An Urban Tale of Time, Weather and Indifference: Demolition by Neglect
The site before demolition.
The site as it looks today.
By Susan Godshall
This is a case study about a recurring preservation problem, often with an unhappy ending. This story illustrates one well-known example, but other New Haven buildings share the same fate. The Trust is developing collaborative ways to prevent further loss of the City’s historic fabric through preventable demolition.
About 35 years ago some architect friends bought a big rambling brick building in a residential neighborhood in New Haven and rehabbed it for 100 apartments, many with river views. The complex had been a brewery in the 19th century so the project was called Brewery Square Apartments. To add significance to their project, the owners took the trouble to have it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Each apartment was unique, in a building full of character, and everyone admired the result. The Trust hosted a popular tour of the apartments as part of the 2018 International Festival of Arts & Ideas.
In a corner of the property was a smaller structure, also brick, with nice detailing but not suitable for residential use. The owners imagined that it would be a nice café, but no restaurant tenant came forward and the corner building, called the Gatehouse, stayed empty. One day there was a big snowstorm and part of the roof caved in. Even though the Gatehouse façade looked normal from the street, the rear portion had collapsed. Three years passed and no repairs were made. Without a use or a tenant, the corner building became a problem.
The owners applied to the City’s Historic District Commission (HDC) for permission to demolish the Gatehouse, but the HDC said no. The Commission rightly noted that it is part of a National Register site, it is a key feature of the boundary wall around the whole complex, and the owners did not explore any reconstruction alternatives. The application was denied.
Soon the Building Inspector issued an Emergency Demolition Order for the Gatehouse in order to protect public health and safety, due to the collapsed roof. No preservation agencies were consulted beforehand, and no civil engineer evaluated whether the little corner building could be rebuilt. Both City officials and the Trust staff reached out to the owners, with no response. The Trust mounted an online petition to save the Gatehouse, securing over 3,000 signatures, but it did not prevail. Machinery rolled in and in a few days, the problem building was gone. The corner remains empty today.
This tale shows how the public sector can be turned into an unwilling accomplice in regrettable demolition, even for buildings on the National Register. Using this model, owners who no longer want to maintain a building may let it go to ruin and wait for the power of code enforcement to force its demolition. This practice is called “Demolition by Neglect.”
What can be done about it?
The Trust is on record that failure to enforce public policy regarding poor maintenance and abandonment leads to deterioration and eventually to demolition. This is troubling when it involves significant architectural or historical structures. Occasionally, an owner can be persuaded to renovate a neglected property — or sell it so someone else can renovate it — but just as often, the owner is content to take down the building under municipal order.
One way to address this issue is by stronger ordinance language, including stiffer penalties for failure to maintain private property. Another way is to change the culture so that preservation agencies are brought into the picture and alternatives are studied, including the use of grants and tax credits. The Trust is working with City staff to create a Demolition Protocol which calls for building owners, City departments and preservation agencies to work together to review the options before a demolition order is issued. The Trust is actively supporting this effort.
Susan Godshall serves on the Board of Directors of the New Haven Preservation Trust.