On July 23rd, 2020, the Planning Board of the Incorporated Village of Plandome  decided--in spite of overwhelming evidence otherwise--to demolish the historic Harry J. Washburn Residence in Manhasset, New York. All but one trustee was in favor of tearing the house down to replace it with four new homes on a street which is regarded as unsafe as it is. While this may seem like a sensible choice to tear down a dilapidated house, it will have extraordinary, lasting ramifications for preservation of Long Island history. By allowing this 100+ year old house to be demolished, it sends a clear message that our heritage is of no value for future generations to benefit from, and our community's vitality is irrelevant when making governmental decisions.

The house was declared as having historic value by the New York State Historic Preservation office in August of 2019 for its significance in the history of community planning and having meritorious architectural design characteristics. It was designed c. 1915 in the Colonial Revival by Frank G. Lippert in the Colonial Revival style for Washburn who was one of the founding executives of the Plandome Land Co. Its third resident, W.M. Masland, made aviation history by commanding the first ever ‘round the world commercial flight in 1943 for Pan-Am Airlines. When the average home in 1915 cost $3,200 to build, this was built at a cost of $16,000 which was quite unheard of for the time. It is also located within the Long Island North Shore New York Stage Heritage Area which is a cultural area of statewide significance.

When Brian Kenny sold the house to Marc Pescatore in 2012, it was in habitable condition. The new ownership has willfully neglected any form of maintenance with the intention of eventually removing the house. The property has been kept in complete disarray without any reasonable measures to control access besides a no trespassing sign. As a consequence, the front door has been discovered unlocked and open on two separate occasions as a practical invitation for the many documented trespassers who have been on site to enter. Should any person have been injured, they could have sued both the developer and the village for failing to enforce even the most basic means of public safety. Even more disturbing is the real threat of arson which would put the very lives of the volunteer Plandome Fire Department at risk in extinguishing. 

The new owner, Marc Pescatore of Green Hill Development, has clearly failed to take any action to rectify the damage when informed that his property was of historic status. To even further inflame this track record, the contributing garage to the property was removed in November of 2019 without any warning or public discussion. After willfully deteriorating for nearly 8 years, the developer is now claiming hardship that the only feasible alternative is to have it taken down now that it is declared historic. Should he be mandated to undergo a restoration of being approved to subdivide, it would obviously impact his profit margins. Even New York State has gone on record that it is not beyond repair.

His plan, which would ordinarily be a last resort only appropriate for ruins, is to document the site to fulfill the legal obligation to remediate the impact. While this may be within the law, it is a pathetic option when compared with other choices that are best practices within the architecture profession. Rather than seek independent verification of the claims, Plandome believes that his word is sufficient even with the countless inaccuracies in the analysis that was provided. They are also not alarmed that this speculative development could be almost completely financed on loan which is likely in the $2-4M range. There is high risk being taken on if the project starts and then does not finish due to bankruptcy. 

Unless the planning board mandates that this negligence be remediated, will be open season for any lot that can be subdivided to be subdivided in the village. As the board is clearly caving to all demands for 1020 Plandome, what’s to say that they will not allow the same treatment for future proposals? Another historic estate at 28 the Terrace was replaced in 2015 with four lots which are practically packed to the brim. This trend will result and aesthetic nightmare. When the approval is given for this untenable plan, we will be left with the mess. It would not be unthinkable for a child to be injured or killed with the lack of a sidewalk on that dangerous curve or a dangerous collision to occur. Both the village's own engineer and the Nassau County Planning Board have expressed concerns on the potential safety risk.

What will be going in its place are four new homes on just two acres of land, using a proposal that has been denied several times before by past boards. It is the obligation of the planning board to avoid or mitigate the possible effects, and they have not made any effort to do so. This is a proposal that has zero support within the village. Instead of seeking one of the alternative options as a consolation to the residents they are tasked to support or use their power to deny this plan outright, the board saw no issue with the myriad environmental issues that are irreversible and will have a large impact to the entire community beyond the site in question. It is also wholly inconsistent with the long-term vision that Plandome has for its aesthetic character.

I get that it is hard to see beyond the tiredness to imagine a new future for this old house. However, there is no reason to throw in the towel when there is a proud tradition of restoring properties that were once considered completely foregone. Looking at the condition of the Kings Theater, Boldt Castle, or Oheka Castle for instance, there would seem there was no chance of a new life. There are thousands of such properties each year who have transformed into shining beacons against the odds. Seeing the Pandora's box that is about to be opened, we simply cannot afford not to see it restored if there is any hope of stopping this subdivision.

This is not just a house. It’s a code, a reference, a historical record that is over 100 years old. Having outlived WWI, WWII, the Cold War, outlived the Great Depression, the 2008 recession, we can’t let it go without a fight now. The Village of Plandome Planning Board has made it explicitly clear that they are not going to act in the interests of the public, so it is up to the public to demand that change.