A proposed 6,900 square foot home on Hedges Lane will have a new neighbor, of sorts, after the Sagaponack Architectural and Historic Review Board deemed an 1830s farmhouse on the property too valuable to demolish. The jewel-box home, which once belonged to the Hedges family after whom the road is named, will be moved to a more visible location on the 40 acre parcel being developed. (A 1930s home on the lot will likely be moved elsewhere.) Builder Michael Davis bought the land with the intention of demolishing the two homes, unaware of their historical significance since they were not protected at the time. A new law enacted in August now more or less allows anything to be deemed 'historic', and was used in this debate. In order to protect the older of the two homes, a letter-writing campaign and two paintings done by a local artist were presented to the board during their debate on the matter, in hopes of encouraging members to preserve Sagaponack's less flashy history. The artsy tactics worked, and Davis agreed to set his proposed mansion away from the road so that the baby blue abode will be easy for all to see.
· Saving a 19th Century Farmhouse [EH Star]
Filed under: