Allan Appel Photo
197 Putnam.
In a temporary victory for preservationists, the city has suspended plans to raze three houses on Putnam Street in the historic Trowbridge Square section in the Hill.
City government’s Livable City Initiative (LCI) had been planning to demolish the houses at 138, 181, and 197 Putnam and build much-needed new affordable homes on the lot.
The city acquired the properties last year in foreclosure from the Hill Development Corporation and readied the demolition-based plan.
181 Putnam, with its high Italianate windows.
Preservationists objected and among other steps sent letters to the state historical preservation officials in Hartford.
Number 138 is within the Trowbridge Square National Register Historic District. The other two are between Howard and Dewitt and are on the city’s Historic Resource Inventory.
Click here for an article on the status of the houses’ fate as of this summer.
On July 20 the city received a letter from the State Historic Preservation Office that stayed demolition for the mandatory 90 days. The state recommended the city instead explore retaining, refurbishing, and reusing the properties.
At a meeting last week, the city’s Historic District Commission agreed. It recommended to LCI that it find a way to accomplish its goals without demolishing the buildings.
Anstress Farwell of the New Haven Urban Design League attended the meeting, as did representatives from the New Haven Preservation Trust.
“We’d have a much better result if we preserved the buildings and built some interesting infill,” Farwell said.
LCI’s Executive Director Erik Johnson argued that rehabbing the rundown existing buildings will be far more expensive than new construction.
“Everyone needs to consider the fact that not every person wants to live or purchase older renovated homes,” he later argued. “There is wonderful architecture in New Haven, and it shapes the city’s character and spirit. However, we need to build a city and communities that not only respect the past, but will help shape this city’s future. Unfortunately, this discussion is not just about Putnam Street. It is about how we continue to develop our communities.”
The commission “remained very concerned about the potential demolitions and does not feel they are warranted,” in the words of City Plan Director Karyn Gilvarg, in whose department HDC resides.
The HDC decision to recommend preservation does not have the force of law.
Johnson previously said that in LCI’s view the historic features of the houses had already been compromised in previous attempts at gut-rehab and that appropriate new construction is the path to follow with more benefits to the community.
He said the next step now is meeting with state preservation officials to “attempt to work with local and state preservation groups to make modifications to the proposed plan that the community can support and that are financially feasible given market conditions and resource availability.”
“I am disappointed with the commission decision,” he said. “LCI has not yet determined how we want to proceed or if we will proceed. We are going to go back to the community and the alderpersons to see what they would like to do. Currently, we will reach out to the preservation community to see if they have a plan and the resources to facilitate the redevelopment of Putnam Street.”
138 Putnam.
Jim Paley, the executive director of of the not-for-profit Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS), which has experience in rehabbing venerable New Haven houses, said his group is not in a position to advocate one way or another on the demolition question. But it’s ready to get involved should the houses survive.
“If the decision were to be made to restore these buildings, we’d be happy to be part of the process. If we were selected as developer, we would do it as expeditiously as possible,” he said.
He added that NHS could do the Putnam Street rehabs in connection with the redevelopment of nearby 570 Howard Ave., which the the Board of Aldermen recently approved for redevelopment by his agency.
It's a mistake to think that the only solution is to knock something down that has a good design and replace it with some box. Design adds to the experience of a street. Scale is important too.
These places look bad now, but anything can be brought back to life if there's a will to do so. <br /> Why don't we fix up and recycle the buildings we have, rather than demolish and destroy the sense of place we have in New Haven.