From Bob Sullivan's blog comes this disappointing story: Self-Proclaimed "Princess" destroys 294 Genesee Street.The genteel and elegant interiors of ... The former "Catholic Women's Club", was gutted by the infamous "Faux Princess," Diana Lenska.
The hand carved Carrara Marble fireplaces, of which there were 6 throughout the house, were ripped from their chimney mounts ...
The Roccoco Pier and Overmantel Mirrors-gone. ...
The crowning glory of the mansion, the electrified gasoliers, that have hung from the ornate center medallions since Lincoln was in the White House, vanished. Everything was bundled on a huge moving van and shipped to secret destinations. . . .How sad! Was this 'pay-back' for receiving the 'cold-shoulder' in Utica? A means to recoup losses from failed efforts to establish a cultural venue? A little of both? Or something else? We can only speculate on motive... which is irrelevant. As owner, the fixtures are Ms. Lenska's ... hers to dispose of as she wishes. But this posting is not about Ms. Lenska . . .
This is the second time this year that an architecturally significant structure has been "plundered" (for lack of a better word) in Utica. What happened to the HSBC building? Like the Catholic Women's Club, it was purchased by an out-of-town buyer with fanciful ideas and wound up ransacked. It's not clear exactly what was taken from inside the building, but some marble slabs from exterior planters are obviously missing. There certainly is a lot of beautiful marble covering most of that building . . .
Looking at both situations, Uticans have to consider the possibility that many of the city's remaining architectural treasures may be worth more as sources of fixtures and materials than as real-estate holdings ... With a global marketplace, the prices obtainable may be much much more than local preservationists can muster. Utica may see a lot more out-of-town buyers scooping up properties from desperate sellers at prices that are super-cheap (to the buyers), "mining" the properties for their fixtures or building materials, and then abandoning them.
Utica seems to be going the way of the Coliseum which had its marble facing stripped after the fall of the Roman Empire.
Only the full-fledged economic recovery of Utica with rising property values will solve this problem.
BTW - Please pass the humble pie.
7 comments:
Hmmm. I won't, but I suppose someone could make the argument the architectural treasures were rescued rather than plundered.
To insinuate that this absolute travesty was "payback" for a "cold shoulder," is ridiculous.
The shoulder was cold because most reasonable people who didn't have an agenda and aren't taken in by con artists didn't trust her.
Good for them.
Hey Dave,
I can't see it as being rescued - historic objects removed from their native context to be installed in McMansion by someone who has no significant connection - and likely to be thrown away when that property is passed on and remodeled. Of Course may be they were "rescued" by someone local to the area - but wouldn't they want to publicize the rescue and receive a congrat. Obviously not rescue - just pillage.
There is value to the city and the city's economy in keeping these buildings intact. Read today's OD article about loft apartments downtown. Some enterprising developer could have developed this building, with its relic's as a selling point.
There is value in the architecture and the environment. "Rescue" all the architectural treasures and what's Utica got that makes it any different than New Hartford's residential and commercial zones? Not much.
wasn't the "HSBC" building plundered and robbed by local people or contractors??
is it possible the same thing has happened to the "catholic women's club"?
HSBC was purchased by a gent from Los Angeles or thereabout - absentee owner working with a local contractor. Guess the absentee landlord didn't care or couldn't exercise control and the local contractor had no civic pride.
Anyone know what was in HSBC worth saving - I know the building is old but assume that the 60's remodel removed the building exterior - what about interior elements? Did any of that survive?
Sad.
So much for Lenska's belief in culture and history. The entire sad chapter was probably all about money in the first place. Big surprise.
HSBC WAS STRIPPED OF ALL MATERIALS WORTH SELLING, INCLUDING DOORS, NUT AND BOLTS FROM SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES.
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