The owners of the Steinway Mansion, 18-33 41st Street (Block/Lot 802/31), Salvatore Lucchese and Phillip Loria, were deeded less than three weeks ago - February 28 - possession of 2 parcels of adjoining land immediately south of the Mansion on 41st Street: 18-39 (Block/Lot 802/27) and 18-41 (Block/Lot 802/29).
The two addresses belonged to the late Armin Urban who passed away last year. The deeds to the properties were conveyed to Lucchese and Loria (aka1839 Lucc LLC and 1839 Lor LLC) 18 days ago by Urban's heirs.
Question for Queens: How will this recently acquired property be used:
1. For a Steinway Mansion expanded parking facility?
2. For new development of commercial and/or residential units?
3. For park-like recreation?
4. To lie fallow for possible sale in the future?
43 comments:
Either 2 or 4. I am thinking of a high end restaurant backed by a private equity firm
It so easy. Steinway doesn't even have to raise a penny: all they need to do is to let their stable of artists, and their institutional / fan base know the building's plight and they can raise millions not only saving and properly restoring the property, but get those stupid warehouses removed.
Steinway is facing a dilemma - how can they tout the extraordinary traditions that sets their instrument apart from others, while causally watching this mansion, an important part of those traditions - within site of the factory - get abused and ground down into dog food? A lot of what distinguishes brands is mystique - and Steinway is doing a fine job of destroying that valuable intangible asset, of tarnishing their own brand.
There is no doubt their competitors have noticed this and are taking advantage - perhaps even telling people that ignoring the mansion is the first step for the company to leave New York, or worse, close its doors. There are already rumors to this effect out there.
Question for Costa: what do you have in for the community and our kids? Why do you always favor developers and make us pay taxes to support the infrastructure for this development.
Why have you not returned the phone calls from the community to make this an educational and performance space for our kids, to bring in money as a tourist destination?
Is this the way you treat people? As soon as the party boss calls you you throw everyone that helped you under the bus? What kind of person are you? You tell people (with a hurt puppy dog face) that you do not like when people tell you about this? Ah, pobrecito!
1. Get out of politics or put on your big boy pants and man up to face the music from your actions and confess that you made a mistake.
2. Do Astoria proud and serve our community and make that call to 'the boys from the neighborhood' as you called them, to stop making Astoria a laughing stock and stop giving us a black eye so a few cronies can make a quick buck at the community's expense.
Enough already!!!!!
I am thinking of a high end restaurant backed by a private equity firm.
Followed by a fire - there is a certain upstate community that has been following this closely and would love to have the pieces moved into their community.
Good money is on the same clique that gave Caliendo the "Man of the Year Award" is behind this.
"I am thinking of a high end restaurant backed by a private equity firm."
Sure with the largest hot tub on the East Coast in the basement. Remember that?
Vallonian Elite: a class act all the way.
Any pix out there of Caliendo getting his "award" from the Astoria Civic this past Saturday at Riccardo's?
AND @JQ LLC: a "high end restaurant" in that Mansion shithole locale? Are you serious? There's an auto junkyard nearby and the stench of the Bowery Bay sewage treatment facility permeates the ether. ("Here's vomiting on you, Darling!" as their wine glasses clink.).
1. doesn't seem profitable 3. is bit too optimistic, that leaves 2 and 4, with the former being more likely.
https://www.facebook.com/AstoriaCivicAssociation/photos/a.1666791480057197.1073741829.485031664899857/1666793496723662/?type=3&theater
According to Vallone's Astoria Civic, Gerry is a 'com-mu-ni-ty act-i-vist'!!!!
And here are the big proud picture of the Astoria community leadership, every gosh darn one of them, standing with their boy, Gerry! ...er somewhere ....
What happened to the security fence and cameras? Looks like anyone can waltz right in there.
@george
These people don't care. If the city can allow luxury towers to be built by Superfund sites like the gowanus and Newton creek, something like a pretentious restaurant with a 3rd rate celebrity chef is possible
I think the cretins behind these projects and the cretins the city are pandering to to live here, are haughty enough to think not only does their shit don't stink but think they are immune to shit surrounding and underneath them
Get over it people. The Mansion is in Better Condotion today. George will be sure to put on his vest and load his film and start shooting.
Good for you GTA. Can’t wait.
Civilian Patrol? Heard that there is a group of neighborhood guys that are driving by the mansion at different times and now watching the place. Heard they were 'a group you don't want to mess around with' whatever that means.
They have already told people that they saw not only suspicious activity, but most ominously, that the security cameras are removed and the fence by Arman's property is open. Don't know if they have photos. The punks seen hanging out around the mansion lately now have direct access to the grounds.
These guys mean business because they said if they see something they 1. call 911, then 2. call Constantinides home, (even if its in the middle of the night?), then 3. give Costa's number to the NYT and NY 1.
They said they would welcome others in the community to join them. Just cruise by the mansion and call the numbers listed above if you see something.
Hell yeah! Astoria Rocks!
The Mansion is in Better Condotion today.
As my Astoria grandma used to say 'Horseshit.'
Why has the Western Queens Gazette ignored the Steinway Mansion?
Jason Antos, who is on the Board of Queens Historical, covers their events.
http://www.qgazette.com/news/2018-03-28/Features/Astoria_Civic_Celebrates_85th_Anniversary.html
Don't worry, the Gazette doesn't cover the mansion, only important events and important people - like if you only live between 21 Ave and 23 Ave.
This was the event that Peter Vallone's group made Gerry Caliendo the Man of the Year.
Someone should call the Times about this but whenever they do a story on Queens its makes the borough look like a bunch is silly loonies.
Remember the Hell Gate Bridge Centennial? Now when you Google the Hell Gate Bride the word 'zombie' pops up near the top of the listings - thanks to the Times selection on who would be the perfect spokesperson for Vallonia.
They were on target.
... oh, and ah, he was also the Chair of the Astoria Civic that made that tone deaf honor of Vallonia's 'Man of the Year' to Gerry Caleinte to a roomful of Vallonians, who in their opinion, thought was the perfect person to fund the Vallone Scholarship.
... after all, is Gerry not a great role model for the local kiddies who can grow up to be a new generation of Lorias and Luccheses and Constantinides and the like, eh?
Sort of explains the motto of Vallonia: "Nothing has value but the dirt under your feet."
Vallonia, Vallonia
Uber alles
Uber alles
In der Welt!
(I heart Vallonia and am a card-carrying member of the Greater Vallonia Historical Society. I can't wait for next weekend's Forgotten Vallonia walking tour!)
"Now when you Google the Hell Gate Bride the word 'zombie' pops up..."
Crapper, few people realize that I had my nuptials at Castle Vallonia (formerly known as the Steinway Mansion). Count Vallone graciously made the premises available that sewage-wafting day.
"...Vallonia's 'Man of the Year' to Gerry Caleinte [sic] to a roomful of Vallonians..."
And few people know that it was a distinct honor to have Father Caliendo officiating at the nuptials.
I also honeymooned at the charming Armin Urban cottage next door to the castle.
I do indeed Heart Vallonia. You should too.
And GtheA, the 5th most-likely-use for the Armin Urban property: the expansion of the footprint of Castle Vallonia (formerly The Steinway Mansion) for the rumored headquarters of the Vallonia self-autonomous district. Count Vallone our beloved potentate.
Even the jealous have something to say.
Bunch of hypocrites. Make something of yourselves other than what you say here.
Cast the first stone and all.
GTA GFYS.
GTA GFYS?
Curious to see if Caliendo will be the architect of whatever appears on these former 2 Armin Urban properties.
Stay tuned.
A "Real Astorian" says:
We want to see that award and why he deserves it. We want to see them giving Caliendo his award. We want to see Caliendo posing with Peter or Costa or Tony or George or Aravella. Any of them from that evening. Shaking hands. Smiling. Back slapping. Toasting each other.
Why do they creep around back stairs with lights out? Are they afraid of their community? Are these the people we want our kids to look up to and use as role models? Or is this, like those tacky faded plastic flowers at Astoria Manor, the beginning of the end of their little dynasty?
Again, why no pictures? Why this man? What did he do for our community to win this award? Astoria wants to know.
Here are the PHOTOS published in the current issue of the Gazette. No captions with identifications but if you look closely enough you can see Caliendo by himself fairly clearly under the sign. He's all alone in one photo - the little guy with a beard under the sign wearing a floral boutonniere. Strange - no? - that Barsamian, the Gazette publisher, printed the photos so small.
To real Astorian:
Again, why no pictures? Why this man? What did he do for our community to win this award? Astoria wants to know.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7
How many people hiding in those tiny pictures are raising their families in Astoria?
So you can understand if a lot of people our community think that in cheating their kids on what the Steinway Mansion or the Dulckin House could have done for them is just the tip of the iceberg.
SOMEONE MADE SOME MONEY FOR SOMEONE ELSE AND THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC SERVICE. THIS IS THE CIVICS LESSON THEY GIVE OUR KIDS.
If this means stunting our kids' and our community's future by making it a backwater of ugly buildings, traffic, transients and bars - so what?
Its just collateral damage for them.
I don't want my kid anywhere near that scholarship or those people.
A P!$$ed Parent in Astoria
This is great, a bunch of wash women exchanging complaints of what could have been. Maybe if you concentrate on working hard and saving your money you could have bought any of these properties. Instead all you do is complain about someone else’s work under the cloak of anonymity.
Francis Collins (george the atheist ) has seen the improvement with his own eyes, but yet he still complains. You should be complaining about that broken silver minivan you have to drive around in.
Lucchese & Loria told me personally they wants to donate the Mansion to Bob Singleton so he can turn it into a museum, lol...good luck !!
Forever laughing at you,
SL
don't let people get your goat. don't be a hot head. take a deep breath and remain calm.
understand your partners also strongly suggest that you keep a low profile. they don't need you to bring in publicity or scrutiny that will raise questions or attention.
there are lots of moving parts here you have no knowledge about. and for your information, the mansion was actually put on the table.
GFYS GTA.
Glad I kept following this thread. LMFAO. So let me chime in. Now lets get this straight:
Ricardos, the official Vallonian banquet hall and community board meeting space is now officially ranked as a 'greasy spoon' by the Board of Health?
And Councilman Costa's friend who owns the Steinway Mansion has just told the Astoria community that we can all go f*ck ourselves?
And the guy that has had a hand in getting rid of the historic 'garbage' cluttering our community so that some quick buck artists (which includes the movers and shakers of the community) can make - a well, a quick buck - is now 'Astoria's Man of the Year' and is worthy to fund scholarships for kids (but we are perhaps ashamed to show pictures of those who are participating in the event)?
(We will not even talk about that guy that has now permanently associated the word 'zombie' with the Hell Gate Bridge.)
Is someone writing a book about this: 'The Fall of Vallonia' ?
The so-called "Francis Collins" wasn't complaining with this featured Crap post. Read carefully. It was just an objective FACTUAL recital of the real estate publicly-listed transactions of property adjoining an historical landmark.
"Lucchese & Loria told me personally they wants to donate the Mansion to Bob Singleton so he can turn it into a museum"
The mansion is ALREADY a legal museum - at least externally. It's called a NYC Landmark. Gabeesh? People will come by to look at it, photograph it, and critically comment upon it from the PUBLIC street... forever.
GFYS Francis Collins!
Where’s Singleton in all this?
How much was he able to collect from his friends to “save” the Steinway house?
Wonder where that money is now!!! Ask questions people!
From what I heard, don't think money is the issue. There have been a series of meetings in the past year. Doors opened. Handshakes. Smiles. Overtures on all sides ....
.... and nothing. The issue is simple: one key person's support. Someone's ego is in the way and the community is suffering for it. You got that right: one person's ego.
So everyone sits around drumming their fingers, waiting for one phone call, playing Russian Roulette with the calendar, and letting someone make Astoria look like a bunch of smucks.
As our President would say: sad.
Sad indeed, you can’t make money drumming your fingers, at least not legally.
Astoria Parents Meet Up
Some of us have been following this thread with increasing anger, and they shared it at our last meeting. I can't tell you how disappointed many of us are with arrogant or offhand disregard you have for those in our community that a trying to build a future for our kids. A piano shaped fountain in a park (where the Steinway name was erased) in exchange for the Steinway Mansion just does not fly in anyone's book.
We are disappointed in both Avarella and Costa who have kids. But worse are the Astoria civics as well as the local political clubs. We guess that 'washerwomen's kids' don't have much weight in your little cliques where finding each other jobs and ways to make money off the community seems to be the only things you seem to care about.
Those who take away a kid's future seems to be the kind of people you look up to and honor.
As far as we are concerned, when you steal candy from a child, Astoria needs a big reboot.
Selective editing
well there seems to be two choices:
let the place go and we all sing kumbaya. the moms were right. time for a change.
or hold on to it and lose the community. its been years now but pressure is still ramping up. but, people with a little smarts should have realized that a long time ago.
so maybe its time for an adult to step forward. someone who is thinking of their legacy. what will their grand kids think, eh?
just ain't worth the trouble for a few guys to make some bucks and bring the kind of attention on everyone no one needs. as that place goes so go the boys. you can take that to the bank.
you can't f*k with a name like 'Steinway' and think no one will notice.
It’s what Benjamin Pike Jr. would have wanted.
Anybody know there history? Everybody needs to wake the fcuk up!
"just ain't worth the trouble for a few guys to make some bucks and bring the kind of attention on everyone no one needs."
Hmmm. Maybe that's the real reason they shut down Riccardos? ...
Lets all remember this is Benjamin Pikes work of art, not Steinway.
I couldn’t agree more. To much Fake News!
Bunch of sheep.
I wonder if GTA has any photos of The Pike Family. Isn’t he that old?
So let me get this right ,A couple of businessmen That have worked extremely hard, became successful just happen to purchase a property and yet they're told what they can and cannot do .? But not by the law or building codes or inspectors, but by a couple of has beens, soccer moms oh and my favorite ones "bloggers"... Being born and bred in Astoria, as kids we used to ride our bikes down there . But down there was considered "the dumps" ! Why ? Because anywhere south of 19ave and Steinway to Rikers was just that a DUMP! A God forsaken shthole. But 41st place was just something special. I was always fascinated with the mansion and would frequently go up the hill . Problem was you couldn't actual see the mansion For those that don't know , the property looked like a dump site and was in despair. The building was covered in greenery, surrounded by trees and debris . Now I'm talkin about 3/4"s of the property in some places piled 10 to 15 feet high . There were 7 to 10 cars dumped there. Wait gets prettier , the street (if you would even call that) was a travesty The land across the mansion protruded several feet into the middle of the street making barely possible for one car to pass through . Over the years I've had several drivers who wouldn't dare drive on that block fearing they,re car getting damaged. The state of disrepair , forget about potholes, these were closer to sinkholes. God forbid you got a flat and had to get out, you had a good chance of getting stuck from a needle which were scattered in and around that area. So now these two guys buy this property after a decade on the maket . Started out asking 11 mill. eventually they went as far down to 5,5 at which they took out a 30 minute feature which aired several times on channel pbs nothing. Every Investor in the US knew about it being for sale Not one serious offer made. ( assuming because of the landmark status.). SO these guys come along and purchase it at a bargain . I guess none of the previous investors had the vision ( ingenious in my opinion) they had . So they clean up the entire property, Actually the entire block and street, restore the entire house in and out leaving it and evrything inside just as it was when they bought it with the exception of bringin it back to life and its former glory Developed a vacant piece of land bringing business, jobs and revenue to the area. But wait there was a problem , they made a profit ! Holy hell ! To the gallows! One would think we lived in a country built on capitalism. SMFH ... I tried to hold back but a I just have to address a few of the lefty lunies comments . The idiot waiting to hear back from that rep or whoever it was . I thought you would be smart enough to know if it doesn't advance them politically or line their pockets , they don,t give a f@#% ! .. Oh The other one " we need a community center" WTF ?! I know I know we need more diversity. Personally I think we could use a few more hooka bars in Astoria . There just isn't enough of them between 25 and 28th ave and Steinway . Question ; If some Muslim group bought the site and put a mosque there how many of you would be as APPALLED and speak out? Would this thread even exist? Right .. Its too bad AOC wasn't around back then . I bet if she got involved along with dushbag gianaris and their extensive knowledge as far as creating jobs they would got their way . Who knows we might of even got a planned parenthood clinic... Finally my favorite , "THE KIDS" What have you done for our kids ? I'm gonna hold back a bit but just curious , I thought parents should be the providers for their kids. Maybe I was misled ? Okay some kids might not have a dad or parents with means to have them in school sports or activities .UMMM Ever heard of the f#$@n YMCA Or Astoria park / pool or lets see the NYC library ! . I just can't understand some of lunies
Back to the original Post , personally I hope they rezone that area this way they put up a row of 5 or 6 story buildings. Just to stick to that one moron crying over the fact that you can only see the 2nd story and up while driving down 19th ave. Really ? what exactly were you able to see prior to the restoration genius! .... Days after closing the deal, I happened to be having a drink with Philip . I heard he bought the property so I asked him , " you didn't happen to buy the Steinway mansion, did you ? " He simply replies "Yeah I did" with a smile. While being completely surprised and astonished, ‘NOI WAY! ‘ I just have to see it! ‘ So down goes the cognac and off we go . Next thing I know, I'm inside The Mansion. The same Mansioin that since being a kid I always found fascinating and intriging , .all of a sudden Im insidebeing given a grand tour . WOW ! Anyone with knowlege of histlory, or an interest in art or antiques or anyone lets saaay with a fkcn brain would have ben awestruck… Now Lefties listen ! " Fast forward several months . "So Phill,what are you guys doing with the Mansion" Having already a vision and plans for part of the trash fill ,sorry I meant vacant land surrounding the property. " We just don't know yet , Were trying to give it to the city for a dollar" Wait wait wtf you just say .yep A FCUKN DOLLAR!!! Now For some those of you that might not know , they actually tried to give it away .!!! I'm sure every assemblymen , Rep, Senator , councilman, pretty much Every nobody to a somebody knew of this . Nah not enough! gimmie more gimmie more. ( i guess they expected the Mansion be fully restored , told what to make of it , AND THEN YOIU GIVE IT TO US !! Even our dushbag Mayor-Can’t blame him though ( he's been so busy writing this landmark bill,this historic, world changing life saving bill. You know which one , the bill which kids in Public schools are no longer allowed to eat meat on Mondays) . Apparently everytime you eat a cheeseburger , a polar bear dies somewhere in the world. smh dush ... RE: " The Mansion wasn't restored it was renovated " Really ? I was there days after new ownership and as recent as 2-3 weeks ago. Everything just as it was with before and after pics.. But if replacing a few broken toilets from the turn of the century , along with adding a few desks and computers, a ‘renovation’, then I highly suggest you don't get into construction buddy… As far as the insults towards the owners . I’ve known Phlip my entire life . 1; Growing up friends would feel somewhat intimidated , once they meet him , they loved him. 2; I’ve said this 30 years ago and still feel the same,HE is the smartest person I’ve ever known . 3:; One of the nicest person I’ve ever know ( anyone that knows him will tell you the same.)Now HOWEVER, did Iemphasize that?Again HOWEVER, if you happen,just so happen to be on the other end of a deal with him , Ihighly suggest you bring a box of tissues and an extra pair of underwear. Maybe even 2 incase your leaking on the way to your safeplace Oh and if you think this was just about money , uhm I,d guess this is probably just a jewel in their crown…… You can have all the money and succsess in the world, but if you are not fulfilled, content within, then what you really have is failure. Haters good luck ! Jealousy will get you nowhere
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