STOP DEMOLITIONS!
23 Greenfield
23 Greenfield Ave. Photo shows steps taken to prepare for demolition.
Update: On July 7, 2009 the City Council passed by a unanimous vote the temporary demolition moratorium.
May is National Preservation Month with a theme of This Place Matters! However, Preservation Month is off to an inauspicious start in Saratoga Springs. Several weeks ago a lovely historic brick mid-19th century house located at 23 Greenfield Avenue lost its windows and portions of its roof under the guise of asbestos removal and lead abatement. Recently the Department of Public Works received an application to shut off city services to the building and the Building Department received an application for a demolition permit.
The house located at 23 Greenfield Avenue is a place that matters! It is identified as a contributing structure to the federally designated Broadway National Register Historic District. However, it is unprotected from demolition because it is not part of the Citys Historic Zoning District, which affords these historic structures protection from demolition and inappropriate alterations.
We need to take a time-out and give our threatened buildings a breather. The City has been awarded a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to review and update its historic preservation ordinance. Included in this effort would be consideration of expanding the local historic district to protect buildings that are similar to 23 Greenfield Avenue.
To prevent further loss of historic buildings while improvements to the ordinance are being considered, the Foundation has requested that the City Council impose a temporary moratorium on the issuance of demolition permits within the Citys Historic Zoning District, as well as all buildings outside the Citys designated district that are identified as contributing to historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Such a moratorium would allow time for such ordinances to be drafted and adopted.
A public hearing to discuss the temporary moratorium on demolitions is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16th at 6:40 p.m. at City Hall, 474 Broadway. Please come and voice your support for protecting 23 Greenfield Avenue and the rich architectural heritage that makes Saratoga Springs the great place it is to live, work and visit. If you are unable to attend, please send a letter to the Mayor and Commissioners at City Hall, 474 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 or email
Scott Johnson, Mayor scott.johnson@saratoga-springs.org
John Franck, Commissioner of Accounts john.franck@saratoga-springs.org
Kenneth Ivins, Commissioner of Finance ken.ivins@saratoga-springs.org
Ron Kim, Commissioner of Public Safety ron.kim@saratoga-springs.org
Anthony Skip Scirocco, Commissioner of Public Works – skip.scirocco@saratogasprings.org.
Update: On July 7, 2009 the City Council passed by a unanimous vote the temporary demolition moratorium.
May is National Preservation Month with a theme of This Place Matters! However, Preservation Month is off to an inauspicious start in Saratoga Springs. Several weeks ago a lovely historic brick mid-19th century house located at 23 Greenfield Avenue lost its windows and portions of its roof under the guise of asbestos removal and lead abatement. Recently the Department of Public Works received an application to shut off city services to the building and the Building Department received an application for a demolition permit.
23 Greenfield, 2009
The house located at 23 Greenfield Avenue is a place that matters! It is identified as a contributing structure to the federally designated Broadway National Register Historic District. However, it is unprotected from demolition because it is not part of the Citys Historic Zoning District, which affords these historic structures protection from demolition and inappropriate alterations.
We need to take a time-out and give our threatened buildings a breather. The City has been awarded a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to review and update its historic preservation ordinance. Included in this effort would be consideration of expanding the local historic district to protect buildings that are similar to 23 Greenfield Avenue.
To prevent further loss of historic buildings while improvements to the ordinance are being considered, the Foundation has requested that the City Council impose a temporary moratorium on the issuance of demolition permits within the Citys Historic Zoning District, as well as all buildings outside the Citys designated district that are identified as contributing to historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Such a moratorium would allow time for such ordinances to be drafted and adopted.
A public hearing to discuss the temporary moratorium on demolitions is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16th at 6:40 p.m. at City Hall, 474 Broadway. Please come and voice your support for protecting 23 Greenfield Avenue and the rich architectural heritage that makes Saratoga Springs the great place it is to live, work and visit. If you are unable to attend, please send a letter to the Mayor and Commissioners at City Hall, 474 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 or email
Scott Johnson, Mayor scott.johnson@saratoga-springs.org
John Franck, Commissioner of Accounts john.franck@saratoga-springs.org
Kenneth Ivins, Commissioner of Finance ken.ivins@saratoga-springs.org
Ron Kim, Commissioner of Public Safety ron.kim@saratoga-springs.org
Anthony Skip Scirocco, Commissioner of Public Works – skip.scirocco@saratogasprings.org.
