2008 11 Falling Plaster Sparked Preservation Technical Assistance Grants Fund Discussions at Center Church in Hartford
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Connecticut Preservation News January/February 2008 Volume XXXI, No. 1 Buildings of Connecticut Richard Platt G. Farmer David Merwin house, Milford going . going . gone. A Cautionary Tale t looked as though Milford had scored another preserva- that Westwood wanted to take down the Merwin house. Not I tion victory with the David Merwin house, built around only was there the preservation restriction, but Milford also has 1790 overlooking Gulf Pond, an inlet off Long Island Sound. In a delay of demolition ordinance requiring that Platt, as city his- recent years the pressure to replace the house and its surround- torian, be informed of any proposals to demolish historic build- ing farmland with new housing had grown intense. In February ings in the city, a provision that allows time for preservationists of last year the City of Milford bought the property, which to try to find alternatives to demolition. had already been divided into five building lots. Two lots were But on December 3, Platt heard that workers had in fact retained as open space and the remaining three sold to developer begun taking down the house. Within a few days nothing Westwood Ranches LLC. The lot containing the Merwin house remained but piles of timbers and stones. Westwood’s plan, it sold for only $200,000 because the city added deed restrictions turned out, was to re-erect the house on the same lot, only requiring that the house’s exterior appearance be preserved. farther from the road, and turned 90 degrees to face the view. Milford has an admirable record for preserving historic The house would look just the same, Platt was assured. properties. More than any other municipality in the state, it has Platt and Benjamin Blake, chairman of Milford’s Board been willing to buy endangered buildings with public funds and of Aldermen, were furious. Blake said that the developer had re-sell them with preservation restrictions. The process began “betrayed” the city, and ought to be forced to pay damages. when a developer announced plans to demolish the John Downs house, an 18th-century structure in a National Register district What happened? (see CPN, September/October 1999). The city obtained a state A review of the preservation restriction reveals several flaws grant to buy the house and has partially restored it with plans in the process. First, the easement agreement isn’t clear about for resale. continued on page 8 Milford since has bought and preserved two other houses, the Treat house on Gulf Street and the Stowe farm at Walnut Beach, and work is currently progressing on a third, the William S. Pond house, also on Gulf Street. Richard Platt, the city historian __________________________________________________In This Issue... and a leading local preservationist, praises the city’s commitment Book Notes 3 to preserving these buildings. __________________________________________________ With this record, Platt understandably wasn’t very worried Around the State 6 when an anonymous city employee telephoned last fall to say __________________________________________________ Grants for Barns 11 The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit organization. ISSN 1084-189X AT THE TRUST From the Executive Director e were saddened by the death in ticular weekend. This last we never had an before deleting; it was truly gone, we were W October of former trustee answer for! told. We dealt with this mess for weeks. Lillian Brown of Waterbury. Representing Last summer, we learned that the web Finally, the hosting company found part of the Trust at the memorial service, Jane site was not on line. After much effort to the site, and we located a back-up, but one Talamini, another former trustee, described make human contact with the hosting containing only the original information, Lillian’s achievements and her contribu- company, we found out that the site had not the changes over six years. tions to planning the gala at the Wauregan been deleted for non-payment of hosting So, the site is back as it was in 2001. I Hotel in 2006 in the face of trying health fees. The non-payment occurred because tell you this story for two reasons: First, problems. All of us join Jane in extend- the automatic charges to our credit card as a reminder to make sure you and your ing our sympathy to Lou and the rest of didn’t work once the card’s expiration hosting company back up your wonderful Lillian’s family. date occurred. Rather than contact the web sites ALL THE TIME. Second, to ask Here is another cautionary tale. In Connecticut Trust, the hosting company that you look at www.towngreens.com and 2001, the Trust launched its first special- simply deleted the site. We straightened let us know what we need to add to make subject website, www.towngreens.com. that out. A few months later, the site was the information on your town’s green (or In the early 1990s the Trust, supported deleted again, while “migrating” to a new greens) as accurate as possible. by a grant from the then Connecticut server. This time we were informed that In the meantime, the Trust’s historic Historical Commission, surveyed 173 key data was lost and could not be recov- barns initiative continues to draw attention town greens in Connecticut. The survey ered. Did we have a back up? Before we to these important but often threatened forms grew dusty in the Trust’s library could find that out, the site came back on resources, and it is also providing helpful until the late 1990s, when the new elec- line and then immediately went off line publicity for the Trust itself. Preservation tronic age inspired us to make the survey again for non-payment based on the old Services officer Todd Levine appeared information, and much more, available account. The earlier payment was recorded on NBC-30-TV’s morning program this to all via a new web site. After two years on a new account, the old account was not month, where he was able to announce the of research and planning, all supported deleted, and now the billing department new barn grants, see page 11. by the Connecticut Humanities Council, did a permanent delete based on this faulty —Helen Higgins www.towngreens.com made its debut. The information. They did not back the site up site’s underlying and very special feature has been that it can be edited and added to when interested scholars and commu- The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation is a nonprofit statewide membership organization established by a special act nity members submit information to our of the State Legislature in 1975. Working with local preservation groups and individuals as well as with statewide organizations, it encourages, advocates and facilitates historic preservation throughout Connecticut. office, without having to involve technol- Board of Trustees Gubernatorial Appointees Connecticut Preservation News is published ogy experts, a feature that won both state Theodore F. Ells, Branford bimonthly by the Connecticut Trust for Officers Historic Preservation, 940 Whitney Avenue, and national awards. Over the years, we Jeffry Muthersbaugh, Chairman, Bethel Natalie Ketcham, Redding Hamden, Connecticut 06517. Publication is Walter Fiederowicz, Vice Chairman, Litchfield Edith Pestana, Hartford made possible by support of the members have corrected errors in the original data, of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Adrienne Farrar Houel, Secretary, Bridgeport Advisory Council Preservation and by funds provided through re-drawn maps, added memorials and flag- Edmund Schmidt, Treasurer, Darien William R. Crowe, Canton the Community Investment Act, Public Act Stanley G. Fullwood, Assistant Treasurer, Jared Edwards, West Hartford 05-228, Connecticut Commission on Culture poles and gazebos to the greens, and even & Tourism, State of Connecticut, M. Jodi Rell, North Granby Gerald Farrell, Jr., Wallingford Governor. The contents and opinions stated answered e-mails about what town events Additional Members of the Mimi Findlay, New Canaan herein do not necessarily reflect the views Board of Trustees John Herzog, Madison and policies of the State of Connecticut. The will occur on a particular green on a par- Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation Martha Alexander, New Haven Lee Kuckro, Wethersfield assumes no responsibility for the Joan Carty, Bridgeport Stephen S. Lash, Stonington advertisements. William W. Crosskey, II, AIA, Bolton Charles T. Lee, Greenwich This program receives State financial assis- Leroy Diggs, Danbury Peter Malkin, Greenwich tance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Inger McCabe Elliott, Stonington Cesar Pelli, New Haven Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 Margaret Fezcko, Westport The Hon. Andrew Roraback, Goshen of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Lynn Friedman, Madison John W. Shannahan, Suffield Department of the Interior prohibits Upcoming Meetings of the discrimination on the basis of race, color, Connecticut Historic Glenn Geathers, Hartford Staff national origin, or handicap in its federally Kristin Hawkins, Hamden Helen Higgins, Executive Director assisted programs. If you believe you have Preservation Council Bill Hosley, Enfield been discriminated against in any program, Christopher Wigren, Deputy Director activity, or facility as described above, or if you December 6, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. Charles Janson, Darien Pamela Gallagher, Director of Development desire further information, please write to the Theresa Kidd, Haddam Brad Schide, Connecticut Circuit Rider Office for Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department March 13, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. Ralph Knighton, Bloomfield of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240. Gregory Farmer, Connecticut Circuit Rider James McLaughlin, Durham © 2008, Connecticut Trust for Historic Jane Montanaro, Membership Services Preservation. All rights reserved. State Historic Preservation Board Edward W. Munster, Haddam Todd Levine, Peservation Services ISSN 1084-189X March 13, 2008, at 9:30 a.m.