The historic Steinway Mansion has been officially sold to a private buyer, according to Michele Kazarian, the daughter of the late owner Michael Halberian and executor of his will.
“I don’t have much to say other than it’s sold. It’s a passing,” Kazarian said.
The property was sold to Steinway Mansion LLC for $2.6 million, said Lauren Cornea of Amorelli Realty, one of the co-listing agents in the sale. “We’re very proud to be able to procure a deal for the mansion,” she added.
No other details of the deal were available.
The landmarked Astoria home, built in 1858 and purchased in 1870 by William Steinway of the legendary piano-making family, had been on the market since 2010.
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State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), who was raised near the mansion, said, “The Steinway Mansion is an integral part of our neighborhood’s rich cultural history. Like many of my neighbors in Astoria, I hope that whoever made this purchase has an appreciation for the Steinway Mansion’s importance to the community and bearing that in mind, finds a way to allow public access to the neighborhood landmark.”
^^^^
The Friends of Steinway Mansion reported that offers from around the country poured in to help buy this property and have it restored - something that could have been well on the way by now.
So what happened?
My guess are two things that are classically 'Astoria'.
1. Lack of political leadership.
The fact of the matter is Gianaris, as well as Vallone, completely ignored the building as well as the Friends of Steinway Mansion and anyone else that was interested.
This stalled fund raising.
Who will get involved in a project that needs private as well as public effort while the local political talent will not give the community it serves the time of day?
Two or three people stopped the building's purchase and restoration. By doing so, they needlessly played Russian roulette with the building.
The political leadership of any community in NYC would have jumped at the chance to do something.
By remaining hidden, the political leadership of Astoria have opened themselves up to suspicions of back room dealing.
So now the mansion is on the table up for development.
2. The Astoria community.
Breathless discussions on the latest noodle bar or a cultural scene that finds the word 'Steinway' meaningless cannot disguise a community's abject lack of interest in its own fabulous heritage.
For decades this building as dangled out there, for years after Mike Halberian died and it was on the market, with the exception of the Friends there was scarcely any interest in getting involved.
So much for Astoria pride. So much for a community that has a pathological dependency on its elected officials.
So now we have the old tired Astoria refrain from Vallonia:
Like Old Astoria, the local owners are ready to 'develop' the property, with no public comment on restoring the house that the Halberians ran down.
They are going to 'hold it in trust.'
Take heart people Perhaps the Historic House Trust will buy it with your taxes and spend twice as much as those private funds spurned by your elected officials.
Maybe the building will still be restored ... on a timeline that extends to a future where most of us will be dead.
But it will provide a generation or two of nice photo ops and expressions of interest from the politicians like the ballsy comments from our good friend, Mike Gianaris.
"Procure" a deal? Can't people speak English anymore?
"Procure" means "obtain." The word is fine.
The land around the mansion will be developed endangering the building - the interior will be gutted and they will make it a bed and breakfast (read rooming house).
Nothing will be done to shore up the dangerously deteriorated condition that the Halberians left it.
I give the mansion 5 years.
As one of the Steinway family members recently said, "nobody cares 'cause its in Queens."
The first poster is right - the politicians and community deserve each other.
Both will shrug as the stones are carried to a deserving community upstate where the mansion will be recreated.
Astoria could of had a lot of potential in landmarking Old Astoria Village, what is wrong with this communityn and its residents. Now the Steinway Mansion property will be developed. They only bought it to leave the mansion and develop whatever land they can around it. Stupidity and a disgrace. Astoria sucks, politicians and developers running it to the ground.
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Papers for Steinway Mansion LLC is filed at 37-20 Broadway - Amerimutual Mortgage:Benny and Philip Loria.
Google earth shows the office - its behind the sign for Tacos Mexico, a cantina for day laborers.
Costa is running around the community telling everyone the two mystery men are 'good friends' and that he has 'complete confidence' in what they are doing.
Was stopped in his tracks speechless when someone asked him who did he consult for that 'complete confidence.'
Time to check campaign donations my peeps!
Glad to see local blogs like We Heart Astoria, astorians.com, and Why Leave Astoria gives a shit.
There goes our community's future.
Not
Astoria gives Queens and NYC a bad image.
In a city of 8 million is there an adult that can step in?
Talk about stupidity: the mansion was part of a plan to revitalize the area increasing property values, restaurants, stores, housing, capping the sewage plant, and all the community did was look sullenly at their feet.
Smart people those Astorians.
Well, look on the good side. Now the Halberians are out of the way we can finally go forward.
The first order of business I think would be for our two new friends to man up and come before the community and level with us on what they are going to do.
No bullshit.
Even more importantly, if we can find some adults somewhere that can come forward to preserve the house and grounds for the New York City, what price our new friends demand.
How dare those private citizens spend their own money on a piece of property. And the government let them! We cannot allow this to happen again.
How dare those private citizens spend their own money on a piece of property. And the government let them! We cannot allow this to happen again.
How dare those politicians look the other way for some sleazy back room deal for some dirt. And the community let them! We cannot allow this blot to Queens happen again!
the general consensus around the borough is that Astoria is giving everyone in Queens a bad name.
this is not the right place for business as usual - its too high profile. someone is going to get their ass bit.
naw, all they need to do is make it another brewery and have the kids come in a play a few songs - community involvement get it? - the hipster blogs will go nuts loving it.
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