemies.
BTW...it should have been Vallone who staged the event. He is your councilman.
It seems that Tony is the only one who will step up to the plate to do somebody else's job.
Bravo Tony!

Anonymous said...

Maybe Avella has his eyes on becoming mayor.
Who the fuck wants to be president anymore, in this day and age.
I'd rather have a nice cushy Congress member's spot.
Look at Gary Ackerman.
How long did he sit on his ass in Congress selling out his district and collecting a fortune under the table?
That old grade school crap of, "Someday you might grow up to be president" is a load of shit!

Anonymous said...

Who holds the record for the most press events, John Liu or Tony Avella?
Bottom line...ALL politicians love the spotlight.
They're all frustrated Thespians but will not risk being in such a risky business like the theater.
Besides , trodding the boards offers no guarantee of a municipal or state pension or both.
Does Avella get to collect both?
Hmmmmm....not bad!

Anonymous said...

There is nothing so pathetic as a group of the disgruntled being led by a powerless politico.
Elmer Gantry had his flock. Queens is full of sheep and some crafty politicians.
But it don't take much to pull the wool over most Queensite's eyes. Keep your eyes on pulling crabgrass bu avoid taking a good gander at what your local politicians are doing to undermine your neighborhood.
Paul Vallone should be on everybody's close watch list, but he's not and will probably win a second term.
Say bye bye to your nabe. His second term will be the second shotgun barrel blast discharged into your bellies!
Wake up to this political mafioso!

Anonymous said...

What do they say...too little, too late?

These kind of rallies should have been held 30 years ago. Now BFHA finally decides to get up on its hind legs and get aggressive.
A little late dontcha think?

Too many years of BFHA sipping weak tea at social events has rotted their brains.
The Duke of Wellington could not win this battle for you now.
Maybe Avella can. You never know. Tony has a good heart and is not lazy or corrupt like Vallone!

Anonymous said...

Paulie Vallone be there?
He's got to get his head shaved and Simonized.
He will be at the barber shop or coaching a soccer match.
That's the kind of service you can expect from the councilman you dummies elected.
Once a mobster gets in, it is most difficult to remove them.

Anonymous said...

Let's hear it for Rickert Finlay.
Without those covenants , Broadway would be in ruins.
Let's hear it for BFHA. They do not get paid for their tireless vigilance.
Let's hope their treasury holds up to keep on fighting these expensive cases in the courts.
So far so good. They have not yet lost a single case.
Residents, please donate all you can to their legal defense fund to protect your most valuable neighborhood fro exploitation.

Anonymous said...

Some white people from Wisconsin would be nice for a change. Do you actually disagree???

Anonymous said...

Avella lives in Whitestone.

Flushing Manor to be more exact.
So is his neighborhood as well.

Anonymous said...

He will be at the barber shop or coaching a soccer match.

He is giving judo lessons nowadays.

Anonymous said...

Cannot wait to see photos of this rally on Queens Crap.
No tight shots please, only wide angle shots to reveal true attendance.
Then the matter will die out or boil down.
What will Happen after the event? That is the real question.
More push toward landmarking? That looks like it won't go anywhere. It hasn't so far.
Avella cannot squeeze the LPC's balls to designate. He's a state senator. Vallone does not really give a crap.
He's on the side of developers and developers don't like historic districts.
So, where does that leave anemic BFHA?
With their dwindling funds to defend Rickert Finlay?
Ricker Finlay...LOL....sounds like one of Clark Kent's distant cousins.
But, you have to admire BFHA. They keep on going, and going, and going...just like the "energizer bunny".

Anonymous said...

Frankly, I'm sick of Avella's grandiose speechifying.
He's like a drug dealer selling people a quick high. Then they come down to the real world and realize that it is crap!
Isn't that a little irresponsible on Avella's part?
I know there are a lot of Avella fans out there. Let's see what they think of my comment, if it goes up.

Anonymous said...

P.S.
I just tell the truth m as I see it. I am not a Tony basher.
The system stinks and neither Avella or Vallone seem to be able to fix it.
At least Tony is not a developers' lobbyist like Paul Vallone is.
He got my vote.

Anonymous said...

The area will never be landmarked. End of story. It's nice that they keep fighting and extremely generous that so much time is volunteered to this cause. But it will never happen.

Anonymous said...

Finally someone who is in touch with the real world. Broadway will never be landmarked. So where do we go from here?
As the old "Whities" die out or move, the nabe will undergo change as it has in the past. A lot of Dutch German Irish resented the Italians and Jews who moved into Broadway in the 1940s. It took the extremely Italian Ronzoni family to build the current St. Andrews church.
The old Irish parish was finally cracked by Italians. Now the Italians are suspicious of the Latinos pouring into St. Andrews.
It will become a short matter of time until BFHA's treasury is depleted. Then there goes Rickert Finlay.
If enough of the covenant area becomes eroded, no judge will defend the remaining. Life is too short. Enjoy it. Enjoy your new neighbors.
You were once the new neighbor!

Anonymous said...

Is Tony really a phony, using his flock in a different way than Vallone?
I wonder, does he really think he can change things or is he doing this for his advancement?
Press coverage is key to that and he is always trawling for that.
Tony was hated in the city council and now he is hated up in Albany. So how does an isolated pol get to affect change?
I wish it were otherwise. He is one of the more honest few.

Anonymous said...

Who's got a real chance....not a fantasy chance....of defeating Paul Vallone?
This is the key to everything.
There are quite a few out there who think they can beat "pappa".
Where is their cash? Where is their political army?
Vallone's waltz around Broadway with the LPC chair was just a ruse.
Everybody is following their script to deny historic district status.
He had to prempt Avella's rally scheduled for the weekend.
So Don Paulo scooped Avella. Avella held his tally. There were a lot of smiling BFHA faces.
And what has happened since? Nada! What will happen soon? Nada!
I am a cynic! Bad da beep. Bad da beep. That's all folks!

Anonymous said...

The BFHA-Avella rally must have been a bust , because there are still no pix of it up on this site.
I'll check out the weeklies coming out on Thursday. Love to see that shot of Tony behind his portable podium and the usual neighborhood suspects that surround him. But, at least he's there. You never see Paul Vallone spearheading for his constituents, only those who might be real estate speculators. Bravo, Tony!

Anonymous said...

189 people showed according to the BFHA Facebook page. The rally was TODAY.

Anonymous said...

Even so...189 powerless old "white" folk versus a crooked local council member.
Tony took another one of his PR opportunities and offers a placebo for a terminal illness...
pandemic teardowns. Without a protective historic district, the death of Olde Tyme Broadway is eminent.
If this is too cynical to post...nevertheless...this happens to be the present trend....
UNLESS BFHA starts getting real! Church ladies are notoriously bad fighters.
They believe too much in the "Why can't we all just get along" credo.
Well, maybe I'm wrong on the final outcome. At least I'm honest enough to admit it.
Good luck to all.

Anonymous said...

Facebook? Where's the local media coverage?

Anonymous said...

Not to worry. Your next city councilman will be your savior.

Anonymous said...

So...whether it's 40 or 189 that showed up at the rally....it still represents a sinking crowd...flailing their arms in vain...trying desperately to extricate themselves from quicksand. WTF does it matter? This home has a demolition order posted. As long as they build according to zoning and private covenants and have the money, it is a done deal. So what is the point , to show unity? For what? Every big avenue lot will be developed unless a historic district is implemented. And that does not look very probable. Go for single or group LPC status for the few remaining superior examples of architecture before they too bite the dust. Wishful thinking without political support gains BFHA nothing.
You have Paul Vallone who is a developers's lobbyist. He might go through the motions of caring but he cares only for his own advancement. And that means not crossing REBY who is definitely anti landmarking. I will say my prayers to St. Jude and expect little.

Anonymous said...

Did BFHA's president Robert Hanophy Jr. show up?
As we recall, he wasn't too keen on a landmark district as the best way to go for Broadway.
The majority of homeowners voted for landmarking.
Why was he allowed to voice a personal opinion contrary to the position of the homeowners' association?
Perhaps he should do the right thing and resign his post!

Anonymous said...

Has Don Paulo Vallone done anything since his bogus walk around the nabe with the LPC chair to push for landmarking?
NOT A FUCKING THING!
It seems that he's been out to lunch since his Bayside high school proposal fiasco. And that's shit on his face, not marinara sauce!