HomeMy WebLinkAboutMargaret Tuten OppositionDear Barnstable Historical Commission,
I write to you not only as a lifelong resident of Hyannis Port but as an artist whose life and
work have been shaped by the beauty and quiet authenticity of the place. My home, a
classic Cape Cod cottage, has stood for generations, its trellised roses climbing up the
front, tended with care for decades. My grandchildren now run in my yard, just as my
children once did. My greatest wish is for them to return here, year after year, for the next
sixty years and still recognize the place that has been our family’s heart.
Hyannis Port is more than a collection of houses—it is a living work of art. It has long been a
refuge and an inspiration, not just for me, but for generations of artists who found
something rare in its simple, unspoiled charm. The play of light on weathered shingles, the
gentle sway of beach grass, the way the village seems to exist in perfect harmony with the
sea—these are the quiet, irreplaceable details that define this community. They are what
make Hyannis Port not just a location, but a feeling.
The proposed development at 43 Iyanough Avenue threatens that delicate balance. A
9,000-square-foot structure is simply too large for the site. It crowds its neighbors,
disregards the rhythm of the landscape, and introduces a scale that is not in keeping with
the spirit of a historic village. This is not just about one house. It is about a growing pattern
of overbuilding, a shift that disregards the essence of what makes Hyannis Port special. In a
place like this, it is not enough to consider what can be built—we must also ask what
should be built.
There is an unspoken understanding in historic communities: we build with respect. We
honor what came before us so that those who come after can still recognize it. This is how
Hyannis Port has endured, not just as a place, but as an idea—a rare and beautiful example
of what Cape Cod was meant to be.
I ask the Commission to carefully consider what is at stake. If we allow these outsized
developments to continue, the Hyannis Port my grandchildren know and love—the one that
has inspired so many for so long—will slowly disappear. And once it is gone, we cannot get
it back.
I stand firmly opposed to the partial demolition request for 43 Iyanough Avenue that has
come before you for approval.
With Kind Regards,
Margaret Tuten
MargaretTuten
gt@gerrytuten.com
(H) 610.527.1609
(M) 610.331.3002