Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The F. Skiddy Von Stade Estate

The Francis Skiddy Von Stade estate designed by Cross & Cross c. 1914 in Old Westbury, shown here after the c. 1930 enlargements by Peabody, Wilson & Brown. Click HERE for more on the F. Skiddy Von Stade estate. The estate is in the midst of being subdivided and the main house set to come down at any time. Click HERE to see the Von Stade estate on google earth and HERE on bing.



20 comments:

HalfPuddingHalfSauce said...

Pristine. Such a contrast to what it looked like at its end. Source of these photos?

Zach L. said...

Keeping it quiet for now. Photos of the estate as it looked in 2011 coming very soon.

archibuff said...

Another Long Island blog has contemporary photos of the mansion interiors. It is a ruined mess. So unfortunate and wasteful to throw away a property and let it deteriorate to the point of no return. The Entenmann family supposedly were the owners who abandoned the home and only used the property for its equestrian facilities. Now undergoing subdivision every existing structure is set for demolition which just continues the short-sighted and wasteful history. Nothing could be re-adapted? Even the renovated barn used for the current sales office is coming down? Mindless destruction.

Anonymous said...

@archibuff...

Could you possibly post the link to the contemporary photos of the ruins? I would love to see them.

Thanks!

Zach L. said...

archibuff...

An effort was made to try and save one of the barns but it wound up simply being too cost prohibitive. Between the dismantling, moving, repairing, moving back, pouring of a new foundation, re-erection and re-cladding it was just too much (you could build a new, identical one for half as much). It is a terrible shame, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.

Also... at some point the outbuildings were used as a school. There were rows of seats in one of the barns and many old school books and children's toys and the like scattered around.

The house was just a mess...about 1/3 of the first floor ceiling has collapsed, about 1/4 of the first floor itself has collapsed into the basement and a large portion of the second floor has fallen in on itself.

archibuff said...

If link doesnt work just look up long island ruins von stade estate. Its on the Bygone Long Island site.

http://bygone.li-ruins.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=141

Hope linking a fellow LI site is ok?

Zach L. said...

Nope... you just made the list.

Of course it's fine. Anyway I have better exterior shots in the pipeline which will be posted very soon.

Anonymous said...

I'm amazed that the Village of OW allows property owners to let a potentially dangerous structure stand in ruins for decades.

archibuff said...

Zach........Dont worry, youre blog is still the gold standard regarding LI estates and history. Looking forward to those exterior shots.

I realize it always comes down to money but the main multi-storey stable/barn structure looked beautiful. Unfortunate it could not be saved.

Kellsboro Jack said...

The ghostly ruins (as seen on the other site) in contrast to the dignified condition, seen with Zach's images, it was during Skiddy Von Stade's ownership is shocking. It really is almost repugnant that such a lovely complex of structures could be allowed to go into decline over so many years.

The beached boat landing in the forecourt area is almost the topper on the cake of destruction.

With the mention of the Entenmann family and horses and racing I'm assuming the reference is to the late William Entenmann III (d. Jan 2011). Or is there another part of the family which owned the estate and trained horses there?

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2011/01/06/longtime-owner-breeder-entenmann-dies-at-79.aspx

Anonymous said...

I agree with archibuff... the Bygone Long Island site doesn't hold a candle to Old Long Island.

The Down East Dilettante said...

To put this in perspective, although it is always sad and irritating to see unnecessary waste and decay, and the mind races with the many adaptive reuses this rambling house would have lent itself to, the fact is that it is a pleasant and ordinary structure, and does not affect the course of history in its demolition (although one shudders at what will probably be built)

Anonymous said...

I find it so very odd a family would purchase this property only to let it go to ruin almost immediately, all along I assume paying the high property and village taxes...so wouldn't it have been cheaper in the long run to just live in the home and make use of all the out buildings? Makes no sense whatsoever....

Kellsboro Jack said...

When F. Skiddy von Stade passed away I'm assuming it didn't go to his son, Philip R. von Stade Sr (d. 2004), simply because he already had his own estate in Locust Valley (plus the one in Prout's Neck, ME, and Spring Island, SC) - but did his wife Kathryne Steele von Stade predecease Skiddy?

Philip's obit (scroll down):
http://www.antonnews.com/glencoverecordpilot/2004/03/26/obituaries/

Anonymous said...

As mentioned previously, in todays world where preservation is losing ground to destroy so many buildings without trying to utilize some of them is just senseless. The disregard for resources and materials is inexcusable

Anonymous said...

This was -- at best -- a B- house. Undistinguished in ever way. Perhaps it was comfortable in the thirties and forties, in a Mr Blandings sort of way. I don't know.

But look at how many outbuildings there are and think for a moment about what the maintenance budget for those buildings would have been. On top of maintenance for the house, the property taxes, and everything else. You quickly get to a number that is simply inconsistent with the qualities of this house.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7 or 8, so many Anons, take a look at the Bostwick mansions in Old Westbury near Route 25. They are large rambling shingled colonial revival homes that were added onto over the years, but not notably important architecturally, more comfortable luxury in a quiet old money way. The Bostwicks as the Von Stades spent their money in OW on horses. The Bostwicks maintained a private polo field amid the numerous stables and barns, etc. These properties were not about formal gardens and limestone manor homes. For these families, spending large sums on their love of horses and riding pursuits would not be inconsistent with the quality of their homes.

Anonymous said...

I thought the Bostwicks were closer to I.U. Willets and Jericho Trnpk?

HalfPuddingHalfSauce said...

I had a early view of the upcoming interior photos. I could picture a very elegant life at this place!

Anonymous said...

The Hitchcock family had the homes and horse farms on 25 in OW.