HomeMy WebLinkAboutCoggeshall Letter of Opposition
Hello Erica,
I understand that the Susan Livingston proposal to tear down the existing home at 101 Rendezvous Lane
and proposed rebuild is currently scheduled for the October 9, 2024 meeting of the Old King's Highway
Historic District Committee. Unfortunately, I will be away, but I am writing to express my utmost
opposition to the proposal, for the following reasons:
Historical Context : The original stretch of Rendezvous Lane, starting with the Olde Colonial Courthouse
on the corner of 6A, has many historic homes that date back to the 1700 and 1800s. I think of this area
as the homes fronting Rendezvous from 6A to the small circle where Kent and Salten Point Roads branch
off. The courthouse itself was built in 1834, and the home anchoring the other side of Rendezvous (3026
Main Street) dates back to 1800. The next two houses on the right, 36 Rendezvous and 44
Rendezvous, date from 1760 and 1825 respectively. Our home at 61 Rendezvous dates from 1799,
and 115 Rendezvous was built in 1836. Several others are from the early 20th century, including the
2100 square foot home at 101 Rendezvous, which was built in 1909, and is a beautifully restored
example of a craftsman style bungalow (which I believe is the only one of its kind in the village). I have
read the home’s entry in the Massachusetts Historical Commissions listings, and the home has a rich
history, and is known as the “Alice W. and Fred Levi Daggett House”. The houses on either side of 101
date from 1930 (classic cape at 83 Rendezvous) and 1836 ( classic cape farmhouse at 115 Rendezvous).
I also noticed that the application for demolition that was filed with the Old King’s Highway in August of
2024 lists the age of the home incorrectly: According to the Mass Historical Commission it was built in
1909, not in 1939. The Town of Barnstable website lists it as being built in 1920.
Scale vis a vis this Historic stretch of Rendezvous: The proposed building, at 5600 square feet, is
massively out of step with its neighbors in terms of relationship to the size of the lot and the size of
nearby historic homes. Number 83 Rendezvous on the left of it, built in 1930, is 2,999 square feet on a
lot of 1.1 acres. . On the right, 115 Rendezvous, another beautifully restored historic home built in 1836,
is 2783 square feet on a lot of 1 acre. Indeed, the only home fronting Rendezvous that is bigger than the
one proposed for 101 is the Livingston’s “other” Rendezvous Lane home at #74, which was built in 2016
and is a massive 6500 square feet, but that is on a lot size of over 2 acres. The lot size of 101 Rendezvous
is .63 acre, and it already has a pool and garage. Replacing a 2100 sf home with one of 5600 sf will simply
overwhelm the lot, not to mention loom over its neighbors. I have seen the architectural renderings for
the proposed home, which in no way show the building’s relationship to its neighbors; they make it look
as though there will be nothing on either side but green pastures..
To further clarify just how out of step this proposed project is in terms of scale, I am including the
following information on the historic homes along this section of Rendezvous Lane regarding year built,
square footage and lot size:
Corner of Rendezvous & 6A 3026 Main Street Built in 1800
. 3900 Square feet. 1.8 acres
36 Rendezvous : Built in 1760.
3600 square feet. .5 acre
44 Rendezvous: Built in 1825
2361 square feet .75 acre
61 Rendezvous Built in 1799
3874 square feet .81 acre
83 Rendezvous Built in 1930
2999 square feet 1.1 acres
101 Rendezvous Built in
1909 2100 square feet .63 acre (Proposed Home 5600 square feet)
115 Rendezvous Built in
1836 2783 square feet 1 acre
129 Rendezvous Built in
1950 2233 square feet 1.48 acres
Historical Integrity in Terms of Design: All of the above homes are beautiful examples of architecture
that sought to be both attractive and fully functional in the demanding New England climate. They
epitomize what is special about the architecture on this part of the Cape, which historically emphasized
simple and practical over showy. Unfortunately, the historic nature of our neighborhood is under assault
as more and more people seek to replace the old with large “trophy” homes that will never be lived in
year round. The design of the proposed home at 101 Rendezvous is completely out of sync with its
neighbors, a jarring example of “more is more” and cramming as much house as possible, complete with
porches, dormers and every other embellishment on a small lot.
Consideration vis a vis Barnstable Housing Stock : Barnstable’s housing stock is at an all time low. Many
homes that were formerly owned by year round residents have gradually been taken off the market as
they are either demolished or upgraded to serve as seasonal or rental properties. 101 Rendezvous is
currently appraised at $1.4 million, which is still a lot of money, but if it is replaced with a $3 million
dollar second home ( the Livingston’s own five other residences, including the 6500 square foot home at
74 Rendezvous), that home has been priced out of everyone’s reach but a small percentage of future
buyers.
The stated purview of the OKHHC on the town of Barnstable website is to “consider(s) the historical
value and significance of existing buildings, and all applications are reviewed for general design,
proportion of building elements, texture, materials and color. Settings, site design and layout and relative
size of buildings are also taken into consideration.” I hope that my objections on many of these points
(historical value and significance of existing building, design of new building, proportion and setting vis a
vis the neighbors and the historic part of Rendezvous Lane) will lead you to ask Susan Livingston and her
design team to reevaluate her plan for this property. The last thing our historic lane needs is another
tear down. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever…
I know that many of my neighbors on Rendezvous and Salten Point feel as I do. I hope that you hear from
all of them either via email or at the Zoom meeting. Thank you for your consideration,
Caroline E Coggeshall
61 Rendezvous Lane
Barnstable MA 02630