Monday, July 8, 2013

Vacated Kew Gardens mansion hides a sinister past


Took a stroll down Park Lane South in Kew Gardens recently and stumbled upon this mansion that looks like it hasn't been kept up in quite some time.

Upon researching the history, it became apparent that the house was being operated as a transient hotel/SRO and was vacated by DOB in 2010. The owner pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges in 2009, and although there was an order for the Feds to seize the property, it's still in Irina Khaimov's name with a lien on it in the ACRIS system. There also is more than $100,000 in outstanding fines owed on the property for various violations.

As the site in question is in ownership limbo, the neighbors get to look at this unkempt lawn, and God knows what the inside of the place looks like since it doesn't appear to have been sealed. Goodbye, property values.

Park Lane South used to be one of those grand palace-lined thoroughfares that you could just picture people of means strolling along on a Sunday morning.

Welcome to the new Kew Gardens.

7 comments:

Joe Moretti said...

This is why I say what happens in other parts of Queens, like Jamaica, eventually affects others, since crap spreads.

A Better NYC said...

I walk by this house pretty often.

Growing up in neighboring Richmond Hill, this house was ALWAYS immaculately kept.

The last owners were very undesireable. Multiple cars parked on the front lawn, BBQ pits left standing for weeks, etc..

The house very quickly turned to crap.

I'll let you guess the nationality of those who trashed this beautifuly piece of property...

Anonymous said...

The last name is Bukharian. But the issue transcends nationality. As long as Kew Gardens residents oppose landmarking, they will have crap for neighbors. See Grosvenor Lane.

Anonymous said...

So sad. What a beautiful looking house, at least from the outside, and what lovely land around it! Has so much potential. Wish I could buy it. I have wanted a home like this in Queens for all the 22 years I'd lived there growing up.

Anonymous said...

There is a beautiful house (Inside as well as out) on the next block and the owners have been having a hard time selling it because no one wants to shell out big bucks to live next to trash and weeds.

Anonymous said...

As long as Kew Gardens residents oppose landmarking, they will have crap for neighbors
---------------------------------------
Who says they oppose landmarking?

Anonymous said...

there is no support for landmarking in Queens because information on landmarking is not getting to Queens.

since the Queens city council delegation is needed to designate landmarks, and since they Queens city council has signaled they want no community saving landmarks (as opposed to fire houses and the like to bulk up numbers) the city landmark lobby has a 'hands-off' policy towards Queens (except of course our taxes to pay for their privlidge)