Thank you for the article last week [“Looking To Protect ‘Moments In History’ With Proposed Village Code Change,” 27east.com, March 16]. As a member of the Southampton Village Board of Architectural Review and Historic Preservation, I’m proud of the work we do to preserve and maintain the balance, harmony and unique character of this wonderful village as Southampton continues to grow, change and prosper.
I do want to add some color to one point: The board is not seeking to create a wholesale stoppage on demolitions in the village. What we are seeking to do is create a forum that allows greater input and public transparency regarding structures that may have significant historic value to our village prior to their removal from our landscape.
We are lucky to have structures in Southampton that represent seminal work from some of the world’s greatest architects and builders, and some that have housed very influential people. We also have Sears, Roebuck and Company catalog houses that represent the first “affordable housing” for middle class Americans.
We have shining examples of Art Deco structures from the 1930s, and some early “modern” structures from the 1950s and 1960s. Are all homes in those periods worthy of preservation? Of course not. But there are the few that stand in testament to their contributions to a changing America, that add vibrancy to our village, and that simply deserve transparent, adequate public scrutiny prior to being removed forever from our collective society.
Mark McIntire
Southampton Village
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