Preservation Massachusetts chronicled a very busy 2011 in our annual retrospective movie, 2011: Believing in Preservation. Check it out today on our Annual Meeting page or visit our YouTube page to see past years and other video presentations that PM has put together over the years.
The Edward Hopper Landscape in Truro was listed on PM’s Most Endangered Historic Resources List in 2007.
Truro house in area that inspired Hopper must go
By Amanda Cedrone|The Boston Globe| January 22, 2012
Truro – Officials in Truro have ordered that a 8,333-square-foot house, which has been at the center of controversy for several years, be demolished.
The house is owned by Andrea Kline, widow of businessman Donald Klein, and is located at 27 Stephens Way on what is known as the Hopper Landscape, overlooking Cape Cod Bay.
The scenery provided inspiration for painter Edward Hopper who spent summers in South Truro.
Since the building permits for the property were issued, and construction began on the house in 2008, its owners and neighbors have been waging a legal battle, with neighbors stating that the house is an eyesore in the middle of the historic landscape.
“From the road [the house] appears quite unintrusive,” said Alan Efronmson, chairman of Truro’s zoning board of appeals. “If you do see it from above, it looks like an airplane hanger or something seen from a plane. Its enormous.”
Over the years the case wound its way through the zoning board, to land court, to appeals court, and finally was turned down for review by the state Supreme Judicial Court in early November, Efromson said.
Following the decision by the court not to take the case, zoning board members met last month and voted to instruct Thomas Wingard Jr., the town building commissioner, to revoke the building permits.
In a letter dated Friday, Wingard informed Klein’s trustee, Duane Landreth, that the house must be demolished.
The letter goes on to state that, “in addition to removal of the offending structure, you are ordered to restore the property as nearly as possible to its pre-construction state.”
Landreth would not comment on the case.
Citing the long legal battle the town has seen over the years, some neighbors of the property believe the issue is far from resolved.
One Stephen’s Way resident who declined to give his name said, “I can’t believe the landscape will come back in my lifetime.”
Taken from the Boston Globe, Metro Section, B-5.
Preservation Massachusetts is pleased to announce our 2012 Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26 at 5:30 PM at Nixon Peabody, LLP, 100 Summer Street in Boston. Join us as we reflect on a busy past twelve months and look ahead toward a productive 2012! The meeting is open to all members and partners of Preservation Massachusetts and light refreshments will be served.
RSVP and stay updated on new details on our EventBrite page. Please contact our office with any questions or concerns.
The Board of Trustees of the Lawrence Family Development & Education Fund, Inc. and YouthBuild‐Lawrence are hosting the 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION of the ORANGE WHEELER HOUSE, WINNER OF THE 2002 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011 ~ 4:30-7:00 PM
Refreshments and Hors d’oeuvres
355 HAVERHILL STREET
LAWRENCE, MA 01840
DEDICATION CEREMONY: 6:00 PM
Additional secured parking is available at the
Lawrence Family Development Charter School parking lots
(400 Haverhill Street & 34 West Street)
with van shuttles to the Orange Wheeler House every 15 minutes
(see map on back).
RSVP: SUSAN LYONS @ 978 689-9863, EXT. 122/SLYONS@LFDCS.OR
The 2011 Massachusetts Most Endangered Historic Resources movie is now available online! The movie debuted at Preservation Massachusetts’ Believe in Preservation event on Thursday, November 10 in Springfield.
View the movie and learn more about this year’s endangered historic resources in the communities affected by this summer’s tornadoes by visiting the Most Endangered page on our website or our YouTube channel!
