Queens Historical Society to Host Concerts to Preserve Steinway Mansion

The Steinway Mansion in Queens is famous for once being home to the piano-making Steinway family. But in more recent years, the mansion has been put up for sale with the threat of being subdivided.

The Friends of Steinway Mansion, a local historical society, is trying to buy the house and turn it into a community center, museum, and performance space. Members say it will take $5 milion to purchase the property and $4 million to restore it. They're kicking off a concert series this weekend to raise awareness and funds for the mansion.

Bob Singleton, executive director of the Friends of Steinway Mansion, said music is a natural way to draw attention back to the landmark.

“Using music to raise awareness of the plight of the mansion was a no-brainer,” Singleton said, “you know, considering that they revolutionized modern music and the modern city of New York.”

The mansion was built in the 1850s atop a hill at 18-33 41st St. in Astoria. It was declared a New York City landmark in 1967.

Singleton said preserving the house is a way to respect the history of the neigborhood.

“It’s an opportunity for the community to get together and say ‘hey places like this are really important for us,’” he said, “it’s really important in terms of the DNA of our community, and really who we are as a group of people."

The first event of the concert series is this Saturday at SingleCut Beersmiths in Astoria. The series will last through October and November at various bars and venues in the neighborhood.