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| This photograph, which appeared in 1910 in the architectural magazine Brickbuilder, shows the carriage house, the formal garden, and the path leading to the tennis court and the overlook. |
On the southernmost part of what had once been the grounds of an elegant urban mansion, Galloway built two faux Greek Revival houses, one smaller than the other. Disgruntled residents of Willard Place, unhappy about the intrusion of these houses of anachronistic design into their pristine late 19th-century neighborhood, dubbed them "Me & Mini Me."
Now it seems Galvan is proposing another architectural Me & Mini Me for Hudson. At Friday's meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission, Walter Chatham presented plans for 123 Union Street, a building that has been owned by Galvan since 2010, first by Galvan Partners LLC, then by Galvan Initiatives Foundation.
Chatham described the house as a "lovely former mansion" which for many years had been "broken up into apartments." The plan is to turn the house once again into a single family residence. An alteration being proposed for the exterior of the house is adding four windows on the west side of the building that replicate, in size and design, the windows at the front.
The plans also involve removing the tumbledown garage at the back of the property, facing Partition Street, and replacing it with a building that is a miniature of the original house, replicating all the finishes and details of the larger house. The building would house a two-car garage and a second-floor apartment. Chatham referred to the two buildings as "Me & Mini Me."
Chatham explained, as Gail Walker, wife of Kevin Walker, who designed the original Me & Mini Me on Willard Place, did years ago, that it was a common phenomenon in the South to have an outbuilding that was a miniature version of the main house. Chatham admitted he had yet to find any examples of this practice in the North.
Chatham acknowledged that the construction of the new Mini Me would entail the removal of two large maple trees, which he said were "kind of at the end of their life," but he assured the HPC that their loss would be compensated for by new landscaping.
Reacting to the proposed new building, HPC member John Schobel said it looked unconventional, "because it's a garage that looks like a house." Miranda Barry asked if the proposed new building would be an exact copy of the original house. When Chatham confirmed that it would, Barry commented, "It's like a dollhouse in the back." She went on to say, "It's unlikely the original owner would have built a replica of the house." Phil Forman, who chairs the HPC, opined, "There is something startling about the replica concept."
Chatham responded to the HPC's less than enthusiastic reception of Mini Me by saying he would try to figure out how the design could have "a little humor and a little style" while meeting the HPC's standards for appropriateness and compatibility.
A public hearing on the project has been scheduled for Friday, January 24.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CAROLE OSTERINK
No, Just No.
ReplyDeleteWasn't something similar done at 1st and Cherry Alley?
ReplyDeleteOf all of the offenses Galvan has committed against Hudson I find this probably the least offensive.
ReplyDeleteGalvan’s approach to affordable housing is rather interesting, not to mention aesthetically suspect.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean Affordable Housing; I mean affordable housing. 123 Union has been a multi-tenant building for at least 10 years. And the apartments were almost always leased to younger people. Now, an affordable apartment building is becoming a single-family house. Wanna bet it will sell for 7 figures? Of course it will. This is but another in Galvan's long list of moves that belie his stance on MDUs and affordable housing.
DeleteThe HPC is a group of miserable and impolite megalomaniacs who are only on this committee to feed their egos and to exercise their snobbery.
ReplyDeleteThe home at 241 Allen Street has a second structure in the back that could be considered a “mini-me” or a “dollhouse” based the HPC comments. Did the owners of 241 Allen come under the same scrutiny? Unlikely, since it is not presented by Galvan?
It is amusing that Ms. Barry would assume “It’s unlikely the original owners would have built a replica of the house”. Did she happen to elaborate on why she made this assumption? Or maybe she was good friends with the original owners? Is it “unconventional” for a second structure to look like the original house and be utilized as a garage? Partition Street has structures now that look like the original house (or house) with a garage and apartment on the top. I am not sure how this proposal by a talented and experienced local architect, would be considered “startling”? It seems to me the members of the committee were trying to outdo each other’s snarky comments instead offering alternative suggestions to help move the project forward. Or do they suggest keeping a pile of rubble as more historically “appropriate”?
It is my opinion, after attending several of their meetings that they are unhelpful, inefficient and sloppy. They often speak over each other or the applicant. The members have come in late on several occasions, never apologizing to the people who have been waiting. HPC it rude and unprofessional to have your face scrunched up in disapproval and/or disgust while an applicant is presenting. I have witnessed on occasions where applicants have been told something is “inappropriate”, but the HPC refused or was unable to advise them what would be more “appropriate”. Instead, advising to come back with a different option and then we “can advise it is appropriate”. Seriously?
Hudson has a lot of issues including corrupt and incompetent leadership, tax assessment inequality, uncollected 2.5 million in property taxes with no current agenda to collect them and a school district in turmoil. Hudson is fortunate to have people interested in investing here, but if we keep making it difficult and unpleasant they may reconsider.
FYI, CidiotZero, the structure behind 241 Allen Street was subjected to the same scrutiny from the HPC in February 2018 and Gossips reported on it: https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2018/02/back-to-alleys.html
DeleteI suppose it is accurate to say that any mature trees on property owned by Galvan are "kind of at the end of their life."
ReplyDeleteWhy have the falling down firetrap garages not been condemned? I spoke with Code Enforcement over a year ago and was told they were aware of the violations… even showed me photos of the structures and said they were in contact with the owner. While neighboring properties have been vastly improved this remains a blight on the neighborhood.
ReplyDeletePeople are not held accountable in Hudson.
DeleteDo not pay your property taxes? No, problem, we won't try to collect them from you. We cannot use 2.5 million. Ha!
You have a unsafe structure in the back of your house? No problem, but we are going make it very difficult for you to replace with with something nice. We will send you to the HPC so they can judge and be rude you.
You live in the historic district and you have trash in your yard and your house has not been painted in years? No problem, the HPC only cares about new projects and how they look, keep your yard looking like trash. We looking at you Allen Street, get that trash cleaned up, paint those houses, clean up those gardens.
It is just not Galvan that has unsafe and unsightly shanties on their property.
DeleteHas anyone observed the dumping of garbage along the banks of Under Hill and JLE by the occupants of houses on these hillsides? Why is that not confronted and cleaned up. Drive along Harry Howard and see the mess after the leafs fall. That is a huge environmental violation. Clean up this mess. It’s seeping into the waters.
ReplyDelete