Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Plundering of Steinway Mansion property continues

Above photos from George the Atheist, and Greater Astoria Historical Society takes us on a look inside the mansion.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the first acknowledgement of the Steinway Mansion "Warehouse" Project (which has been ignored by elected officials, UCCA (surprise on that one - but then it not Westway), the press, and just about anyone that is important in the community (read Astoria Civic), the first Astoria website breaks the stony silence around this worthy project by recognizing Community Board One's own Jerry Caliendo and his contributions to the cultural and educational community he serves in Astoria, Queens.

"The architect for [the Steinway Mansion "Warehouse" Project] is the firm of Gerald Caliendo. Mr. Caliendo does not live in the area but has graciously served on the Community Board since 1977. Since service, by law, cannot directly financially benefit financially board members, we would like to applaud Mr. Caliendo for his continued altruism and public service with regards to destruction of the Steinway Mansion site."

http://cb1queens.org/accomp.html

I guess he worked on the project pro bono? Can someone on the community board please check this for us?

Meanwhile, we await Rufus King's comments, too.

Is Queens Crazy? Stupid? Ignorant? said...

Folks, do indeed click onto that Greater Astoria Historical Society link and SEE FOR YOURSELF the historical legacy of the Steinway Mansion - basement to tower - which is endangered by the LUNACY of this construction:

The Most Beautiful House in Queens

Anonymous said...

Would someone please send these photographs to Landmarks. Is there a shoring plan for that excavation in front of the mansion?

Anonymous said...

You mean to tell us that the architect of these ugly warehouses, Gerald Caliendo, does NOT live in Community Board 1 in which the Steinway Mansion is located? And he's a member of this very CB?

By gum said...

Yup, he lives on 196th Street near 75th Avenue in a bucolic area of Fresh meadows. (We even have the exact house number - public info.)

Anonymous said...

So GAHS takes us on a tour. Have we seen them publicly spearhead a movement to save Steinway? We haven't noticed any outspoken criticism. Maybe they do not want to provoke a suspension of funding from the Dept of. Queens Cultural Affairs . Hmmm...we are all guilty of silence it seems.

Astoria Avenger said...

Queens is a soft spoken unimportant borough in the eyes of the rest of NYC. If it loses another landmark there will not even be a whimper .

Anonymous said...

That fence shown in George's photo at the top of this Crap post is NOT legally constructed - West side of 42nd Street between Berrian Blvd. and 19th Avenue, mid-block. There is no Department of Transportation permit on file. Call the cops.

Come out! Come out! Wherever you are! said...

Mary Anne Mrozinski, Executive Director of the King Manor, and Richard Werber, Vice-Chairman of the King Manor Board of Directors. Are you STILL hiding under the sofa? All of Queens wants to hear what you have to say about this disgraceful Steinway situation. It's been a week since we called out to you. You must be getting hungry and thirsty hiding under the sofa. Is Gerald Caliendo, your Board President, hiding there too?

Anonymous said...

So GAHS takes us on a tour. Have we seen them publicly spearhead a movement to save Steinway.

Bottom of their letter head: Friends of Steinway Mansion is a program of the Greater Astoria Historical Society.

Go to their website. What has been sitting on the front page for the last four years?

Anonymous said...

Still no word from Michael Gianaris or Costa Constantiades (or Katz). I hope the next time they see Judge Vallone they thank him for the mess he left them.

Anonymous said...

For those of you who came in late: Mike Halberian lives - his personal tour of the Steinway Mansion

Anonymous said...

What shame this brings to Astoria, Queens, New York City and Steinway & Sons.

All great brands tarnished. Time to get moving!

Anonymous said...

Would someone please send these photographs to Landmarks. Is there a shoring plan for that excavation in front of the mansion?

got em! everybody has em! mansion interior, too.

Anonymous said...

http://astoriahistory.smugmug.com/Steinway-Mansion/n-ML9CBW/

We are losing this and the arts district for a dozen warehouses? Are they nuts?

Anonymous said...

Hey out there! Know someone that plays or owns a Steinway Piano? Just likes music?

Send this to them. Send them the interior shots - Facebook.

Call Steinway Hall (in Manhattan). Ask them to do something.

Oh yes, send a copy to 'ol Crappy.

Anonymous said...

Think about it. Everyone involved in this construction situation - the contractors, the owners, the architect - hope to make a pretty penny from this activity. In other words, they will enrich themselves WHILE they commandeer (i.e. steal) the public sidewalk by illegally erecting a fence. Now, does, the public get a "cut" of the profits from this theft?

Architect Caliendo needs his head examined said...

TRUCKS will be going in and out of this warehouse area INCHES away from the Mansion. You take it from there.

Councilman Costa said...

Reminder: Town Hall on Astoria Ferry Dock Tomorrow

All are welcome to tomorrow's Town Hall on the new soon-to-be-built ferry dock with the NYC Economic Development Corporation. The EDC will give a presentation about the proposed ferry dock and there will be opportunities for community input with an audience Q&A.

Tomorrow, June 4
7:00pm
First Reformed Church of Astoria
27-26 12th Street​

Anonymous said...

Heard that people are calling borough hall and the Astoria politicians and getting stonewalled.

Imagine, someone in politics not talking when asked to!

Just keep calling folks - and feel free to express your opinions.

www.cb1queens.com said...

The Community Board One Queens Parody website has more juicy stuff on Caliendo

http://cb1queens.org/accomp.html

The Steinway Mansion remains one of top concerns. Since a 1988 excavation by the New York Institute of Anthropology found proof of prehistoric American Indian occupation (circa 1600BC) on the site, we have been acutely aware potential development issues that could arise from this property actually being "important archaeological site." In late May, 2015, bulldozers and dumpters removed much of the hill to obliterate, at least we would hope, any traces of Indian civilization in pre-European Astoria.

The architect for current plan is the firm of Gerald Caliendo. Mr. Caliendo does not live in the area but has graciously served on the Community Board since 1977. SINCE SERVICE, BY LAW, CANNOT DIRECTLY FINANCIALLY BENEFIT BOARD MEMBERS, we would like to applaud Mr. Caliendo for his continued altruism and public service with regards to his financial benefit in the planning and destruction of the Steinway Mansion site. Because Mr. Caliendo is of the highest character, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISPEL ANY RUMORS THAT HIS POLITICAL DONATIONS, OVER $13,000 (the largest of any board member), HAVE ANY INFLUENCE on his or our service, actions, and inaction.

Of course this never could have happened without the refusal of Queens Community Board 1 to even consider supporting a plan for the Steinway Arts Center, a major tourist destination, education, and arts district anchored by Astoria's most famous mansion and the Steinway Piano Factory.

Karl McNamara said...

Yes it is about time you took your own future and the future of the Steinway Mansion into your own hands good people of Astoria!

Friends are you getting the word out? Are you making sure it really leaves the confines of facebook and is a true concern of yours? Think of the mansion, just the mansion for now, as a municipal asset as valuable as one of the many you depend on everyday.

What would you do if the politicians and developers decided to suspend garbage pick-up and sanitation services?

How irate would you be if the city decided that water will only be made available on alternating days? (No offense California, your situation is very different.)

Posting, chit chatting, and music festivals are a great start but if this is all you do, the public, you are not even preaching to the choir. You are just talking to yourself in a mirror.

Karl McNamara said...

There is a blackout because that's what they are suppose to do. However their silence is your chance to speak!

Anonymous said...

pleasee vallone does not become a judge he screwed up astoria big time his father did a terrible job and his brother in whitestone is useless -- why doesn't anybody go to the landmark commission and also to the TV stations that would get the ball rolling -- these counsel men/women are useless for sure -- someone has to step up to the plate -- and that includes all counsel people in queens regarding this matter --

Anonymous said...

What about the people. Are we so degraded and cowered that we cannot stand up for ourselves? Karl McNamara was right. They would never get away with this in the other boroughs. If our elected officials desert us while the ship is going down then we must take charge ourselves.

Desecrating graves so a couple of developers have their way shows the complete collapse of morals in the borough.

I am ashamed for everyone in Queens. Its time we stand up for ourselves if there is any self respect left here.

georgetheatheist said...

Check out what those warehouses will look like here.

Anonymous said...

They should hire the guys that orchestrated the Clock Tower - just moved into town did in a matter of months an entire borough could not get together over a couple of decades.

I think FoSM are making vigorous efforts to get this into the media, judging from everything else they do. What you see made public is the result. If they are hiding this much being played out in plain sight, what else are they hiding we don't know about.

Why are we surprised about all this? This has been going on a long time. Today we have the internet so its all out in the open.

Anonymous said...

But "Friends of The Steinway Mansion" is not an integral movement of GAHS.
They might permit it to appear on their letterhead but , aside from lectures and tours, GAHS seems to have accomplished little in preserving their domain. They're just like QHS, Bayside Historical, Central Queens Historical Assn. Etc. ALL SHOW and NO BLOW!

Anonymous said...

Too late now girls and boys. The deed is being done. No amount of emotional photos or outrage can stop this.
You were betrayed by local pol's and borough hall. Where was the local historical society five or eight years ago? Did they help the owner find a sensitive buyer for his mansion? Did they voice any outrage when the time was riight, long in advance to muster the troops?
We think not! Poor souls, were bound by the code of silence that emasculates all historical organizations. Do not make any waves, lest you lose funding. Wah, wah, wah! That's all that's left to do now.

Anonymous said...

This is an industrial zone. Warehouses are what you get and ugly ones at that!
At least the mansion still stands. St. Saviour's church in Masoeth was totally destroyed. It was not landmarked. It's remains sit in a container waiting to be rebuilt someday. I hope the local termites are well fed so as not to nibble away at the wooden remains of the disassembled church. Am I bitter? You betcha!

Anonymous said...

Those guys that just moved into town had power and money. People listen to hipsters. They do not pay attention to dumb insular Ass-torian yokels. That's why the clock tower will keep ticking.

Anonymous said...

They should hire the guys that orchestrated the Clock Tower - just moved into town did in a matter of months an entire borough could not get together over a couple of decades (for the mansion).

I agree. Exhibit A of how we are different (not in good ways) from the rest of the city. This should be a wake-up call for the borough. Its shameful!

georgetheatheist said...

The "Gang of Seven": Keep smiling while you click.

Missing Foundatoin said...

Poor souls, were bound by the code of silence that emasculates all historical organizations. Do not make any waves, lest you lose funding. Wah, wah, wah! That's all that's left to do now.
---
What? new to this thread?

There are photos of that historical society involved here going back decades. Its pretty tough when the local politicians don't give you the time of day to get anything done.

The community board, civics, meet-up groups, parent groups, newspapers, there are tons of people that could get involved.

And when the do, its the same thing over and over again. Just look at this board. How many times to we have to hear about schools, noise, traffic, etc to realize even if we say something, nothing gets done.

There is your problem in Queens. People feel trapped.

There is every reason to believe those guys will get stopped. Manhattan is different than Queens. Steinway owners and artists are beginning to hear about this as the stain slowly seeps from Queens. When that happens, and it already is, its a whole new ball grame.

Anonymous said...

Photos but no overt outrage or long term planning, "Missing Foundation".
Maybe you're missing a few bolts yourself. As for GAHS, let them defend themselves.
How well does the board sleep at night, knowing they should have done more.

Anonymous said...

RU kidding? The Steinway factory almost closed. That benefactor who donated one hundred million dollars to the Central Park Conservancy kept the factory in Queens. How come nobody tried reaching him? He was raised in Queens.

Jerry Rotondi said...

Queens Historical Society met with owner Mike Halberian back in the 90s.
He wanted them to buy the mansion. I believe the price was between 3 or 4 million dollars.
No way did they have that kind of loot.
I know. I was there at that meeting in Mike's kitchen while I was still serving on QHS' board.

What a loss. What a shame...another of many such shames racked up for Queens by an uncaring borough government.

Yes, where is Peter Vallone junior, the so called valiant protector of his district?
Of course, you all do know that the Vallone law firm lobbies for developers.
Could that be the answer?

Anonymous said...

How well does the board sleep at night, knowing they should have done more.

They could have got it if their own politicians did not stab them in the back after signing on. Its tough if everything you say in confidence to someone who has taken an oath of office to serve a community passes your playbook to the to the developers.