Saturday, November 11, 2017

Strange choice for historic list


From the Queens Chronicle:

Gov. Cuomo last Friday named the Spear & Co. Factory, located just south of the Woodhaven-Ozone Park border, one of 21 properties he’s suggesting be added to the state and national registers of historic places — but if you ask area historian Ed Wendell about the place, he couldn’t tell you much.

“This is the first I’m hearing anything about the building,” said Wendell, who has studied the history of Woodhaven and some Ozone Park buildings.

The building, located at 94-15 100 St., was once home to Regal Spear Co., which produced hats, and the Columbia Wax Products Co., a national manufacturer of novelty candles.

A report compiled by Gregory Dietrich Preservation Consulting, a group that assists individuals and entities in getting buildings landmarked, states the building’s history and architecture make it eligible for historic status.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The answer is easy - a politically connected developer has plans for this location and wants to limit the size of the building.

Similar to the Clock Tower Building that got the fast track - while everything else in Queens (that had the crime of being only supported by politically unconnected residents) languish on the side lines.

A developer (and we know who you are) wanted to keep the air rights so they could build an even larger building next door. And those who did the 'study' and came up almost immediately with the Clock Tower, and got it through the system faster than Amtrak can get to DC.

After their report suggesting Landmarking the Clock Tower (as opposed to, say, the Elks Building that the community wanted) was done, they disappeared - one is in England we believe. Good money if you can find it, eh?

Only in sorry *ssed Queens can Landmrking be an instrument for a developer while the public (which pays taxes for Landmarking and benefits from it in other boroughs) get bullshit.

Anonymous said...

Gregory Dietrich is an excellent historic preservation consultant, one I've worked with on a professional level and also within the Historic Districts Council when I was on the Board of Directors.

He was probably hired because the owner is planning to renovate the building and commercial buildings which are considered eligible or are placed on the National or State Registers are able to get tax credits up to 20% of the cost of construction. However, this is only based on the plans being approved and monitored by the NY State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

So, if the building owner is planning to do $3,000,000 in approved renovations, as long as they do the right thing, they will receive $600,000 in tax credits.

Paul Graziano

Anonymous said...

Just another hum drum factory building with no architectural stature. ANYWAY....state historic district status protects NOTHING!
Score another embarrassment for Queems.
NOTE;
The once fabulous Flushing Keith's movie palace is on the state and national historic register. A lot of good it did this site.
Cuomo gives a placebo to dumb Queens.

Anonymous said...

As President DONALD J. TRUMP Stated in the debate: ❝You better believe it...I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many people. Before this, before two months ago, I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And you know what? When I need something from them, two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me. And that's a broken system.❞


Now, what does ANY 'taxation without representation' citizen of New York State expect, when there is a mad, dynastic dictator who is drunk with corrupt power, like 'Gargoyle Andy' Cuomo at the helm of We, the People's 300% false, fake, failed, UNRESPONSIVE AND UNACCOUNTABLE government——the greatest (and strangest) choice throughout the crooked annals of New York State history OF THEM ALL?!

Anonymous said...

As President DONALD J. TRUMP Stated in the debate: ❝You better believe it...I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many people. Before this, before two months ago, I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And you know what? When I need something from them, two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me. And that's a broken system.❞


Now, what does ANY 'taxation without representation' citizen of New York State expect, when there is a mad, dynastic dictator who is drunk with corrupt power, like 'Gargoyle Andy' Cuomo at the helm of We, the People's 300% false, fake, failed, UNRESPONSIVE AND UNACCOUNTABLE government——the greatest (and strangest) choice throughout the crooked annals of New York State history OF THEM ALL?!

Anonymous said...

Whatever side you're on, all these designations do is drive the landlord to neglect the building so it can be declared a nuisance and torn down.