Here are photos from perhaps the latest Wellesley teardown (it’s hard to keep up), which took place on Wednesday.
The well-maintained bungalow-style home at 15 Curve St. (as described by Swellesley reader DennisM) was built about 100 years ago, and stood next to another recent teardown (See “Wellesley home with Booker T. Washington history goes down”). The home at 15 Curve St., sold for about $1M earlier this summer.
MORE: Wellesley Historical Commission posts petition to slow down teardowns
Why can’t the houses built to replace the teardowns honor the historical architecture and character of the original homes? So many of the new builds are boxy, ill-proportioned, sterile, and completely devoid of personality. They stick out like sore thumbs, drawing negative attention for how starkly they stand out in contrast to the thoughtfully designed older homes.
I’m sure the ugly, boxy look is cheaper to build, but I would venture a guess that the people buying these houses and tearing them down can afford to invest their money in well-designed, attractive, and historically accurate new builds using modern materials that make them energy efficient and easy to maintain.
I wish the older generation could see the importance for some teardown. Many of these homes are extremely inefficient to maintain, heat, or provide basic conveniences for.
Most naysayers assume that just because a home has character and is a fond memory of previous generations, that it should be preserved. This is despite the fact that most young families, which are the backbone of the future of the town, couldn’t and won’t opt for a costly home that is not child friendly, nor practical to own.
Wellesley could be full of tiny little homes and it would still be popular among young families. Look at towns like Brookline where families are squeezing into triple-deckers because, just like Wellesley, the schools are fabulous & the community is safe and inviting.
Let’s not kid ourselves – this tearing down of homes is based completely on developers making as much money as they possibly can on a property. Many have no connection to the town nor care about preserving the very character that made Wellesley desirable, originally.
I
Having grown up in wellesley and know these houses breaks my heart.
Wish the new generation could see the charm and value in the older homes.