Winner of Vol. 71, No. 32
the Pulitzer Prize
Thursday, September 17, 2020
$1.00
What’s inside?
Replace Cabrera? Andrew Cohen isn’t the only councilman moving on. Who’ll succeed Fernando Cabrera? Page A5
Set to become history? HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
For the first time in decades, the Moller Mansion at 3029 Godwin Terrace has changed hands. But its new owner — who paid a hefty $1.5 million for the property — is likely more interested in the land than the home, meaning its days are almost assuredly numbered.
Musical Zoom Can’t put your singers on a stage? Invite them to get together virtually. Page A3
Stringer in race City comptroller Scott Stringer is off and running to become New York City’s next mayor. But will his strategy work in crowded field? Page A8
Moller Mansion on brink of extinction By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@riverdalepress.com
A
uthor H.G. Wells once said that “human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe” — a common theme shared through the ages about not learning from what came before us. While history is likely best recorded in words and pictures, there’s something special about having access to tangible remnants of history like the Wright Brother’s first airplane, or Apollo 11’s lunar module. The historical impact of the three-story mansion at 3029 Godwin Terrace is much quieter than mankind’s ascent into the skies and the heavens, but it has influence nonetheless. It seems almost out of place in its Kingsbridge neighborhood, facing P.S. 207 and surrounded by apartment buildings. But that wasn’t always the view from
Courtesy of Kingsbridge Historical Society Collection
This is likely what the view would have been in front of the Moller Mansion in the early 1870s, with heavy oystering on Spuyten Duyvil Creek, and even early telegraph lines. the front porch of what local historians refer to as the Moller Mansion. In fact, when sugar magnate George Moller moved his family into the home after it
was completed in 1870, the surroundings were described as “in perfect keeping” as center of its own estate, with “delightful views of the Harlem River,” according to
the Yonkers Statesman. Yet, one of the few remaining connections between this neighborhood and its time before it was part of the Bronx could become history itself. For the better part of a century, this historic home remained in the hands of the Roman Catholic Church. That changed, however, last month when the Archdiocese of New York let go of the Moller Mansion for $1.5 million. The home itself has seen better days, but neighbor speculation suggests the high price tag is not for the house — but for the land it sits on. Progress may have finally arrived at 3029 Godwin Terrace, and it will likely come through the sacrifice of the Moller Mansion. “I would be very sad to see it go,” said Nick Dembowski, president of the Kingsbridge Historical Society. “It was a gem when it was built, and it is even rarer now.” MOLLER MANSION, page A4
Return of indoor dining too little, too late
Schools taking a deep breath By ROSE BRENNAN rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
By KIRSTYN BRENDLEN & ROSE BRENNAN of The Riverdale Press
There are few industries more synonymous with New York City than restaurants. From hole-in-the-wall food stalls, to lavish fine dining, to kitschy chains and everything in between, the city has so many eateries that if one endeavored to eat at all of them, for all three meals every day, it would take nearly 26 years. But those numbers could be dwindling. The New York State Restaurant Association says as many as two-thirds of the state’s dining establishments could close by the end of the year if there’s no financial rescue. After months of relying on takeout, curbside pickup and eventually outdoor dining, Gov. Andrew Cuomo finally opened the doors — literally — to eating inside New York City restaurants by the end of the month. It’s not
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
The weather is starting to cool, but some restaurants like Yukka in North Riverdale depend on those willing to sit and eat outside. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has finally allowed New York City to open some indoor dining, more than two months later than originally planned. without restrictions, however, as restaurants will only be able to fill a quarter of its tables. Restaurants statewide need financial assistance, restaurant association president Meredith Fleischut said — even ones that already have reopened indoor dining. Even with outdoor dining and takeout, many restaurateurs are running low on cash. “What they were really saying was that they felt they needed more financial assistance from the federal government,” Fleischut said. “So, more (Paycheck Protection Program),
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a designated restaurant relief fund, or Economic Injury Disaster Loans funding, grant programs — something at the federal level coming before the end of the year.” For a typical restaurant, breaking even financially means mixing takeout, delivery, and an indoor dining room half-full, Fleischut said. But breaking even is not the same as actually making money.
Flexing gym muscle
The city is the final New York region to bring indoor din-
ing back after restaurants were forced to shut down in midMarch. Cuomo opened the door for indoor dining in the city Sept. 9, nearly two weeks after a $2 billion class action lawsuit was filed against the governor and Mayor Bill de Blasio for delaying indoor dining. The legal action was led by Il Bacco Ristorante, an Italian eatery on the far eastern edge of Queens which, according to Forbes, is just 500 feet from Long Island’s Nassau County. A restaurant there could have allowed INDOOR DINING, page A4
Whether waiting for a bus, an appointment or otherwise, delays are not easy to deal with. But when the delay involves vital safety information, it can become anxiety-inducing, in addition to just frustrating. This was the case for the city’s public school teachers last week. With their return to school for professional development Sept. 8, many eyes were on ventilation reports. Once a seemingly obscure subject, how air circulates in classrooms has become a hot button issue, especially considering its role in preventing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. The city’s education department took on the gargantuan task of testing the ventilation in every room in every public school building, with the results expected by Sept. 4. That, according to school chancellor BREATH, page A4