Save the 1813 Captain Knap House at 482 Brewster in Black Rock
11 Comments
D
Dave Sanders
11 years ago
Featured
Does anyone know if the historical society has reached out to the owners yet?
M
Mike Chavez
11 years ago
Featured
Are they really gonna tear this down for more condos? Black Rock is losing all its character lately.
S
Sarah Ferguson
11 years ago
Featured
my grandparents lived near brewster for years. its shameful to see this falling apart when it should be a historic landmark.
D
Dean Van Nest
11 years ago
As much as I agree that saving a 200 year old home is a worthy cause, I do not agree that it is so sacred in this particular case. Whatever may have been of historic architectural value about this house in the past, it was previously destroyed when this property was remodeled by prior owners in the 1900's. A close inspection of this house today will instruct the visiter that virtually all of what remains has all the signs of being part of the early 1900s remodel. Contrary to what this petitions says, no "leaded glass" has survived to present day. Nothing surrounding the front door appears to be made of materials more than 100 years old.
The petition also mis-states that the current owner plans "to replace it with 2 vinyl clad duplexes." This is not at all true. The property is zoned for single family use only. He plans to return it to open space, and plans to landscape it beautifully (as can be believed by anyone who looks at what this very community minded gentleman has done to his personal residence next door).
As one who has watched the precarious history of this property over the last three years, from very nearby, I can attest to the comings and goings of countess speculators who have all had opportunities to save this property, but decided it not economically worthy.
If any of you want to save this house, then please put your energies into finding a well resourced angel investor who is willing to buy it and do the work. But please do not admonish nor harass this good man of our neighborhood, who has already come forward to stabilize this troubled property. Please realize that his goal of creating a beautiful open space is an honorable "next best solution." If you speak to most of us living closest to 482 Brewster, you might be surprised to find that we support the thinking and intended actions of the current owner. This is because we all know the actual facts, and we know the man and his character and personally trust that he is doing the best that
L
Linda Sinclair
11 years ago
Featured
THEY BETTER NOT TOUCH THIS HOUSE. STOP THE DEMOLITION!!!
C
Concerned Neighbor
11 years ago
The person who wrote the description of the situation at 482 Brewster St doesn't know what she's talking about. The new ownerr has no plans whatsoever to build two vinyl-clad duplexes on the property. I was at the meeting and he went into great detail about what his plans are. He is fully aware that the property is zoned for single family only. His intention is to build a beautiful garden on the proerty for his enjoyment and to feed his passion for gardening. Ginning up the public with misinformation is irresponsible. Reading this makes me feel like I'm watching Fox News. I know that the house was viewed by many developers and they all walked away because they realized it was a tear down with the possibility of building only one house. It would be a bad investment. And the realtor who had a buyer that didn't get the mortgage? There's a reason your buyer didn't get the mortgage and it's very possible it's because the cost of repairs and upgrades needed in addition to the mortgage amount was higher than the market value of the renovated home. I was in the house while it was on the market. It was a mess. The previous owners did nothing to preserve the integrity of an antique home. The upgrades were badly done and walls were built where they didn't belong making the home incredibly awkward and dysfunctional. The kitchen needed complete renovation to be useable by today's cook.
Expecting the buyer to find and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate this property just because people who didn't step to the plate are feeling bad is naive and absurd. And I question the sincerity of those who stated that they don't care what is done on the inside. They just want the house to stand and look pretty from the outside. That's not historic preservation, in my book.
So be happy, Black Rock, that you have found someone who cares about what happens to the property and that beautiful tree. Or come up with the money to buy it. With all due respect, put
Does anyone know if the historical society has reached out to the owners yet?
Are they really gonna tear this down for more condos? Black Rock is losing all its character lately.
my grandparents lived near brewster for years. its shameful to see this falling apart when it should be a historic landmark.
As much as I agree that saving a 200 year old home is a worthy cause, I do not agree that it is so sacred in this particular case. Whatever may have been of historic architectural value about this house in the past, it was previously destroyed when this property was remodeled by prior owners in the 1900's. A close inspection of this house today will instruct the visiter that virtually all of what remains has all the signs of being part of the early 1900s remodel. Contrary to what this petitions says, no "leaded glass" has survived to present day. Nothing surrounding the front door appears to be made of materials more than 100 years old. The petition also mis-states that the current owner plans "to replace it with 2 vinyl clad duplexes." This is not at all true. The property is zoned for single family use only. He plans to return it to open space, and plans to landscape it beautifully (as can be believed by anyone who looks at what this very community minded gentleman has done to his personal residence next door). As one who has watched the precarious history of this property over the last three years, from very nearby, I can attest to the comings and goings of countess speculators who have all had opportunities to save this property, but decided it not economically worthy. If any of you want to save this house, then please put your energies into finding a well resourced angel investor who is willing to buy it and do the work. But please do not admonish nor harass this good man of our neighborhood, who has already come forward to stabilize this troubled property. Please realize that his goal of creating a beautiful open space is an honorable "next best solution." If you speak to most of us living closest to 482 Brewster, you might be surprised to find that we support the thinking and intended actions of the current owner. This is because we all know the actual facts, and we know the man and his character and personally trust that he is doing the best that
THEY BETTER NOT TOUCH THIS HOUSE. STOP THE DEMOLITION!!!
The person who wrote the description of the situation at 482 Brewster St doesn't know what she's talking about. The new ownerr has no plans whatsoever to build two vinyl-clad duplexes on the property. I was at the meeting and he went into great detail about what his plans are. He is fully aware that the property is zoned for single family only. His intention is to build a beautiful garden on the proerty for his enjoyment and to feed his passion for gardening. Ginning up the public with misinformation is irresponsible. Reading this makes me feel like I'm watching Fox News. I know that the house was viewed by many developers and they all walked away because they realized it was a tear down with the possibility of building only one house. It would be a bad investment. And the realtor who had a buyer that didn't get the mortgage? There's a reason your buyer didn't get the mortgage and it's very possible it's because the cost of repairs and upgrades needed in addition to the mortgage amount was higher than the market value of the renovated home. I was in the house while it was on the market. It was a mess. The previous owners did nothing to preserve the integrity of an antique home. The upgrades were badly done and walls were built where they didn't belong making the home incredibly awkward and dysfunctional. The kitchen needed complete renovation to be useable by today's cook. Expecting the buyer to find and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate this property just because people who didn't step to the plate are feeling bad is naive and absurd. And I question the sincerity of those who stated that they don't care what is done on the inside. They just want the house to stand and look pretty from the outside. That's not historic preservation, in my book. So be happy, Black Rock, that you have found someone who cares about what happens to the property and that beautiful tree. Or come up with the money to buy it. With all due respect, put
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/482-Brewster-St-Bridgeport-CT-06605/57235623_zpid/
the interior might not look like those pictures now considering they took out the windows. it may be completely gutted by now.
you can see pictures of the interior that had been posted on zillow.com for 482 Brewster.
Who will this petition be sent to in Bridgeport city government?
Is it possible to see the interior if we are interested in purchasing it from the current owner?