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Application to Demolish Point Home Is Withdrawn—Neighbor Dispute Reaches an Accord

Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Application to Demolish Point Home Is Withdrawn
• Neighbor Dispute Reaches an Accord

BY BILL KOENEKER

A New York couple, who stirred up a storm when they proposed tearing down a Bart Prince-designed home on Grayfox Street, has reached an agreement with their Point Dume neighbors to not demolish the architectural residence, but instead do an interior remodel, according to city planning officials.
Planning Director Joyce Parker Bozylinski made the announcement at this week’s planning commission meeting.
“They are withdrawing their application for demolition. There will be no teardown,” the planning director said.
The planning commission held several public hearings where architectural preservationists, other architects, Realtors, neighbors and actress Kelly Lynch got involved in an attempt to urge city officials to not let the house be torn down.
The residence is made up of six two-story diamond shaped segments that cascade toward the canyon and a terraced garden. The house runs on a diagonal across a narrow acre lot.
The owners wanted to demolish the house and build something more conventional.
Neighbors including Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who hired local attorney Frank Angel, also expressed concern about view impacts, privacy for their homes and the impact on the gully below the house.
The city has no archictectural guidelines and the staff insisted the proposed home had no objectionable features or violated any rules or regulations and should be approved,
The commission got bogged down on the possibility there was a domino effect in building closer to the gully below and did not take a vote. The matter was then subsequently continued for months until the announcement came this week.

View Article: Application to Demolish Point Home Is Withdrawn—Neighbor Dispute Reaches an Accord