Last Two Marsden Street Houses Approved by Sag Harbor ARB in Split Vote

After a review process that lasted nearly 10 months, the Sag Harbor Board of Historic Preservation and Architectural Review on Thursday, May 7, approved the last two of four houses proposed for a 3.4-acre parcel on Marsden Street.

The board cast a pair of split votes on both a house proposed for a flag lot at 11 Marsden Street and a second house that will front on the street at 7 Marsden Street.

Board member Judith Long, who has consistently criticized the design of the four houses proposed by Matthew Pantofel as out of character with both the village, in general, and the historic district, in particular, voted against both proposals. The board’s chairman, Steve Williams, who had sought, largely unsuccessfully, to nudge Pantofel and his designer, Lori Fontana of McDonough & Conroy, P.C., Architects, toward more modest designs, abstained on the vote for 7 Marsden Street.

As she has done at past meetings, Fontana offered the board a list of changes she had made to the designs of each house in an effort to accommodate board members’ concerns, but in the end, the house at 11 Marsden Street will be 4,906 square feet, about 200 square feet smaller than the maximum allowed, while the one at 7 Marsden Street will be 4,455 square feet, about 250 square feet smaller than the maximum.

There was both pushback and support offered from the public.

“Living in a historic district is like living in an area with a homeowners association, where you have certain rules that have to be followed,” said Elizabeth Gilbert. She said the board could refuse to approve the designs. “I really wish you would exercise your authority until the houses look appropriate,” she added.

Dawn Smith, a neighbor, who has been a persistent critic of the proposed houses, said the houses would tower above their surroundings after the lots are cleared. The village would be left with “basically colonial skyscrapers,” she said.

But the houses had their supporters as well. James Payton, another neighbor, praised the board for being diligent in its review and the applicant for being willing to compromise. The new houses would “beautify the area,” he said.

Tom Cavallo also spoke in support, saying Pantofel’s team had made numerous adjustments to the designs over the course of several months.

“I think no matter what they do, someone is going to have an issue,” he said.

The property that will be developed is approximately 3.4 acres. It was subdivided into four lots decades ago. Two years ago, the Sag Harbor School District sought to purchase the property, but that proposal was turned down at the polls. The property’s former owner, Pat Trunzo, then put the property back on the market, eventually selling to Pantofel.