“There’s this neighborhood of warehouses and in the middle, on top of this hill is this incredible old house,” said Miles Chapin, the great-grandson of Steinway & Sons co-founder William Steinway. “It’s really outstanding.”
The mansion was declared a landmark by the city in 1967, which means its facade cannot be altered without approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. But the rules don’t say anything about the yard around the estate.
Not long after Philip Loria, an attorney in Astoria, and his business partner Sal Lucchese bought the mansion plus an acre of land for $2.6 million in 2014, rumblings began about possible development.
Last spring, residents noticed some trees had been cut down and the warehouses began to appear, forming an L-shape around the front and side of the mansion.
The new buildings hit the market in late February with a price tag between $1.8 and $2.3 million each. Ranging from 3,600 to 5,400 square feet, the structures promise a modern design with state-of-the-art features.
Loria said the warehouses, which have generated a good deal of interest from potential buyers, are a “perfect fit” for the location.
“The area called for that type of development,” he said.
For his part, Chapin understands the allure of the mansion. But he also understands the economic realities and the influence of the real estate market. In addition to being a Steinway heir, Chapin is also a real estate agent and co-chairman of the Real Estate Board of New York’s Queens Residential Committee.
While he said the best use of the site may be to preserve the land as a community resource, he recognizes the greatest value, in financial terms at least, likely lies in building warehouses on the site.
“There is no better example of free market capitalism than the real estate market in New York City,” he said. “This is a city of progress. Anytime something is gained, something is usually lost.”
Perhaps no one would understand that better than William Steinway, who was himself a successful businessman with various business interests throughout Queens.
“There are all kinds of ironies involved with any use or reuse of the Steinway property,” Chapin said.
Photo from George The Atheist
17 comments:
"the economic realities and the influence of the real estate market" = making the absolute maximum amount of profit possible regardless of the cost to humans, the environment, etc.
The 42nd Street side of the Halberian/Steinway property has been aesthetically ruined. BUT the 41st Street side which you see in my Queens Crap lead photo here can STILL be saved.
Loria - owner. Caliendo - architect. Katz - Borough President . Constantinides - area Councilman. Paulson - Steinway and Sons owner. Singleton - legacy maven. Et alia. HALT the remaining 3-warehouse construction and have a confab - a summit if you will - as to what more aesthetically appealing and cognizant of the historical legacy could be substituted here. Show us that Queens can still pull a diamond out of the rough.
Time is of the essence.
Check out Miles Chapin's bio on Wikipedia here.
Miles Chapin, actor and Steinway and Sons company-related, is the son of former Giuliani Cultural Affairs Commissioner, the late Schuyler Chapin. His bio here.
Queens Crap. The site is s-o-o-o educational.
Its funny how you can ruin a community's image with one stupid brainstorm like this.
It simply shows that there was no calmer - or polished minds - in the community - you know, the type that usually acts as a brake and steps in to put a damper on hijinks that young bucks often dream up.
Lets hope Miles gets a chance to MC some shows at the local Astoria bottle bars whose patrons came up in this memorable 'Steinway Park' concept.
He better fit right in cause he just dropped himself off the city's 'A List.'
No shit, Sherlock. So he joins the famiglia Di Vallone in their REBNY client business.
You polyanna dopes at BFHA...yes, you , hostess lady..will be getting screwed by Don Paulo Vallone.
Pull your head out of his ass M.B. ! Smell the coffee instead of Vallone's shit..if that's possible with a learning disorder.
And you, Bobby Hanophy, do the same.
We do not need ass kissing traitors in Broadway...by ignorance or collusion.
Is Donald Trump a Crappy user?
@Roger
Yes Sir! That's why these fuckers need to go away for a very long time.
Capitalism is about profit, the socialist marxist systems are about corruption, bribery and ripoff.
Is Donald Trump a Crappy user?
One can hope.
Loria said the warehouses, which have generated a good deal of interest from potential buyers, are a “perfect fit” for the location.
“The area called for that type of development,” he said.
"There is no better example of free market capitalism than the real estate market in New York City,” he said. “This is a city of progress. Anytime something is gained, something is usually lost.”
These statements are quite cold and chilling. Almost bordering on sociopathic logic. And this market is not progress, progressive or progression but oppression. This rampant and unsightly development is being imposed in the name and the benefit of those on the REBNY board, Goldman Sachs and national and overseas investors, most of whom are unidentified LLC's.
@ GtA
Was this a revelation or a shock of sorts that it was a heir all along that has pushed for the desecration of this landmark? This has quite a sinister feel to it. Sorry for any conjecture and also sorry that you put so much effort chronicling this and the city doesn't give a damn anyway but would rather maintain the integrity of an illuminated Andy Warhol pepsi ad.
These statements are quite cold and chilling. Almost bordering on sociopathic logic.
This is Astoria, million dollar dog runs and many pictures of food on social media with the backdrop of extras from My Big Fat Greek wedding. One of the reasons when you show in city wide events with 'Astoria' somewhere in your name tag you get funny looks.
"... integrity of an illuminated Andy Warhol pepsi ad...."
The City also funds the construction of two $750,000.00 dog runs in the immediate vicinity. And that's thanks to the efforts of Constantinides and Katz. (I can't wait to photograph these nearby dog run ribbon-cuttings.)
I don't know if Miles Chapin had any hand in this or not. I never heard of him until the ace Chronicle reporter Mr. Bultman dug his name up in this excellently written article on the up-to-date developments at the site. Chapin is affilated with Steinway and Sons who I believe should have played a prominent role in preventing what has transpired here.
As I was quoted in the Chronicle article: this whole affair is a MONUMENT to the ignorance of many a Queens folk. And Crapper and I have the imagery to prove it.
April 9, 2016: Spring 2016 arrives at the Steinway Mansion.
Put in a restaurant, a watering hole, or a comedy club and everything will be fine. The community has studiously refused to even acknowledge there is an issue or a problem.
Daddy and mommy has equipped them well for the cruel world: be nice to the people with the pocketbook and everything will be fine.
The Chapins are still sore than Uncle Henry Z never gave them a job at the factory, but he did open the door to Miles being involved in various ways as, for example, his excellent book '88 Keys' about making a Steinway Piano.
That being said, Uncle Henry, in his kindly but patrician tone, often stated that never had much confidence in the crew.
Miles and the company parted ways some time ago, about the time Uncle Henry passed.
Outside of Astoria, and Queens, everyone is disgusted with those warehouses. Invoking the family name, and suggesting that William would have given his stamp of approval tarnishes both name and company.
You do not do stuff like that and expect to just walk away. In the big world the powerful Steinway brand is nothing short of legendary and mythical. I would never want to get on their bad side.
I would not want to be in Miles' shoes. Why couldn't he just have kept his mouth shut?
Kudos for George to pin the blame on the elected officials from ASTORIA. That is rare for a newspaper to do that in this borough.
Something is about to break about the mansion.
I would not write this place off either, and as for Miles, lets see how this plays out.
Unlike anyone that has posted here, I actually met and know him. Sometimes people's comments may be seen in a different light when all the cards are on the table.
To be continued...
Let's limit, regulate and control out-of-character development.
Oh, and down with socialism and marxism. Our god given free markets will show us the way, just not this particular plot in Astoria. We want that one preserved.
Free markets for everything else! Unless its ugly, then no.
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