Letters

At last! Congratulations to Jeff Brodlieb, head of the Southampton Village Board of Architectural Review and Historic Preservation, Mark McIntire, member of the ARB, and our mayor, Jesse Warren, for setting in motion a much-needed attempt to prevent the wanton demolition of houses that are not historic yet make a valuable contribution to our village [“Looking To Protect ‘Moments In History’ With Proposed Village Code Change,” 27east.com, March 16].

A couple of years ago, when a June 3 permit for demolition was granted for a major part of Four Fountains, built in 1928, and which demolition has apparently now been completed, I made a relevant suggestion to the Village Planning Commission: Instead of attempting a change in the dates for qualifying as “historic buildings,” the commission might recommend an additional category requiring learned review rather than a code-permitted granting of demolition permits applicable in and outside the historic district. The category I suggested at the time applied particularly to Four Fountains; namely, that the house had “architectural significance.”

I agree with Mr. Brodlieb’s citing of the losses because the code does not require a regulatory review for houses built after 1926, ergo arbitrary demolition permits that result in loss to the village; namely, the loss of charm, brand, appeal, tourism, business and so forth.

Thus, in anticipation of the public hearings scheduled for April, I suggest broadening the category, which I called “architectural significance,” to include review of houses inside and outside the historic district which make “an architectural, environmental, social provenance and community contribution to our village.” The wording can profit from the April public discussions and does not require a change in the date defining “history,” because that could be an impediment to rapidly saving precious buildings.

Speaking of which: Why the devil, on historic Jobs Lane, is the iconic brick courtyard still fenced off? As I recall, Mayor Jesse Warren put up a rigorous fight to prevent greed from ignoring more than three decades when this beloved courtyard was open to the public, as it still should be.

Evelyn Konrad

Attorney at law

Southampton