Queens Crap: Dulcken House is being chainsawed

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Dulcken House is being chainsawed

From George the Atheist

26 comments:

Anonymous said...: Note the violations of DoB safety standards. No construction fence (chain link is not allowed). No safety harness on workers... wonder what else?; Thursday, March 08, 2018
TommyR said...: "The house was purchased by for nearly $1.4 million in 2015, records show. Its owner, George Hrisikopoulos, filed plans with the Department of Buildings in March to develop the site into a 6-story apartment building with a restaurant on the first floor." (https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170508/astoria/ferdinand-quentin-dulcken-house-landmark-campaign-31-07-31st-ave)

Pity Constantindes & the LPC couldn't (or wouldn't) do much to save it. A quote from that article is pretty telling, and probably describes the arc of history to come:

""A successful community is not to bulldoze everything into oblivion," [Bob Singleton of GAHS]. "A successful community is when you can combine the new with the old."; Thursday, March 08, 2018
The Ghost of Frank Lloyd Wright said...: Architect Gerald Caliendo, one of the instigators of this atrocity, will be given a Man of the Year award by the Astoria Civic Association and the Vallone family on Saturday, March 24, at Riccardo's. Caliendo, as you may recall, is also the architect of the warehouses that surround and hem in aesthetically the Steinway Mansion. Caliendo is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the landmarked King Manor. Caliendo should know better the value of historic preservation. What is wrong with him and the Astoria ignoramuses that honor him?

Riccardo's details: HERE.; Thursday, March 08, 2018
Anonymous said...: "The Queens Chainsaw Massacre"!
And the LPC STILL turns a blind eye towards out borough. And our politicians, by and large, DO NOT support municipal landmark status. Neither does our burro "historian" Dr. Jack (off) Eichenbaum.
In a way, he is a perfect stooge for borough hall and its suck up to developer agenda!

THANK YOU GEORGE , FOR DOCUMENTING THIS ATROCITY!; Thursday, March 08, 2018
Anonymous said...: Obviously not a union job; Thursday, March 08, 2018
JQ LLC said...: Maybe this would get local news media attention if there was a hawk love triangle nesting by the dulcken.; Thursday, March 08, 2018
Anonymous said...: It will only get worse people. They are now looking to cut off Queens from the rest of the city by forcing everyone to a borough-wide group - you know what that means - no longer can we look to Manhattan for help - no longer can the standards of Manhattan apply.

No longer can we ask why elected officials in Manhattan support Landmarks, fund programs for groups in favor of Landmarks, while in Queens they have a smirk when the word is mentioned, threaten support for those that exercise independent thought, and, the normal publicity hounds underfoot when dog runs are open and routine capital projects are unveiled are MIA when the Dulcken House is destroyed.

We will get Queens Marks (like the Special Police badges in cereal) and mandates from Queens Historical Society (the "official" historical society) and Jack (the "official" historian.) Yea, an entire borough run like a fourth grade classroom.

The Dulcken House will never get Landmarked, but Hindu Temples, Hip-Hop Record Stores, Gay Bars, and most of Roosevelt Avenue and Main Street. The roster will fill with the debris of the Worlds Fair, random pedestrian fire houses and police stations, schools, bridges, government buildings, bus depots, pretty much anything to fill up the list with worthless junk while communities will get smashed with hammers and saw.; Thursday, March 08, 2018
Anonymous said...: You have to blame the community. No self respect.; Thursday, March 08, 2018
Anonymous said...: Let me get this straight.

You mean to tell us the entire leadership of Astoria, rank and file, has come out in favor of Calliedo and his work - and goes on record denying Astoria kids the Steinway Mansion so a group of homeboys can build warehouses?

This is the ASTORIA CIVIC for Christsakes!!!!!; Thursday, March 08, 2018
ron s said...: This is Queens. We can't have nice things.; Thursday, March 08, 2018
Joe said...: The supposed original photos of this house from the early 1900s shows a much taller structure with over 10 steps to reach the front door including different porch structural
layouts. I think a rear ground floor door at grade level too

These current photos show a different top floor around 7 slab steps, did this house sink 2-5 feet or was it that severely altered. Did the city raise the original grade with landfill? The back door appears 1/2 buried 2-3 feet down (from what I can see anyway)
George or anybody know what's going on with all that?

I also need an old original beam or chunk of fireplace mantle to make a guitar, best
I plan a visit and talk to those people; Thursday, March 08, 2018
Anonymous said...: ghost asked : What is wrong with him and the Astoria ignoramuses that honor him?

sing the song, you know the tune : money money money mon-ey MONEY; Friday, March 09, 2018
Anonymous said...: https://astoriapost.com/demolition-19th-century-astoria-house-begun

Caliendo is in a place of public trust - both in Astoria on the Community Board 1 and at Rufus King. This is what he has done. That he is the longest serving member of the Board, and a Chair of Land Use (or what ever) is beyond comprehension.

As a private citizen, he is free to do anything he wants.

As an architect, his actions will be reviewed in the ethics of his profession.

This is old school Astoria. Years ago stunts like this happened all the time. No longer. You have the glare of media watching every move. Every elected official, every civic, social, and community group is part of this "Man of the Year" farce. They have given Astoria a black eye.

It deserves better. Its children deserve better. Its new residents expect better. This blot will not go away, disappear, or be forgotten. The bloody shirt will be waved in their faces every chance we get.

Think of this every time you see Costa, Arevalla, Michael, Tony, Peter, Tony, Rose, George, Marie etc. This is their world and their value system. It is no longer Astoria's.

They do not belong in the community's future.; Friday, March 09, 2018
Anonymous said...: LOL'
Caliendo
..darling architect of mobster taste mentality.; Friday, March 09, 2018
Anonymous said...: Yo Joe

If you get any pix of the interior do so and share it - in Europe they used to have a 'Music Room' where they performed - ornately decorated with exquisite acoustics. He was taught by Mendelssohn, his mother and aunts broke gender barriers as top billed performers before world class orchestras. This guy brought classical music conservatory education to the US and created much of the NY Philharmonic, Julliard etc. Dulkens are a legend in my country Luxembourg where they started making harpsichords in the 1600s..

International opinion is disgusted with Washington so you can understand how the artistic community in Europe is not only shocked at what is going on, but the rumor now is that the Queens neighborhood Trump came from is Astoria. Kid you not. Its a small community but very influential in culture. NYC has taken a hit over this. Trust me on that.; Friday, March 09, 2018
Unknown said...: I'm curious to find out what blog system you're using? I'm having some minor security problems with my latest website and I would like to find something more safeguarded. Do you have any solutions?residential storm shelters; Friday, March 09, 2018
Unknown said...: The Landmarks Commission has never cared about Queens. Their focus has always been on Manhattan and Brooklyn. Case in point is their failure to landmark the 1712 Morrell house in Middle Village. Morrell was one of the first settlers in the Town of Newtown. The house was on a larger lot which was all that was left of the original 200 acre farm. Old houses on big lots in Queens today make them ripe targets for demolition to squeeze in multiple units. Over the last twenty years, almost all the original historic farmhouse left from the earliest days of Middle Village have been lost to redevelopment. Landmarks has let this happen.; Friday, March 09, 2018
Anonymous said...: "The Ghost of Frank Lloyd Wright said...
Architect Gerald Caliendo, one of the instigators of this atrocity, will be given a Man of the Year award by the Astoria Civic Association and the Vallone family on Saturday, March 24, at Riccardo's. Caliendo, as you may recall, is also the architect of the warehouses that surround and hem in aesthetically the Steinway Mansion. Caliendo is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the landmarked King Manor. Caliendo should know better the value of historic preservation. What is wrong with him and the Astoria ignoramuses that honor him?"

But But But....the dinner is for the scholarship fund, and helps support the bike race... Everybody knows that the Astoria Civic Association is nothing but a slush fund and influence peddling operationg for the Familia... Costa, Simotas and Gianaris are nothing but Grecian puppets; Friday, March 09, 2018
Anonymous said...: Joe

The difference was likely a result of when the house was moved for the elevated train. They got a work gang from the railroad that did the entire route in a matter of a few months. It must have been drag and drop with not much concern for aesthetics.

The property originally went to 31st Street. The house had a makeover at some point in the 1930s or so stripping off the expensive Victorian bric-a-brac, and then in the 1960s with that siding.

Shame that the powers that are honoring Jerry seem to send a signal that they have more interest in one person over the community - they value the developer who bought the place and lived here a few years to make a quick buck, then in the Astoria kids for a music space, the Astoria Millennials for a neat cafe, and the economic health of the Astoria community as a tourist destination.

Would not want to be an Astoria office holder when the Astoria community finally wakes up. The above poster above was right - this would never happen in Brooklyn or Manhattan.; Friday, March 09, 2018
Anonymous said...: he Landmarks Commission has never cared about Queens. Their focus has always been on Manhattan and Brooklyn. Case in point is their failure to landmark the 1712 Morrell house in Middle Village. Morrell was one of the first settlers in the Town of Newtown. The house was on a larger lot which was all that was left of the original 200 acre farm. Old houses on big lots in Queens today make them ripe targets for demolition to squeeze in multiple units. Over the last twenty years, almost all the original historic farmhouse left from the earliest days of Middle Village have been lost to redevelopment. Landmarks has let this happen.

NO DO NOT BLAME LANDMARKS - IF SOMETHING IS NOT GETTING DESIGNATED IT IS THE FAULT OF YOUR POLITICIAN - CITY COUNCIL TO BE SPECIFIC.; Saturday, March 10, 2018
Anonymous said...: Joe - The camera lens distorted the older picture making the house taller than it was.; Saturday, March 10, 2018
Anonymous said...: And don't believe the BS they feed Queens about it altered:

https://www.6sqft.com/the-wilson-hunt-house-the-history-three-rare-19th-century-houses-towed-to-tribeca-by-truck/

See how these buildings were 'altered' - yet they were Landmarked? Historic Districts knows about this when they hear the BS we are fed. Why don't they say something?

And why was Historic Districts Council MIA on the Dulcken House, RKO Keith, the Steinway Mansion, the Elks Lodge, St Saviours, etc when they can do this:

http://hdc.org/featured/preservation-news
http://savegansevoort.org/2017/04/13/important-update-on-the-gansevoort-lawsuit/
http://hdc.org/donate/40th-birthday-campaign/40-accomplishments - see item 31

++++++++++++
/?
and sees no problem Nazhda Williams, the Assistant to their Executive Director is now the Assistant to Gerry Caliendo helping polish his credentials at Rufus King.; Saturday, March 10, 2018
Anonymous said...: NEWS FLASH!

Help the Astoria community rise up against its entrenched sclerotic leadership to demand a regime change by posting your comments in support:

https://astoriapost.com/demolition-19th-century-astoria-house-begun

Is this like East Europe in the 80s? Why are we not surprised that people in Europe believe the rumor that Trump's family came from Astoria, Queens? Go ahead, have some fun. Its okay not to read from script. Its fine not to stand on the line. As a matter of fact, its very true blue American not to do so. Freedom is fresh air.; Saturday, March 10, 2018
The Ghost of Frank Lloyd Wright said...: Which moax will glad-hand Caliendo that "award" at the dinner? Can't wait to see that grip and grin photo. Howbowchu?

Maybe also the group shot of all the Vallonia-area synchophants grinning from ear to ear with Caliendo holding the plaque. Probably will be on the front page of the politician ass-kisser Gazette.; Saturday, March 10, 2018
Anonymous said...: You have to blame the community. No self respect.

That Community Board and that Civic is not the community of 60,000. Its a very small clique.; Saturday, March 10, 2018
Joe said...: Joe - The camera lens distorted the older picture making the house taller than it was.

Lens barrel distortion, pincushion distortion and prospective from that angle a shot wouldn't do that. Not even a special architectural lens because they didn't have them in those days. Perhaps if the house was moved and the surrounding terrain was raised at some time after that, I assume when the sidewalks, services & sewers were installed.
It somehow sits 18 inched lower, this door around back looked is 1/3 buried shut. I cant make sense of it also. Buildings don't sink that level an even, I'm going with it was partly buried when the city made sidewalks; Saturday, March 10, 2018