Riverdale Review, May 17, 2012

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Riverdale’s ONLY Locally Owned Newspaper!

Volume XIX • Number 18 • May 17 - 23, 2012 •

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Brazen 235th St. bank robber flees with $3200 By MIAWLING LAM Police are on the hunt for a robbery suspect who fled from a local HSBC Bank with more than $3,000 in cash. The suspect, described as a black male in his 30s, allegedly walked into the HSBC Bank at 569 West 235th Street at Arlington Avenue shortly after noon on Monday, May 14. Community Affairs Officer at the 50th Precinct Mindy Ramos said the suspect handed the teller a note outlining his demands and indicated he had a gun. According to police, the note stated: “This is a bank robbery. I have a concealed gun. Give me the money in the drawer.” Officer Ramos said the bank employee complied and the suspect fled the scene with $3,238 in cash. No weapon was ever displayed. It is understood the teller did

not hand over bait bills with recorded serial numbers or hidden exploding dye packs. Police said the suspect, who sported a fake beard and black baseball cap, fled on foot heading northbound on Netherland Avenue but was not apprehended. Surveillance footage of the man, described as being 5 feet 10 inches tall and around 230 pounds, has been seized, and the matter has been referred to the NYPD major case squad for further investigation. When the Riverdale Review attended the scene around 12:30 p.m., confusion reigned as customers were turned away. A note posted at the entrance read: “Sorry for the inconvenience. The bank is currently closed.” As of press time, a request for comment to HSBC Bank was not returned.

The latest heist comes less than two months after another man attempted to rob the Chase Bank branch located at 3775 Riverdale Avenue. Police said the perpetrator in that incident, described as a white male in his 30s, did not get out with any money and fled the scene after the teller pressed the panic alarm. Both incidents follow a rash of eight other attempted bank robberies in The Bronx this year alone. Of those eight, half involved attempted hold-ups of Chase Bank branches at 1308 East Gun Hill Road at Burke Avenue, 3514 White Plains Road at East Gun Hill Road and 1489 Metropolitan Oval. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-557-TIPS (8477). All calls remain confidential.

Do you know this man?

Fieldston mansion ‘built for Jesus’ on market for $15 million

By MIAWLING LAM Who knew Jesus Christ had a soft spot for Riverdale? A palatial 15,000-square-foot mansion built for the second coming of Jesus Christ has just hit the market for a staggering asking price of $14.99 million. The Chapel Hill Mansion built in 1928 by the head of the New York Theological

Society is believed to be the most expensive property currently up for grabs in The Bronx. The sprawling seven-bedroom, sevenbathroom and five half-bathroom palace, located at 360 West 253rd Street, boasts custom high-end finishes including imported French walnut woodwork, limestone walls and ornate chandeliers

Never mind HGTV. This house was designed to meet needs of very important person.

acquired directly from the Plaza Hotel. The ceilings are gilded with gold and silver leaf, the floors are made of marble imported from the Vatican and there are six original hand-carved marble fireplaces. The Plaza Hotel’s band of artists even spent four years hand-painting and gilding the ceilings in each of the bedrooms. If those bells and whistles aren’t enough, the home also features modern conveniences including a gym, sauna, conservatory and terrace with a hot tub. Listing agent Sean McPeak from Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate said the house marries European elegance with American craftsmanship. “The house is very special. It’s like a baby Versailles,” he told The Riverdale Review. “There’s silver and gold all over the ceiling, everything is imported French walnut and there’s not a single nail used in the woodwork. The construction is unbelievable. “The only property I can compare it to would be Marble House in Newport, Rhode Island, which was built by the Vanderbilts.” If the successful buyer wants to make the property even more extravagant, plans for a 12-car garage, heated driveway and pool have already been approved and

finalized. While the house was originally designed for the Christian savior, McPeak said no feature references its religious beginnings. “I only mention it because it gives you an idea of the insane amount of detail—the fanatical amount of detail—that went into the house,” he said. McPeak said while nobody has yet to snap up the property—it was listed only last week—there has been considerable interest from deep-pocketed buyers from Manhattan, from Connecticut and even from foreign investors. “There’s a lot of buzz around it because of its unique characteristics,” he said. “The amount of land that it comes with makes it very rare. Usually houses this big—and there’s a few in Riverdale—cover only about half an acre, and this one is over two acres.” According to the real estate blurb, the mansion is set upon approximately 2.3 acres. “Spectacular views are a main attraction, as the mansion sits on the highest point in all of New York City,” it states. “The serene location makes this a oneof-a-kind home in the history of New York City.” McPeak declined to provide further information about the owner but said she’s Continued on Page 10


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