After Public Outcry,

76 Fair Street Saved

COOPERSTOWN – Citing public outcry against the destruction of one of the oldest houses on Fair Street, Teresa Drerup, Altonview Architects, withdrew the demolition application just moments ago from the agenda of the village’s Historic Preservation & Architectural Review Board.

Drerup is also HPARB chair, although she recused herself on this application.

“The main function of our board is historic preservation,” said HPARB vice chair Roger MacMillan, who took the call from Drerup just after 2 p.m.  “There was an awful lot of public sentiment about tearing down this house, and it would have never flown.”

A special meeting of the board was called  for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, after a quorum was not reached at the January meeting.  The application for demolition was filed in early December, and a vote was needed within 62 days, per village law, and the February regular meeting would have been too late.  Failure to approve or deny an application results in an automatic approval, according to MacMillan.

At the meeting, Drerup has indicated that she will present early drafts of building plans to add an extension onto the existing structure.  A public hearing on the demolition of a shed at  18 Cooper Place will also be held.