Allowing a parking lot to replace an historic building falls far short of the legal requirement that if a building cannot be preserved, it must be replaced with a structure, one that meets the zoning requirements for a T-6 zone and complements the historic district.
In March 2007, the City of Saratoga Springs Design Review Commission did just that in deciding to permit the demolition of a significant portion of an historic building in one of the six historic districts in the city. This decision was inevitable. The historic building, which had once been handsome, functioning and profitable, had become an eyesore, and few in the community could see its value. The decision was also completely avoidable. Had the building been maintained by the present and past owners, there would have been no reason to consider demolition. As a community we must work to ensure that we are never faced with the need to demolish another of our historic buildings because it has been allowed to deteriorate past the point where it can be restored.
The Preservation Foundation regrets that the situation with the Rip Van Dam has been allowed to proceed in a manner that undermines the law that has protected the historic architecture of our city for nearly 30 years. The entire building at 353 Broadway has been a part of the historic fabric of the city for nearly 150 years. The integrity of the historic district and, perhaps more importantly, the integrity of the legal process established to protect the historic fabric of the city, has been compromised. There are a number of similarly deteriorated buildings in historic neighborhoods throughout the city, and it would be a shame for other such buildings to be demolished without being replaced.
The rear wing of the Rip Van Dam is an example of what happens when extreme deterioration is allowed to persist. Though State and Federal financial incentives are available to assist property owners in funding the rehabilitation of historic properties, enforcement is critical to ensure that old buildings don’t become lost buildings. The Preservation Foundation’s Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance proposes an enforcement tool that targets extreme deterioration. The Foundation has twice presented the proposal to the City Council and public hearings should now be held to improve this ordinance prior to its adoption. Avoiding future demolition by neglect will prevent such situations in the future. The City Council must adopt and enforce this ordinance as soon as possible and make it a priority to stop extreme deterioration from destroying the fabric of our historic districts.