Landmarks designated nineteenth century home to prevent further destruction. On April 12, 2005, Landmarks held a public hearing and acted immediately to designate the James L. Bedell House, an 1874 single- family home located at 7484 Amboy Road in Tottenville and considered one of the best preserved Second Empire style houses on Staten Island’s South Shore. Landmarks scheduled a public hearing to consider the house for designation after the owner, John Grossi, Jr., spray painted the house bright orange and green. See 2 CityLand 44 (April 15, 2005).

At the April 12, 2005 public hearing, Tottenville residents, including the director of the Tottenville’s Historical Society, testified in favor of designation and requested that Landmarks act to protect Tottenville’s legacy. Representatives from Congressman Vito Fosella’s and Council Member Anthony Lanza’s offices also supported designation. Grossi, the only speaker who opposed, admitted that it had been a mistake to spray paint the house. He testified that he never intended to live there, claiming the house was uninhabitable, and he purchased it only for investment purposes. Grossi planned to demolish the house and develop garden apartments and law offices. He added that he would not have purchased the house if he had prior notice that Landmarks was considering it for designation. (read more…)

Opposing owner spray painted home on eve of Landmarks’ vote. On March 29, 2005, Landmarks voted to hold a public hearing on April 12, 2005 on the possible designation of the James L. Bedell House in Staten Island, an 1874 single-family home and carriage house located on Amboy Road in Tottenville. A Landmarks survey of the architectural resources on Staten Island’s South Shore identified the Bedell House as one of the best preserved Second Empire-style homes, which are typified by mansard roofs, decorative dormers and prominent entryway porches. Once prevalent in New York’s rural areas, a small number of these homes remain.

Just before the March 29, 2005 vote, the Bedell House’s owner of seven weeks spray painted bright orange and neon green patches on the home. Landmarks staff displayed a photo of the spray painted house at the presentation, noting that the owner had since re-painted the home white. (read more…)