With its grand arched entrance on Crescent Beach Road, the former Woolworth Estate invites the passerby to a tantalizing cluster of buildings and gardens within. Designed by C.P.H. Gilbert, and constructed in 1916 for Frank W. Woolworth, it is located in the North Country Colony section of Glen Cove, originally surrounded by other Gilbert commissions, most now lost to the bulldozer. The Woolworth estate remains, with its limestone clad exterior and highly decorative rooms, by Helwig Schier of the firm of Theo Hofstatter & Co., within.

Unfortunately, although leased for many years by the Pall Corporation as its headquarters, the 16 acre site has been all but abandoned in the past three years since Pall removed to other facilities. While actively being marketed, most of those who have shown interest in buying it are looking for uses which are presently not allowed by the Glen Cove City zoning code. Although Glen Cove has a modern landmarks preservation law which contains opportunities to enforce maintenance where demolition by neglect is taking place, the City has not seen fit to require the owner to do so. Both the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Preservation League of New York State have written letters to the Mayor of Glen Cove to encourage the city to use its enforcement powers to protect the property from further deterioration. SPLIA has offered to work with the city to find a solution which will ensure its future preservation.

Photo credits:
SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LONG ISLAND ANTIQUITIES, CHARLA BOLTON, MARK SIELUCKA