Steinway Mansion Under Contract To Private Buyer
Historic Mansion Was Built By Early NYC Technologist & Later Bought By Steinways
Queens Officials Speeches About Nurturing Culture, Historic Preservation & Technology Ringing Hollow
March 3, 2014 / Astoria Neighborhood / Real Estate In Queens / News & Opinion. Queens Buzz. Well, the saga is almost over. NYC and Queens government officials are about to let slip into private hands, the greatest historical relic of the 1800's in Queens. And what could have been - and could still be - one of the greatest historic sites / historic tourist attractions of Queens.
It's not that Queens and NYC government officials haven't had a chance to save it. The historic mansion, which was landmarked for its historic signficance decades ago [landmarking prevents changes to outside of the structure], came on the market in August of 2010. The asking prices has been between $2 and $4 million, which given that far smaller homes with no significance are already selling for over $1 million in the Astoria neighborhood, it seemed like a reasonable asking price.
But no ... or rather nobody stepped up to lead the city in the direction of preserving this historic relic / legacy.
Government officials in the prior administrations could easily find tens and hundreds of millions of dollars for development projects, but they couldn't seem to find a penny to preserve a jewel of our historic past. A historic site that has the potential to transform the area into a burgeoning tourist destination. Something that could easily become a magnet and historic centerpiece for Queens. Click on the photo or this link to learn more about the Steinway Mansion significance.
An example of making an historic mansion a huge tourist attraction and moneymaker is Graceland in Memphis. Following Elvis's death in 1977, Priscilla Presley hired a businessman who transformed Graceland into the tourist destination it has now become. Click here for Graceland Mansion on Wikipedia.
The Steinway Mansion's story in a nutshell is as follows. An Englishman Benjamin Pike, a seller of scientific instruments, [aka technology] built the mansion in the mid 1800's sparing no expense [that's why it stands today]. A German family, the Steinways [of Steinway & Sons Piano 
Factory] bought the mansion less than ten years later. The Steinway family lived in it for the next 50 years. The Steinways were instrumental in making NYC a cultural capital of the world, by paying famous European musicians to visit NYC and perform at Steinway Hall. WilliamSteinway was also an early real estate developer, having purchased many, many acres of Astoria / LIC. And he was the first to attempt to dig a tunnel underneath the East River to ease the flow of people between Manhattan and Queens. And the Halberians - the Armenian family that currently owns the mansion - did a yeoman's job of preserving the structure and the historic legacy.
Queens government officials talk endlessly about nurturing a cultural environment in Queens and generating tourism for this borough. If they really want to do something to bring tourists into Queens, this is an opportunity to do something really big and really tangible, for what would be relatively little money.
If Queens government officials do nothing to preserve the Steinway Mansion, ALL OF THEIR SPEECHES about nurturing culture, historic preservation and even technology WILL RING HOLLOW [Benjamin Pike - early Queens technologist / William Steinway - visionary effort to tunnel underneath East River]. Given this sentiment, I decided to hold myself to the same actionable standard, so on Sunday at the St Pat's Parade in Sunnyside / Woodside I handed a packet of information about the Steinway Mansion to a Mayor de Blasio aide, and emailed him, several prominent Queens government officials and several fellow members of the press, with the same information this morning.
Some folks have told me that it's too far out of the way to become a viable venue? That's only true if you believe that being located less than two miles from one of the nation's busiest airports [LaGuardia], less than one mile from one of the city's busiest freeways [Grand Central] and a ten block walk from a ten minute subway ride from Manhattan - is out of the way.
If you care about preserving the Steinway Mansion call the Queens Borough President's Office at 718.286.3000 and ask them to do something about preserving it for all of Queens, NYC and the world. They won't do anything if they think you don't care enough to make a phone call.
And then email your friends a link to this story and ask them to do the same.
If you're on a mobile device, you can use our click to call button to contact the Queens Borough President's office.
And it would be appreciated if you use social media to ask your friends to contact the Queens Borough President's Office to support preservation of the Steinway Mansion. [Please note that we've dedicated an entire section to the mansion underneath the History section on the navigation bar at the top of this page].
And then have yourself a good day and thanks for trying to do something to preserve an important legacy of Queens & NYC.
My Father My Don - Hollywood EastA Son's Journey From Organized Crime To SobrietyOn The Scene At Halvatzis Astoria StudioJanuary 14, 2014 / Astoria Neighborhood / Film in Queens / Queens Buzz. I had an opportunity to watch the filming of a new indie in the making. The film is based on the book, My Father My Don, by Tony ['Tony Nap'] Napoli. The story is an autobiographical account of Tony Napoli's life which began in 1935. But the book reaches back into the 1880's in recounting how Tony's father 'Jimmy Nap' began his life of crime. Jimmy Nap ran one of the biggest illegal gambling operations in America in the 1970's and 1980's. Jimmy Nap's gambling operations, which he ran for the Genovese Crime Family, is believed to have grossed many, many hundreds of millions of dollars. Tony was the son of this infamous Brooklyn mobster, who among other things, did bootleg runs for Al Capone in his early years. Tony's story is one of redemption, as he used to be a mob enforcer, making sure people paid up on their numbers and other gambling debts. He worked for his father, his don [don means boss]; and eventually took to the bottle to numb the pain. In the photo above we see the film crew in action at the offices of Halvatzis Realty on Ditmars Blvd in Astoria [aka Halvatzis Astoria Studio]. In this scene Tony's father, Jimmy, is called into Al Capone's office after finishing a bootleg run. Producer Hussain Ahmed wrote and is directing the 20 minute short film in Queens. Click here to read the rest of our report, including a photo slide show of the production of the independent film, My Father, My Don in Queens NYC, and a brief interview with Tony Napoli, the author and resident of Forest Hills in Queens. |
Obamacare Comes To QueensQueens Prepares For The Affordable Healthcare ActNovember 13, 2013. Update - Over 197,000 New Yorkers Have Completed Applications of which over 48,000 have already selected and enrolled in a plan. Over 142,000 people were helped by the New York State of Health which runs the health plan marketplace for New York State. Note that open enrollment for the tax year 2014 ends on March 31, 2014. November 7, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Healthcare in Queens / Queens Buzz. I just returned from the United Civic Community Association [UCCA] sponsored forum on Obamacare at the Museum of the Moving Image. The forum did a nice job of providing what appeared to be a good summary look into what the federal government’s Affordable Healthcare Act [also known as Obamacare] is really all about. The forum was moderated by Rose Marie Poveromo, President of the United Community Civic Association of Astoria and included a panel of experts. The panel included U.S. Congressman Joseph Crowley, Rebecca Jackson, a NY State of Health Project Coordinator, Caryn Schwab Executive Director of Mount Sinai Queens, Judy Trilivas Chief Operating Officer of Mount Sinai Queens and Minna Elias Congresswoman Maloney’s Chief of Staff. They are shown seated from left to right in the photo above, at the UCCA hosted Obamacare Forum at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. Click here to read more about Obamacare comes to Queens. |
Queens Next Great Museum?Friends of Steinway Mansion Begin Their JourneyOctober 8, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens History / Queens Buzz. They reminded me a bit of George Washington's rag tag band, scurrying from pitched battle to pitched battle, never really winning ... until the end ... because of their unyielding will and their relentless pursuit of the greater good. This is a story about the Friends of the Steinway Mansion. In 2010 Michael Halberian, the longest living inhabitant of the Steinway Mansion, put it on the market, likely knowing at the age of 83, that his time here on the planet was limited. After a flurry of publicity and verbal support for preserving the Steinway Mansion by Queens government officials, interest in it died down shortly after Michael's death in December of 2010. But not everyone lost interst ... click here to read our report on an effort to preserve the Steinway Mansion by its Friends and transform it into a world class museum. |
Offer Made For Steinway & Sons PianoKohlberg & Co Bids For Steinway Musical InstrumentsJuly 23, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens Business / News & Opinion / Queens Buzz. Kohlberg & Company offerred $438 million for the Steinway Musical Instruments Company, owner of Steinway & Sons Piano in Astoria. The 160 year old company, Steinway & Sons Piano, was founded in Manhattan in 1853. Kohlberg & Co OfferThe Steinway & Piano Company has changed hands a couple of times over the past 160 years, once being acquired by CBS Television, and later being acquired by Selmer Musical Instruments. Click here to read more about the Kohlberg & Company Offer to buy Steinway Musical Instruments in Queens. |
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32,000 Bikers Pass Thru Queens: 5 Boro Bike TourMay 5, 2013 / Long Island City & Astoria / Biking Queens / Queens Buzz. This Sunday some 32,000 bicyclists rode through Astoria and LIC on their way to completing a 40 mile bike ride through all five boroughs of NYC. Photographer Abdel Berrera caught up with them at the Astoria Park rest station where many took a moment to catch their breath. Many of the cyclists come from other countries and other states. The bikers see this as a nice way to see all of New York City, not just Manhattan. There are two 5 Boro Bike Tour rest stops: the first in Astoria Park and the second at the Con Ed rest station along the East River. Many took some time out to make adjustments to their bikes, gear and selves; and consumed a bit of food before resuming the relaxing trip and heading on to Brooklyn and Staten Island. Click here to read a brief report and to see a photo slide show of the 5 Boro Bike Ride in Queens shot by Astoria photographer Abdel Berraha. |
Astoria Moms Defend Children’s RightsMadmen: NYC Dept of Education Does A Don DraperMarch 19, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens Schools / Queens Buzz. Editorial / Report. We attended a Community Board One Meeting Tuesday evening, following up on the concerns of Astoria parents, regarding the proposed changes to PS 122, which were recently announced by the Department of Education [DOE]. Having spent a week in pursuit of information from the DOE about the proposed changes – statements regarding the difficulty in obtaining information from them - rang true. In the photo above, Anastasia Cunningham and her son talk about how the Dept of Ed hasn't put anything in writing, hasn't conducted any impact study, and she talked about how the changes could possibly destroy the learning environment that contributes to the success of PS 122 in Astoria. Click here to read the rest of our Editorial / Report on the Community Board One Meeting regarding Department of Education proposed changes to PS 122 Astoria. Story & photos by Michael Wood. |
Battle For Control Of PS 122 AstoriaDept of Ed Announces Big Changes & Few DetailsPublic Education Could Be Defining Issue Of NYC Mayoral RaceMarch 17, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens Schools / Queens Buzz. The Department of Education announced its intention to make sweeping changes to PS 122 on February 28, 2013 to the PTA of the school. We were told of the general gist of these changes by PS 122 PTA members and parents. We then followed up with the Department of Education, to be sure we understood the Department of Education’s announcement correctly. Before we discuss the general gist of the Department of Education plans for PS 122, it helps to have a bit of background to better understand what appears to be happening.
Click here to read the beginning of our DRAFT report about the Department of Education Plans to reconfigure PS 122 in Astoria. Be advised that there is a Community Board One Meeting March 19, Tuesday evening beginning at 6.30 pm at the Astoria World Manor and a PEP Meeting on March 20th in Brooklyn. The large top photo above was published with permission by Nigel McKenna and the second photo was taken by Queens Buzz of NYC Comptroller and possible Mayoral candidate John Liu listening to concerned PS 122 parents at a United Community Civic Association meeting in Astoria. |
Poletti Power Plant DeconstructionNY Power Authority Works To Safely Remove MaterialsMarch 11, 2013 / Astoria / Queens Neighborhoods / Queens Buzz. I attended a meeting on Thursday evening about the de-construction of the Poletti Power Plant, which is situated on the NY Power Authority site in the northwest section of Astoria. The meeting was sponsored by the United Community Civic Association [aka UCCA] and the event was held at the Augustana Lutheran Church on Ditmars Blvd in Astoria Heights. The bottom line is that current plans call for the de-construction of the old Poletti Power plan to be completed by December 31, 2014. Current planning is underway to figure out how to approach the removal of the old plant materials. Some of the issues include routing of them via trucks through Astoria or via barge on the East River. Click here for the rest of our report, including photos of the NY Power Authority & Poletti Power Plant de-construction. |
Queens Food FusionNutrition & Sumptuous Cuisine in QueensMarch 6, 2013 / Food in Queens / Astoria / Queens Buzz. I attended a nutritious cooking class on February 27th featuring Rocco Sacramone, head Chef and Founder, of Trattoria L’incontro of Astoria; working in tandem with Effie Nerantzis, a Registered Dietician, from Mount Sinai Queens. The event was hosted by the United Community Civic Association at the Central Sushi Bar and Lounge in Astoria. And the program was sponsored by Mount Sinai Queens as part of their community health education outreach efforts, some of which we've covered in the past [see Queens healthcare section]. This particular program was intended to demonstrate how to prepare great tasting foods that are healthy and admission was free. I knew going into this event that it had been fully booked. So I wasn’t surprised as I entered a banquet room, which was fully seated. Rocco and Effie were conversing off stage; while Shelly Felder, Sr Director of Marketing & Communications at Mount Sinai Queens, conversed with Rose Marie Poveromo, President of the United Community Civic Association. The show was about to begin. Click here for our report, including recipes and slide show with photos of Chef Rocco Sacramone of Trattoria L’incontro preparing heart healthy foods. |
Rewired State @ MOMIKids Converge In Astoria To Build AppsJuly 1, 2013 / Astoria / Film in Queens / Queens Buzz. On Sunday afternoon I headed down to the Museum of the Moving Image [MOMI] to view the results of a weekend long program at MOMI, entitled Rewired State. The program invited area kids in grade school and high school to spend a good part of the weekend at the museum, building software applications that leveraged datasets made available by various bodies of government. The kids ranged from very young to ready to go to college. Many of the apps leveraged public datasets into maps, but there were several that went beyond. In the photo to your right are a brother / sister team that built an app showing where many of the graffiti spots are in NYC. Given they only had two days to complete their work, they weren't able to finish it. We'll have more on this program later. It was a great learning experience for kids - not just in terms of learning how to build software applications - but also how to work on a team. Click here to go to the Astoria Neighborhood section of this site, or on the photo above for other Astoria News briefs. We'll have more on this seminar later in the quarter. In the meantime click here for other Astoria News briefs. |
Obamacare Comes To QueensQueens Prepares For The Affordable Healthcare ActNovember 13, 2013. Update - Over 197,000 New Yorkers Have Completed Applications of which over 48,000 have already selected and enrolled in a plan. Over 142,000 people were helped by the New York State of Health which runs the health plan marketplace for New York State. Note that open enrollment for the tax year 2014 ends on March 31, 2014. November 7, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Healthcare in Queens / Queens Buzz. I just returned from the United Civic Community Association [UCCA] sponsored forum on Obamacare at the Museum of the Moving Image. The forum did a nice job of providing what appeared to be a good summary look into what the federal government’s Affordable Healthcare Act [also known as Obamacare] is really all about. The forum was moderated by Rose Marie Poveromo, President of the United Community Civic Association of Astoria and included a panel of experts. The panel included U.S. Congressman Joseph Crowley, Rebecca Jackson, a NY State of Health Project Coordinator, Caryn Schwab Executive Director of Mount Sinai Queens, Judy Trilivas Chief Operating Officer of Mount Sinai Queens and Minna Elias Congresswoman Maloney’s Chief of Staff. They are shown seated from left to right in the photo above, at the UCCA hosted Obamacare Forum at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. Click here to read more about Obamacare comes to Queens. |
Pedestrian Malls In QueensMeeting On Astoria Pedestrian Mall TuesdaySeptember 10, 2012 / Astoria / Queens Community Issues / Queens Buzz. On Tuesday evening September 11, there’s a Community Board 1 meeting at the Astoria World Manor on 25-22 Astoria Blvd. One of the topics on the agenda is which DOT [Department of Transportation] proposal to approve, regarding changing the traffic configuration in and around the intersection of Newtown Avenue and 30th Avenue in Astoria. According to the Queens DOT, this intersection is the site of numerous accidents, and is more dangerous than approximately 90% of all intersections in Queens. It’s not difficult to understand why, as it is the nexus point for five roads: east & west on 30th Avenue, north & south on 33rd Street and northwest on Newtown Avenue [see map on next page]. The photo to your left was taken on August 25th when Newtown Avenue was temporarily converted into a pedestrian plaza. Click here to read our report on the Newtown Plaza, in which we include related reports on other pedestrian malls in Queens, NYC and NYS. |
My Father My Don - Hollywood EastA Son's Journey From Organized Crime To SobrietyOn The Scene At Halvatzis Astoria StudioJanuary 14, 2014 / Astoria Neighborhood / Film in Queens / Queens Buzz. I had an opportunity to watch the filming of a new indie in the making. The film is based on the book, My Father My Don, by Tony ['Tony Nap'] Napoli. The story is an autobiographical account of Tony Napoli's life which began in 1935. But the book reaches back into the 1880's in recounting how Tony's father 'Jimmy Nap' began his life of crime. Jimmy Nap ran one of the biggest illegal gambling operations in America in the 1970's and 1980's. Jimmy Nap's gambling operations, which he ran for the Genovese Crime Family, is believed to have grossed many, many hundreds of millions of dollars. Tony was the son of this infamous Brooklyn mobster, who among other things, did bootleg runs for Al Capone in his early years. Tony's story is one of redemption, as he used to be a mob enforcer, making sure people paid up on their numbers and other gambling debts. He worked for his father, his don [don means boss]; and eventually took to the bottle to numb the pain. In the photo above we see the film crew in action at the offices of Halvatzis Realty on Ditmars Blvd in Astoria [aka Halvatzis Astoria Studio]. In this scene Tony's father, Jimmy, is called into Al Capone's office after finishing a bootleg run. Producer Hussain Ahmed wrote and is directing the 20 minute short film in Queens. Click here to read the rest of our report, including a photo slide show of the production of the independent film, My Father, My Don in Queens NYC, and a brief interview with Tony Napoli, the author and resident of Forest Hills in Queens. |
Queens Next Great Museum?Friends of Steinway Mansion Begin Their JourneyOctober 8, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens History / Queens Buzz. They reminded me a bit of George Washington's rag tag band, scurrying from pitched battle to pitched battle, never really winning ... until the end ... because of their unyielding will and their relentless pursuit of the greater good. This is a story about the Friends of the Steinway Mansion. In 2010 Michael Halberian, the longest living inhabitant of the Steinway Mansion, put it on the market, likely knowing at the age of 83, that his time here on the planet was limited. After a flurry of publicity and verbal support for preserving the Steinway Mansion by Queens government officials, interest in it died down shortly after Michael's death in December of 2010. But not everyone lost interst ... click here to read our report on an effort to preserve the Steinway Mansion by its Friends and transform it into a world class museum. |
Astoria Maps - OverviewClick to view three maps of Astoria: 1) Map of Shopping Districts In Astoria with links to shop home pages on this site, 2) Map of Astoria Restaurants that have been reviewed on this site, and 3) Map of cultural attractions in Astoria most for which there are reports about them to be found on this site. Click here to view Astoria Maps - Maps of Shops, Restaurants and Cultural Attractions in Astoria Queens. It's also a map of some things to do in Astoria Queens. |
Greek Restaurants In AstoriaCavo - Modern Greek Cuisine In QueensAstoria Neighborhood / Astoria Restaurants / Queens Restaurants / Queens Buzz. Cavo is one of the leading modern Greek restaurants in NYC. Cavo is located in the heart of Astoria, just off Steinway Street, only a few blocks walk from the N subway stop. We had occasion to visit Cavo recently, where we were able to enjoy the restaurant's modern Greek cuisine, airy decor and well mannered clientele. You may click here to read a review of one of the leading Greek Restaurants In Astoria - Cavo. |
Restaurants / Wine Bars In AstoriaWinegasm Wine Bar In Astoria QueensAstoria Neighborhood / Astoria Restaurants / Queens Restaurants / Queens Buzz. Winegasm is a wine and tapas bar in Astoria Queens NY. They offer good service, a nice selection of wines and an appetizing array of finger food as well as a few entrees. We were hosted by one of the restaurant's principals, one of whom is there nearly every evening. Winegasm is located just off Broadway Street between Steinway Street and 31st Street where one can catch the N Subway train. The following review is of some of the wines sampled, along with a variety of appetizers. Click here to read a full review of Winegasm - Restaurants & Wine Bars in Astoria. |
Furniture Stores In QueensFurniture In AstoriaThis is a story about shopping for furniture and other things in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens NY. The story includes interviews with the proprietors and managers of many stores including three furniture stores in Astoria Queens. Click here to read more about furniture and furniture stores in Astoria, LIC & Queens. |
Choosing Florists For Wedding Flowers In QueensWedding Flowers, Bridal Bouquets, Boutonnieres, Banquet Table Flowers In Astoria QueensAstoria Neighborhood / Shopping Queens / Queens Buzz. As any Queens mother will tell you, planning your wedding isn’t an easy project. There are a mind-boggling number of details. And given your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, great effort goes into making sure that every last detail is perfect. Wedding flowers play an important role in the aesthetics of your wedding as they garnish the visual background of the event and present a lasting visual remembrance in the minds and hearts of your family and friends. The Queens bride’s personal sense style are on display on her wedding day. The style reveals itself in the color of the bridesmaid dresses and and couture of the bridal gown, as well as through the ambient beauty of the decorative wedding floral arrangements chosen to decorate the wedding ceremony, wedding hall and wedding feast. Click here to learn more about what to look for when choosing wedding flowers / wedding florists in Astoria Queens. |
Astoria Real Estate - AstoriaReal Estate, Realtors, Condos, Apartments, Prices & MarketAstoria Real Estate / Queens Real Estate / Queens Buzz. This is the Astoria Real Estate section of the site. Click here to view reports about business and real estate in Astoria Queens. |
Astoria Real EstateAstoria / Queens / Updated August 30, 2012 / First published Dec 2009. This is a report on Astoria real estate. The report includes a discussion of supply and demand in the Astoria real estate market, as well as for apartment rentals. Financing and demographic shifts are also included in this report and we have included links to related Queens real estate reports, home pages and real estate classifieds. |
Offer Made For Steinway & Sons PianoKohlberg & Co Bids For Steinway Musical InstrumentsJuly 23, 2013 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens Business / News & Opinion / Queens Buzz. Kohlberg & Company offerred $438 million for the Steinway Musical Instruments Company, owner of Steinway & Sons Piano in Astoria. The 160 year old company, Steinway & Sons Piano, was founded in Manhattan in 1853. Kohlberg & Co OfferThe Steinway & Piano Company has changed hands a couple of times over the past 160 years, once being acquired by CBS Television, and later being acquired by Selmer Musical Instruments. Click here to read more about the Kohlberg & Company Offer to buy Steinway Musical Instruments in Queens. |
Queens History Is New York's History19th Century Queens Pioneers With Big IdeasSteinway & Sons Legacy Permeates NYC & QueensManhattan NYC & Astoria / December 7, 2010 / Queens Buzz. In our effort to inform Queens Buzz readers about the full historical significance of the Steinway Mansion, we traveled into one of Queens' outerboros: Manhattan. We visited Steinway Hall, which is located on 57th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, and which is owned by Steinway & Sons pianos - some 85 years later. Once again, I stepped through a time warp, similar to the one into which I stepped when I visited to the Steinway piano factory and more recently the Steinway Mansion, both of which are located in Astoria in Queens. Steinway Hall was built by Steinway & Sons piano company in 1925, following the erection of Carnegie Hall, which had just supplanted the old Steinway Hall located on 14th Street, as NYC's cultural centerpiece. Click here to read more about Steinway Hall in NYC including numerous photos, or click this link to visit the Steinway Mansion section of Queens Buzz. |
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