STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - A piece of Staten Island history is slowly falling into decay at the end of Hylan Boulevard in Rosebank.

It's the historic McFarlane-Bredt House, which has been owned by the city since the 1970s.

There have been numerous calls to renovate the house, and millions of dollars have been allocated at different points.

But the once beautiful home, next to beautifully restored Alice Austen House, stands shuttered and vacant. We took a look inside recently.

Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

The house was built in 1844 for Henry and Anne McFarlane, who purchased the property in 1841. Here is one of its huge rooms.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

The residence was built to resemble an Italian Swiss villa, a short-lived design style which rose to popularity in the 1840s. Today, many of the doors and windows are boarded over.

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You can still see some of the old grandeur of the place in this 2001 photo.

The McFarlane-Bredt house was the original home of the New York Yacht Club, from 1868 to 1871.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Many of the rooms have their own fireplaces.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

This one is in serious disrepair.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Some graffiti here on the wall.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

The house hosted the 1871 America's Cup yachting competition, in which the Island team won the cup from the British. The 1871 competition drew some 50,000 sailing fans to Staten Island and Brooklyn shores to view the race.

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This illustration shows a regatta taking place near the yacht club in 1868.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

When we visited, we found that the basement was flooded with several feet of water. Neighbors say that pipes in the house are broken, and that water is seeping out into surrounding areas.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Here's what the city Parks Department told us about the situation:

"We are actively working to resolve the issues with water service at the McFarlane-Bredt House. A valve broke in the basement causing some overflow. We were able to replace the valve this week and are working closely with DEP to locate and close the main source of water.

"There are water issues in the fields below the house, however, at this time we can't confirm if they are related to the house or from other water sources."

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Despite the disrepair, we found rooms and hallways full of vibrant colors, like this lime area on the second floor.

The house was designated a city landmark in 1969.

In 1975, the City of New York acquired the property, along with the nearby Alice Austen House, with the intention of creating a public park and preserving the homes.

While the Austen house has had a total restoration, the McFarlane-Bredt House languishes.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

The home was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1983.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

According to Advance records, a 1991 Parks Department capital projects report said that a one-year restoration of the McFarlane-Bredt House was to have begun in 1996. The residence was to be converted into a community room with galleries and meeting rooms at a cost of $2.6 million. But funding didn't materialize and repairs were never made.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Look at the vivid red walls on this staircase.

In 2001, it was estimated that the home would cost $3 million to renovate.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Last week, Parks told us, "Currently, there are no capital projects slated for this site."

In 2009, Parks renovated the roof.

In 2013, the agency completed some restoration projects, including sealing the exterior of the building (replacing missing and damaged clapboard, sealing the windows, painting the entire exterior) and structural stabilization work (foundation underpinning, foundation masonry pointing and repair).

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Light pours through the front door here. And, again, the eye-catching colors and contrasts.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Some of the areas we found were a bit unnerving, like this disheveled kitchen space.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Like something from one of those "Grindhouse" movies.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Where nobody can hear you scream...

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Definitely spooky.

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Bill Lyons/Staten Island Advance

Here's a video of our trip to the house.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

By 2005, then-City Councilman Michael McMahon (D-North Shore) had allocated at least $1.5 million in city funds for the home's renovation. Former North Shore Councilman Jerome X. O'Donovan had previously allocated $1 million, according to Advance records.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

In 2005, the home received a $250,000 state grant for refurbishment.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Neighbor P.J. Ferstler alerted us to the water condition at the house. He'd like to see the home restored to its former glory.

"Everyone's ignoring it," he said. "I'd like to see it restored back the way it way it was. Have boats and docks again. Have events."

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Some of the water runoff from the house is seen here.

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Others have also pitched in to help. Decked out in their finest Victorian garb, Christopher and Nancy Benbow in 2005 raised about $5,000 at a cocktail party in their Ward Hill home to jump-start the Alice Austen House Museum's fund-raising campaign to restore the interior of the McFarlane-Bredt House.

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This illustration shows the house in its glory days.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

But now debris fills many of the rooms. The house hasn't been occupied in some time.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

But you can see that the rooms have real possibilities if the money can be found to renovate the house.

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Courtesy of Alice Austen House

This architect's image from 2008 shows how the room above might be restored for public use.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Underbrush has started to creep into this room, and big chunks of the walls and ceiling are missing.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

You can see hints of interesting design touches throughout the house, like this arched window.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

And this brick wall behind a more modern-looking wall covering.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

A room with a distinctive curved door.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Here's the front.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

The blue here really caught my eye.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

More of that multi-colored motif found throughout the house.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Interesting stickers next to that closet.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Looks like there's fire below this heating grate in the floor, but it's just light from another room.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

The hanging light fixture in this stairwell is gone.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

These decorative moldings were once part of the home's exterior. They've been put aside and preserved.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

And a good thing too. Here's the exterior in a 2001 photo from the Advance.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

There are bucolic views out some of the windows.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

While others are boarded up.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Great light for a possible painter's studio.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Nice how the doorways frame the view.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Maybe this is that missing light fixture.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

This bathroom area is just a mess.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Some of the rooms retain their vintage feel while others, like this one, look more modern.

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Bill Lyons/Staten Island Advance

In this video, neighbor P.J. Ferstler talks about the house and the water problem.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Another of the numerous fireplaces.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Note the metalwork.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

In addition to numerous fireplaces, the house also has a number of staircases, some no doubt of the "backstairs" kind for servants to use.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Beautiful old windows.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Still great light, despite the shutters.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

A view down a main staircase from the second floor.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Here's what the property looked like in 2003.

Original owner Henry McFarlane was an early developer and may have designed the house himself, since no records exist to show that an architect was hired.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Chandelier more in keeping with the home's historic flavor.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

This one too.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

While this one looks from a more recent time period.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

This was how the house looked in 2005.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Classic old bathtub.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Definitely vintage fixtures.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Seriously crumbling ceiling here.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Another bathroom, with vintage fixtures in blue.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

That tub looked rather small to me.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Plenty of storage up top.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Somebody did leave some bubble bath behind.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

This room was toward the back of the house. Note the weeds encroaching through the floor and wall.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Found this old refrigerator in a small kitchen in the back of the house. I couldn't get the door open.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

In case any lightbulbs are needed.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

And look, they were subscribers!

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Maybe the same Advance box as seen in this 2002 photo.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

How long have those Solo cups been sitting there?

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Here's a shot from 2008.

More history: A map dated 1846 shows the McFarlane house as originally built with a wide, two-story central bay fronted by a wide verandah facing the Narrows. The map also reveals an icehouse, a gardener's cottage, stables, two greenhouses and a fishpond.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

A back staircase into the basement.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

With this vintage light switch.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

And floodwater covering a good chunk of the stairs.

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Another view from 2008.

The greenhouses that were on the property were shown to have directly abutted the line of the neighboring property, which had been bought in 1844 by John H. Austen, a New York City auctioneer and grandfather to future pioneering female photographer Alice Austen.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Just another cool view through a doorframe.

The McFarlanes sold the 2.7 acre lot and dwelling to Daniel Low in 1846 for $9,000. A year later, Low sold to Richard Williamson, and three years later, Williamson sold to Henry Dibblee of Southfield, which is what the South Shore of Staten Island was called back then.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Back doorway, with an improvised window covering.

Since Diblee occupied the house for 15 years, it is believed that he was responsible for the first addition to the west end of the house, which nearly doubled its square footage.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

This staircase was blocked by debris.

Dibblee, a dry goods merchant, occupied the house until 1865, when he sold it to Mrs. Nathanial Wolfe for $25,000.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Cabinets in what we were told were a kitchen area.

On May 27, 1868, the following news item appeared in the Richmond County Gazette: "Real Estate Sale -- Mr. A.B. Janin, real estate agent, 80 Wall Street, New York, has sold the property of Nathaniel H. Wolfe at Clifton, consisting of a house and three acres of land to the New York Yacht Club for $25,000.00."

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Also from 2008. Note the brick under the clapboard.

The house was sold in 1871 to merchant Frederick Bredt. The yacht club found new headquarters in Manhattan.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

That was apparently where the fire for cooking was.

The Bredt family did not own the house for long and it was sold many times since that family left, and more additions have been made to what has now become known as the McFarlane-Bredt house in the intervening 100 or so years. The house was sold to developers in the 1960s.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

There was peeling wallpaper and paint all over the house. Made you wonder how much it would cost to fix the place up today.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Old-fashioned radiator in need of rehab.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

We found this yin-yang symbol painted on one of the walls. Groovy.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

No, the stained glass wasn't real. Just a decorative plastic strip.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Kind of eerie.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Busted thermostat.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

So watch out!

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Another room getting great light.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Looks like some windows or cabinets were torn out of here. But look at that green!

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

This plaque attests to state money allocated to the home.

As part of an announcement of various Island projects, the city Parks Department in 2009 said that the home would be re-furbished.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

A locked door on one part of the house.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

The whole house has been painted white.

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Tom Wrobleski | wrobleski@siadvance.com

Here, kitty-kitty.