By Bill Parry
The historic Steinway Mansion has been officially sold to a private buyer, according to Michele Kazarian, the daughter of the late owner Michael Halberian and executor of his will.
“I don’t have much to say other than it’s sold. It’s a passing,” Kazarian said.
The property was sold to Steinway Mansion LLC for $2.6 million, said Lauren Cornea of Amorelli Realty, one of the co-listing agents in the sale. “We’re very proud to be able to procure a deal for the mansion,” she added.
No other details of the deal were available.
The landmarked Astoria home, built in 1858 and purchased in 1870 by William Steinway of the legendary piano-making family, had been on the market since 2010.
The mansion was owned by the Halberian family since 1927. Michael Halberian lived in the home at 18-33 41st St. his entire life.
In March, when news of a potential buyer became known, Kazarian said, “It’s been a very difficult time for me and my family, but yes, there is a buyer. We wanted to sell it to the city for the longest time, but we just had to move on.”
The Friends of Steinway Mansion, who had hoped to raise $5 million to buy the property and restore it to its former glory, posted a statement on Twitter. “We hope it will be preserved and available to the community,” the statement said. The group’s leader, Bob Singleton, who is also the director of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, said that he may make a statement about the mansion’s official sale Tuesday.
State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), who was raised near the mansion, said, “The Steinway Mansion is an integral part of our neighborhood’s rich cultural history. Like many of my neighbors in Astoria, I hope that whoever made this purchase has an appreciation for the Steinway Mansion’s importance to the community and bearing that in mind, finds a way to allow public access to the neighborhood landmark.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
