Category Archives: Historic Preservation

Historic preservation, Newburyport, MA, preserving, conserving and protecting buildings, objects, landscapes and street-scapes of historical significance in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Newburyport, the Wheelwright Property Subdivision

The proposed Wheelwright property subdivision is back on the docket of the Newburyport Planning Board, this Wednesday, December 20, 2006.

This photo (a much larger version) was sent around by Nathan Felde. Thank you Mr Felde.

oakhill.jpg

Aerial view of property that
Todd-Freemont Smith hopes to
develop into a subdivision.

I find the whole thing depressing.

It seems pretty obvious that local developer Todd Fremont-Smith has no intention of backing down on moving on with this project, despite what I gather was a fairly hostile reception at the last Newburyport Planning Board Public Hearing.

The land in question in the photograph is marked in orange, with a big question mark pointing to it. That’s one big piece of property.

If you want some idea of how it’s going to look, take a look at “Robert’s Lane” off High Street at the top of Marlboro Street.

That used to a be beautiful wooded piece of property.

The “lane” in question is a huge gash through the upper part of High Street, and now everyone has a lovely view of the Water Tower. Sigh.

And the houses Mr. Fremont-Smith would like to build (4 of them) would not be dainty, 3,500 to 4,000 square feet (Newburyport Daily News, December 7, 2006.) Yes, those would qualify as McMansions in my book.

Sigh.

What a happy holiday gift for the city of Newburyport, MA.

So again, the meeting:

Newburyport Planning Board
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
City Hall, Council Chamber
7PM

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Zoning Amendment Passes

Well whew!

Tonight, December 11, 2006, The Newburyport City Council passed the Zoning Amendment to Section 9 or the “Infill Ordinance.”

I believe the vote was 10 for and 1 against.

A very big thank you to the Newburyport Planning Board, the Newburyport City Council and all the various committees and boards as well as the multitude of Newburyport residents that helped passed this much needed zoning amendment.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Plundering the Wheelwright Property

A little clarification here on the proposed plundering of the back of the Wheelwright property by Wills Lane LLC. This proposal will be in front of the Newburyport Planning Board December 6, 2006.

This is a traced/drawing from the Newburyport GIS map showing part of the back of High Street, from State Street to Lime Street or what is know as the “Ridge” the land behind the stately High Street mansions.

ridge.3.jpg

The area in red was the original Wheelwright Property, the back of which Wills Lane LLC is proposing to develop a subdivision.

This is a photograph taken of the beautiful entrance to the Oak Hill Cemetery off State Street. The “lane” of the proposed subdivision by Willis Lane LLC would basically parallel this gorgeous, historic roadway.

wheelwright.1.jpg
Edward Gerrish Mair © 2006

And this is a close up of the subdivision Wills Lane LLC would be proposing in front of the Newburyport Planning Board. This is the “sensitive” community version, rather than the “by right” version (see pictures in earlier post.)

Wheel.C.close.jpg

What I did was take a picture of the public document at the Newburyport Planning Office. The “peach” colored area is the Oak Hill Cemetery. The beautiful entrance to the cemetery is also sort of in peach color. This was done by moi for clarification sake… I hope I can’t be sued for this. If I could, would somebody please let me know ASAP. (Actually if the developer, who lives in town, is proud of this plan, the nifty peach color could be an asset, setting off the planned subdivision in all its “glory.”)

If a picture is worth a 1000 words, then this is a pretty sorry state of affairs.

Again, for activists out there in local Web Land, the City cannot do all that much to stop this “ridiculous” plan (as Ester Macomber calls it in the Newburyport Current, October 27, 2006.) It is the owner, who lives in Newburyport, MA, who does not appear to be changing his mind one little bit.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

(Editor’s Note: For an even more detailed map please see The Newburyport Preservation Trust)

Newburyport, Wheelwright Property Proposed Plunder

I took a look at the Newburyport Planning Board’s agenda and low and behold Willis Lane LLC, Brown Street is up to bat, yet again. (December 6, 2006)

So, curious human being that I am, I totteled over to the Newburyport City Hall Planning Office to take a look at what Willis Lane LLC might have in mind for the back of the Wheelwright Property that abuts the sacred Oak Hill Cemetery.

Could our happy developer, who lives in Newburyport, have come to his senses and amended (or scrapped) his previous plans to plunder (changed the verb) the property.

The answer is apparently not.

Here are the plans for what the developer feels that he could do “by right.”

Willis.0.jpg

Now whether or not he could do this “by right,” I have no idea. Fortunately the Newburyport Planning Board does.

And take a closer look at what the developer feels he could do “by right.”

Willis.3.0.jpg

Yes, you saw correctly, three 2-families (plus a one family that is not on this detail.) Isn’t that fun.

And having been shocked at what the developer might be able to do “by right” here are the sensitive community plans.

Willis.C.jpg

Doesn’t look like much change to me. Sigh….

Houses, with (it looks like) garages now right by the scared Oak Hill Cemetery. The “lane” to the subdivision pretty much paralleling that gorgeous “lane” to the Oak Hill Cemetery. Sigh…

Unfortunately, it seems to me, there is no accounting for taste.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Preservation and Blogging Peril

You know what else I’m pissed about. I’m pissed that so many people are upset that I used a certain verb on the Newburyport Political Blog.

That verb can also mean, “plunder,” “despoliation” as in “the — of the countryside.” Which was how I meant it by the way.

Ok, I’ll admit it was a little over the top, but that’s as over the top as I’ve ever gotten on the Newburyport Political Blog, for crying out loud.

And it does feel like that is exactly what could happen to the back of the Wheelwright property, so there.

The subdivision in question would be right next to the Oak Hill Cemetery, a dignified and sacred place. According to the Newburyport Daily News, a 34-acre burial ground for many of Newburyport’s beloved ancestors, including the Wheelwright family and I believe 175 sea captains and 29 mayors. Not Shabby.

In the Newburyport Current, Friday, October 27, 2006, Nathan Felde is right when he says, “Barbecues and burials don’t go together.”

Mr. Felde is correct again; the area is the “soul” of Newburyport, MA.

Ester Macomber, who is a dear, dear lady, as well as being very well respected in this New England seaside community, in the same article calls the plan “ridiculous.”

Mrs Macomber has protected her huge piece of land on the back of the Ridge so that it can never be built on. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is and setting a great example for her neighbors on High Street. Bless this wonderful woman.

And if the developer, Todd Fremont-Smith (that’s in the Newburyport Current too) thinks that only the neighbors are upset, he might not have things quite in perspective yet. From what I’m getting, almost the entire town is outraged.

Will this finally be the wakeup call that the residents of Newburyport, MA need? We can no longer take our historic heritage for granted.

If Mr. Fremont-Smith and company are “aware of the legitimate preservation issues and are trying very much to be respectful,” (the Newburyport Current again) then one of his options could be that he could sell that piece of property to the folks who are apparently going to do right by the Wheelwright House and gardens, put a deed restriction on it and make sure it goes to the Essex County Green Belt.

He won’t make any money that way, but at least he’d be able to live in town or even New England without people wanting to picket in front of his home.

You see this is where I get into trouble. (George Cushing the political consultant for the Newburyport Political Blog is scrunching his nose and looking at me with those beady little eyes of his. He does not want me to put myself in peril.)

george.17.jpg
George pleading with me not to put myself in peril

I’m blogging about money. Lots and lots of money is at stake here. And people don’t like people saying they shouldn’t make lots and lots of money on a particular piece of property.

But this is no ordinary piece of property; this literally verges on sacred ground. It’s been written about extensively now in the Newburyport Current and the Newburyport Daily News, so I hope I’m safe on the “being sued thing” here. George is not so sure.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Development, Back of High Street

The Newburyport Daily News on Monday October 9, 2006 ran a cartoon by Gary Robertson (no, not our City Councilor Gary Roberts) on what is being proposed for the back of the Wheelwright property by Todd Smith and Peter Nordblom of Willis Lane LLC, or what is now being referred to by the developers as “Brown Street.”

The cartoon has a bunch of construction folks with chainsaws hacking down trees to make way for the development by Willis Lane LLC. There is a sign that says:

“COMING SOON
to this Historic Property…
Wheelwright Estates
FIVE –count’em – 5 Luxury Homes
Priced from…must you ask?”

And then there is a gentleman standing inside the Oak Hill Cemetery gateway saying:

“Hey! Are you the same guys that tried to build a strip Mall right next to Gettysburg?”

Gotta love it!

I have traced/drawn from the Newburyport GIS map part of the back of High Street, from State Street to Lime Street or what is know as the “Ridge” the land behind the stately High Street mansions. The tracing/drawing is pretty crude, but I hope it will give folks an idea of just how much land is back there.

ridge.3.jpg

The area in red is the Wheelwright Property that is being developed by Willis Lane LLC. Two little dark blobs near High Street are where the Wheelwright House, the historic gardens and the Carriage House would be. (The Wheelwright House is very large, so that gives some idea of how huge the property actually is)

The little green squiggly part is the “wet-lands” in the middle of the property. And then the brown line starts at what is Brown Street, and my freehand drawing of the extended road would give an idea of what the developers have proposed for the road in the ORSD or Cluster Zone subdivision.

(See previous post for the actual plans.)

It sure looks to me as if that whole area by the historic Oak Hill Cemetery would be decimated. And the neighbors are beginning to organize, handing out flyers and circulating a petition. That’s a relief.

The green area belongs to 67 High Street and that area has a deed restriction on it by the owner. That land bordering Oak Hill Cemetery can never be built on. Well, yeh, whew…thank goodness.

I’ve outlined the Ridge area in blue. (Again, a little crudely drawn, but the hope is to get the general picture.) This as far as I know, except for 67 High Street, is completely unprotected. (Please see Disclaimer on the “Overview, Guidelines and Information” page.)

As I understand it, there are things that the owners can do, like putting deed restrictions on the property, or possibly the City of Newburyport could do a protective overlay, I don’t know.

Who would have thought that a beautiful piece of property like the Wheelwright land would be proposed for a subdivision, of all things. I hope that the residents and the City of Newburyport could do something to protect the rest of this irreplaceable landscape.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Wheelwright Subdivision Plans

I went down to the Newburyport Planning Office and took pictures of the two plans that were submitted to the Newburyport Planning Board by the developers Todd Smith and Peter Nordblom of Willis Lane LLC. The plans are for the back part of the Wheelwright property that abuts historic Oak Hill Cemetery.

The proposed Wheelwright subdivision project is being called “Brown Street.”

There is also a memo from the consultant who is helping out the Newburyport Planning Office, former Newburyport Planning Director, Nancy Colbert (a great person.)

I would need the help of a pro for me understand what it all means. The gist of the memo appears to be, “there are a lot of problems with this Preliminary Application, folks.”

I did understand: “ The proposed cul de sac does not appear to comply with subdivision regulations.”

There seems to be some concern with the steep slope of the land (and the land is very steep.) From the same memo: “For the Board’s information, many communities prohibit development on steep slopes and do not allow the inclusion of steeply sloping land to be part of lot area calculations.”

Here are the two maps.

The first is the traditional subdivision map (this does seems unlikely to me.)

Wh.map.2.jpg
Traditional subdivision map for Wheelwright Property

The second is the OSRD or Cluster Zoning version. Things are real close to historic Oak Hill Cemetery. And there appears to be retaining walls along part of the proposed road.

Wh.map.1.jpg
OSRD subdivision map for Wheelwright Property

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Mayor Moak and the Infill Ordinance

George Cushing of Frog Pond at the Bartlett Mall (yes, there is a Frog Pond) the new political consultant for the Newburyport Political Blog is a tad discouraged. “Oy vey.”

george4.jpg
George Cushing, a tad discouraged. “Oy Vey.”

In one of her last columns before she left for a higher rung on the journalistic ladder, Stephanie Chelf wrote an article for the Newburyport Daily News, Thursday, October 5, 2006 on a zoning amendment that would protect our historic heritage and our local neighborhood character.

The zoning amendment that would address Newburyport’s out of control infill issue.

So why is George Cushing discouraged? It is because of this quote by Mayor John Moak:

“Mayor John Moak said he wants to make sure the ordinance doesn’t lead to a design review by the zoning board.

‘I’m not ready to endorse it,” Moak said. “There is a lot to it to absorb.’”

Actually, there’s not a lot to absorb, it’s real easy. There is no mention anywhere of any design review (and why that would be a bad thing beats me, and it beats George Cushing the new political consultant as well, good grief.)

The Zoning Amendment or the “Infill Ordinance” talks about “size, scale, massing, volume and location of the proposed structure,” making sure those aspects would be in keeping with the local neighborhood character.

What George Cushing is just so darn frustrated about is that Mayor John Moak still doesn’t seem to get it. Protecting our historic heritage and local neighborhood character is the key to long-term and short-term economic growth.

Destroying our historic heritage and neighborhood character is a sure fire way to have Newburyport’s economic value go down the tubes real fast.

This zoning amendment is not a “cure-all,” as Newburyport City Councilor Tom Jones points out in the same article, but it sure is a real good piece of the puzzle. And why in the world Mayor John Moak isn’t getting that baffles, bewilders, perplexes and mystifies the editor of the Newburyport Political Blog.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport City Council, Preserving our Historic Heritage

A little while ago I had the privilege of seeing one of the brick houses on Federal Street that was saved and preserved because of the Federal Street Overlay.

The Federal Street Overlay has been much maligned. It has been called “Disney Land Architecture” and criticized for its density and the high prices of some of the homes within it.

People forget that what would have gone in there was not up to the City of Newburyport, but rather up to the Archdiocese of Boston, the Catholic Church, who owned that huge piece of property.

And the Catholic Archdiocese could have easily picked a huge 40B project. Instead they picked a project that preserved and protected the William Bartlett House and the William Johnson House and tried to keep the area in keeping with the historic neighborhood character, actually rebuilding what had been destroyed in another era.

The William Bartlett House and the William Johnson House had been nominated by Preservation Massachusetts as one of the 10 Endangered Resources in 2001.

The project also contains affordable housing. Something that I’d like to see a lot more of (a subject for another post altogether.)

The Federal Street Overlay had to be approved by the Newburyport City Council by 8 votes.

As I recall, there was an open house for everyone, but especially the Newburyport City Council, so that the members of the Council could see the two historic houses that could be saved by their vote.

As I remember it, there were a lot of poker faces among Councilors that day and for the life of me I couldn’t get any read on how they would vote and whether or not these properties would be saved.

It ended up that the Newburyport City Council voted unanimously for the Federal Street Overlay and the William Bartlett House and the William Johnson House are preserved with deed restrictions no less.

So when I had the privilege of seeing one of these houses, I wanted every Newburyport City Councilor who had cast their vote that evening to see it too. To see what an incredible difference they had made to Newburyport, MA. To see a piece of our historic heritage that without their vote would have been lost. And for them to see how they had contributed to the very heart of what makes Newburyport, MA such an amazing place in which to live, work, visit and play.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport, MA

Newburyport, the Roadway into the Wheelwright Property

Just our of morbid curiosity, I decided to take a look at “Brown Street,” the street that Todd Smith and Peter Nordbloom of Willis Lane Investments LLC are planning to use to develop the back of the Wheelwright property, or the “rape of the Ridge.”

So I crossed State Street from Greenleaf Street (which goes past the Newburyport Fire Station and the video store) and went right onto Brown Street.

That beautiful driveway down to the cemetery where the Wheelwright family is buried is real easy to find.

wheelwright.1.jpg
Edward Gerrish Mair © 2006
The driveway to the Oak Hill Cemetery
off Brown Street that Willis Lane LLC plans to develop

But although Brown Street is large as life on the Newburyport GIS map, all that was in front of me, one house in on Brown Street were lots and lots of trees. I couldn’t even find a path, much less anything that resembled a road.

Well, two things.

Just to build a road, much less a 4-6 house subdivision back there would entail an incredible amount of damage.

Second, from what I understand reading planning and development stuff, it’s really, really not a good idea to put in any new roads (or in this case resurrect what was once an old roadway) because it only leads to more and more development.

(One can envision “Brown Street” going all the way across the Ridge enabling all that land back there to be developed. What a treat.)

So I was really depressed on my foray down Brown Street, and I am very, very angry that Todd Smith and Peter Nordbloom of Willis Lane LLC are determined to make this come about.

Zoning amendments to protect our historic heritage where are you?

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Wheelwright Gardens, Endangered Resources

Obviously I liked the fact that the gardens at the Wheelwright House made Preservation Massachusetts 10 Most Endangered Resource list a lot.

One of the things that I also like is that a realtor was one of the three people who nominated the Wheelwright Gardens.

Why do I find this so enchanting? Let me digress a bit and tell a tale.

I love going to open houses. Always have. Let’s say, it’s hard to remember just how long ago it was, 10-14 years ago I went to an open house that was on a side street very close to downtown Newburyport.

The house had been a one family Federal and had been pretty much gutted and turned into 3 condominiums. The start of a long and enduring trend.

I went in and looked at one of the condominiums. It was an “open” concept with a gas fireplace separating the dinning, living room area from the kitchen. No wood fireplace insight. This was when wood fireplaces were still considered a “good” thing.

All very nice if it was in Tucson, Arizona, but this was Newburyport, Massachusetts.

I asked the realtor how the developer came up with this concept. And the realtor quite happily told me that the realtor had told the developer what people “wanted” and what would sell, and the developer developed the property accordingly. The realtor seemed quite pleased with the contribution that the realtor had made to our historic Newburyport heritage.

And in my experience, this particular realtor was and is not an anomaly.

So that’s why I find the fact that a realtor, of all people, nominated an historic garden as an Endangered Resource endearing.

And I would not be at all surprised if other realtors might not be happy at this audacious act. Much easier to sell a million dollar plus property on historic High Street if one could just pave over that darn garden without a qualm in the world and make it into a nifty parking lot. Good grief, let’s get real.

So the fact that we are losing Newburyport’s historic heritage, short-term profit instead of long-term economic gain, is just downright complicated and downright multi-determined.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Save Our Town

Well, I went for a treasure hunt, hunting down “Save Our Town” bumper stickers.

Preserve Newburyport’s historic character, charm and beauty

The first one I found was not on a car, but on a door. Going down Fruit Street from High Street, just as I was getting near Temple Street, low and behold, a Save Our Town bumper sticker on a very classy looking door.

flier.3.jpg
Save Our Town bumper sticker
on a classy looking door

And then when I walked downtown, and low and behold right there in the Screening Room window is a Save Our Town bumper sticker. How cool is that. Many, many thanks to the Screening Room. Wow.

flier.2.jpg
Screening Room window with a
Save Our Town bumper sticker

And then further downtown I found this Save Our Town bumper sticker on a bulletin board. I’m going to leave that treasure hunt for readers of the Newburyport Political Blog, but the fellow to the upper left of the bumper sticker definitely gives a hint as to where it might be.

flier.1.jpg
Save Our Town bumpersticker

And of course they are popping up on cars all over Newburyport, MA.

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Save Our Town bumpersticker on a red car

If you would like a bumper sticker, it’s not too late.
You can contact Save Our Town. Or you can find Save Our Town bumper stickers at:

Magpie Café at the Tannery
Ganesh Imports, on State Street
Angie’s Coffee Shop, on Pleasant Street
Leary’s Fine Wines, on Merrimac Street
Fowle’s Market, on High Street

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Wheelwright Gardens Make the Endangered Property List

Preservation Massachusetts has named the Wheelwright Gardens as one of Massachusetts’ “10 Most Endangered Resources.”

Well, yeh. They thought outside the box. Good for Preservation Massachusetts.

The Wheelwright Gardens are the first gardens ever to be place on Preservation Massachusetts “10 Most Endangered Resources.”

High Street won in 1999. The only roadway ever nominated. It was a very, very big deal. Fenway Park made it to the top ten that year too, and it’s still standing, thank you very much.

In 2001 the two historic houses, the William Barlett House and the William Johnson House on the Federal Street made it to the top ten. Not only are they still standing, but they have both been lovingly restored, with deed restrictions no less.

The “Common Pasture” made it to the top ten in 2004, and the Common Pasture has had many successes.

The Endangered Resource List is a very big deal. Let’s hope that the Wheelwright Gardens have the same “luck” as everything else that has made it.

And this is from the Newburyport Current online, Tuesday, September 26, 2006 (again many thanks to Ulrika Gerth):

“The fact that this extremely rare Federal style garden has remained intact for over 120 years is amazing,” said Jim Igoe, president of Preservation Massachusetts. “This horticultural gem shares the same historic significance as the main house on this property and should benefit from the same type of protection granted to it.”

The story can be read at:
www.townonline.com/newburyport

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Wheelwright Property Subdivision Proposal

The Wheelwright property developers, Wills Lane Investments, are speeding right along. The developers are on tomorrow night’s Planning Board agenda for an OSRD Pre-Application Conference (Wednesday, September, 20, 2006, 7PM, City Hall.)

(I believe that the fact that this is a Pre-Application Conference means that the neighbors (much less the public) are not notified. As I understand it the neighbors are only notified once an application has actually been submitted.)

The developers have not formally submitted a development application. The Pre-Application Conference gives them the chance to float their plans to the Newburyport Planning Board to get feedback before filing an application that may get rejected. (This blogger hopes everything they would like to do would get rejected and they would not be able to do anything at all.)

The street that the Wheelwright property developers list is Brown Street. Brown Street is an extension of Greenleaf Street (that goes past the Newburyport Fire Station and the video store.) It is on the other side of State Street.

On the Newburyport GIS map, it looks like Brown Street curves around the property. But from what I can make out, that curve looks like it would be the driveway to the Cemetery where the Wheelwright family (among many others) is buried. That picture is in a previous post on the Newburyport Political Blog. I am not absolutely sure of this.

But what is for sure is that the proposed road and 5 house subdivision would border right along the Cemetery. It’s bad enough that the Wheelwright property developers would already like to rape the Ridge, much less desecrate Newburyport’s ancestors.

Newburyport Planning Board
This Wednesday
September 20, 2006
7 PM, Newburyport City Hall

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Wheelwright Property

The Wheelwright property that lies between High Street and the Oak Hill Cemetery in Newburyport, MA belonged to Mr. William Wheelwright. Mr. Wheelwright was well known for having built the first railroad in South America among other things.

The Wheelwrights are buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery that is within view of their former property. The Wheelwright’s graves are literally within site of the estate.

I am sure that Mr. William Wheelwright and his wife Martha Bartlet Wheelwright never imagined having a 5 house subdivision (and I’m pretty sure that they will not be 5 dainty houses) right next to their gravesites.

It seems to me to be unbelievably insensitive of the developer to even think about desecrating our historic heritage by contemplating such an act.

It certainly seems like a sacrilege to me.

A reader of the Newburyport Political Blog took these pictures. Many thanks to Ed Mair.

wheelwright.grave.jpg
Edward Gerrish Mair © 2006
This Memorial marks the actual Wheelwright family plot.

wheelwright.1.jpg
Edward Gerrish Mair © 2006

And this photograph is taken by the State Street entrance to the Oak Hill Cemetery and is right by the property that will be developed.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, MA—A Little Protection

I’m going to say a dirty, dirty, dirt word – Local Historic District (LHD.)

Wow, it’s as if we’ve been brainwashed in this town to think LHDs are evil.

A LHD in Newburyport MA has come to mean “I’m only allowed to paint my house a certain color of purple and the outside doorknob has to be brass surrounded with diamonds.”

Well, I’m exaggerating here, a purple house with a brass and diamond doorknob isn’t exactly New England historic (I don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s not New England historic.)

But you get the idea, people in Newburyport MA have gotten the idea that a LHD means someone is going to dictate what they going to do and it is the equivalent of being in “property ownership jail,” plus they would never be able to sell their house and their property values would drop like crazy.

Well, let’s see. A Local Historic District is the only thing that would completely protect our historic assets. We can create incentives to do right, but given the example of let’s say threatening to turn the Wheelwright House into condominiums, “incentives” to do “right,” may not always work with people who have no intention of doing “right” by Newburyport, MA.

I’m a big advocate of “Local Historic District Light.” Basically creating a Local Historic District or a series of Local Historic Districts that have absolutely the minimum restrictions and see how we all deal with that. A little bit like having a demolition delay that starts with 6 months and seeing how it works.

You can write whatever you want a Local Historic District to be folks…it doesn’t have to be purple houses with diamond doorknockers.

And as for “Local Historic District Light” being a waste of time, well “nuts” to that, some protection is better than no protection at all.

And guess what, properties in Local Historic Districts usually appreciate at rates greater than your general housing market. Well, just look at Newburyport, MA, people want to live here because of our historic structures.

Historic heritage = money.

Worst-case scenario for houses in a Local Historic District is that they would appreciation at rates equivalent to the overall local market. Boy, that’s really bad.

And also for houses in a LHD, there is less volatility when the market goes south. Believe me folks, that’s really terrible.

Hey, this all of this works for me.

Our luck in Newburyport, MA has changed. It’s time to un-brainwash ourselves about LHDs. No, a Local Historic District is not the equivalent of having the Bubonic Plague.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Economic Agenda

In today’s Newburyport Daily News, September 7, 2006 there is a brief article on Mayor John Moak’s economic agenda.

“The city is trying to streamline the permitting process for new businesses…” The Mayor also talks about luring business and industry to the City.

Nowhere does Mayor John Moak mention protecting our historic heritage that is the foundation of our economic survival.

And last night the Wheelwright property came before the Newburyport Planning Board. According to the Newburyport Daily News, the Newburyport Planning Board agreed to divide the property. The front parcel can now be sold as a separate entity and the back parcel can now be considered for a “subdivision.” From what I understand, legally, there was not much the Newburyport Planning Board could do to prevent the Wheelwright land from being divided…sigh.

However, the Newburyport Planning Board has been working hard at what I would consider the City’s best interest. They have been working on an amendment to a zoning ordinance that would help protect our historic heritage and local neighborhood character. Whew.

This is the amendment to Section IX (9) of the zoning code or what I call the “Infill Ordinance,” which was on the Newburyport Planning Board agenda last night.

I have seen the “Proposed Revised Version of Section IX” dated August 28, 2006 and it looks good to me.

Basically any non-conforming one and two family homes are allowed additions of 500 square feet. In my mind that’s a good amount of square footage which would allow a responsible addition or alteration—a very nice kitchen, family room, master bedroom, huge spa.

Anything over that would require coming before the City for a dialogue about what would be proposed. This does not mean that something larger than a 500 square foot addition could not be built. It would, however, be a step towards helping to insure that all parties are working together to keep the historic nature and local and neighborhood character of Newburyport, MA.

This amendment to the zoning ordinance will require a vote before the Newburyport City Council. Last year, for reasons I am still unclear about, a similar amendment to the zoning code did not pass.

My hope is that this year we have a different political climate. That the residents and City Council are beginning to see that we are at a turning point of over development and that we are about to or already are losing our economic base. My hope is that the vote on this zoning amendment is a “no-brainer,” and that the Newburyport City Council will do its part in helping to insure our economic survival.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Our Preservation Dilemma

A very astute reader of the Newburyport Political Blog has this to say:

“We were preserved because of the 1811 fire and the storm that filled the harbor with sand. Since that time, until the early 80s when low prices brought so many of us here to restore, there was no money to demolish and rebuild. Long-term depression was our gift. Now, there’s money, and lots of it, and we are faced with the downside of economic success. We can now, finally, demolish and rebuild.”

Well, “yuck.” Unfortunately, it is my belief that this reader is right. And I have heard this opinion many times before.

Just look at the Wheelwright property, the rape of the Ridge, “the compromising of another stately building and its surrounding property which will visually affect the historic landscape of that area.” (From another reader of the Newburyport Political Blog.)

So what to do?

George Cushing, of Frog Pond (yes, there really is a Frog Pond) at the Bartlett Mall, the new political consultant for the Newburyport Political Blog is mulling this dilemma over.

george16.jpg
George Cushing of Frog Pond at the Bartlett Mall
contemplating this dilemma

George Cushing feels that the only way to prevent “demolish and rebuild” is by having zoning amendments that protect our historic heritage. Otherwise, “ouch” the future looks very, very bleak.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Wheelwright Property, Approval Not Required—Subdivision

The new owners of the Wheelwright House property, 75 High Street, Willis Lane Investments, LLC, will becoming in front of the Newburyport Planning Board this Wednesday, September 6, 2006, 7:00 PM at City Hall to apply for an ANR – Approval Not Required – Subdivision.

These guys are moving fast. According to the Daily News, August 31, 2006, the firm would like to develop the roughly “4 acre” land at the back of the property and put in a 5 single-family home subdivision.

Newburyport Planning Board
Wednesday, September 6th
7:00 PM at City Hall
75 High Street
Wheelwright Property
ANR – Approval Not Required – Subdivision

And a very big “thank you” to Ulrika Gerth and the Newburyport Current for the front page story on Save Our Town in yesterday’s paper, September 1, 2006. The Newburyport Current also has a great story on the Wheelwright property.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, The Ridge is in Real Trouble

The rape of the Ridge has begun. This is one of my worst nightmares for Newburyport, MA.

The “Ridge” is the area on High Street on the upper side of the roadway that goes roughly from State Street to about Lime Street. It is one of the most beautiful and stately areas of High Street and one of the most beautiful parts of Newburyport, MA.

And folks we have been sold out by the Board of the Wheelwright House, the realtor that listed the property and the lawyer, who ironically was Newburyport’s Mayor for 3 terms and the Mayor under whose administration the Newburyport Master Plan took shape, former Mayor Lisa Mead.

To say that I am beside my self is an understatement. I really thought long and hard about using the phrase the “rape of the Ridge,” but this morning I thought it was more than appropriate.

And many thanks to Stephanie Chelf and the Newburyport Daily News for putting this story on the front page and also having the aerial view of the entire property on page A8.

According to the Newburyport Daily News, August 31, 2006, the property was bought by Todd Smith and Peter Nordbloom of Willis Lane Investments, LLC. Both men are officials of Nordblom Real Estate Solutions of Burlington, “one of the regions largest real estate and commercial property firms.” Believe me, they do not have our best interest at heart.

The firm bought the entire property for $1.6 million. The property is “nearly 5 acres.” That’s a lot of land folks.

Willis Lane Investments, LLC has already put the Wheelwright House, the historic gardens and the carriage house back on the market for $1.3 million. The house and the carriage house “are protected through a preservation restriction that prevents alteration or demolition.” The historic gardens are not protected and it doesn’t mean that the Wheelwright House and carriage house could not be converted to condominiums.

And basically the rest of the property was bought for $300,000…not a bad price folks. And the firm would like to develop the roughly “4 acre” land at the back of the property and put in a 5 single-family home subdivision.

This is on the Ridge.

It sounds from the paper that the firm will have to get a number of permits for the “subdivision proposal.” Thank goodness for that.

Let us not welcome these folks to town. Let us make their lives as miserable as possible. I cannot imagine that the Newburyport Planning Board or residents of this City would be amenable to this proposal.

And for goodness sakes let us start pestering our City officials, especially the Newburyport City Council for zoning amendments that protect our historic assets. This project alone helps destroy our economic vitality.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport