Demolition of Orchard Street Home Approved

A partially deteriorated, single-family waterfront home in Nyack will be demolished and possibly replaced, a decision reached at the July 21 Architectural Planning Board Meeting that had village officials and residents on both sides of the issue.

The house was constructed in the early '60s, and the property and home were sold to a new owner in 2009 for $925,000.

Bob Hoene, the architect representing the new homeowners, approached the board with a proposal to demolish the home located at 11 Orchard St. The proposal is the first step in a process that may lead to the construction of a new home.

"The current house is in extreme disrepair," Hoene said. "Someone started construction at one point but stopped, which resulted in the house being exposed to the elements." Hoene also noted the house is missing sections of the roof, and has been uninhabited for several years.

Hoene presented several pictures of the residence to the board showcasing the home's disrepair.

"I have difficulty saying 'yes' to demolishing a perfectly good structure," said board member Mary Mathews before the decision was eventually approved. Mathews noted a home's aesthetic is not always linked to its durability.

The majority of the board's—and public's—qualms lay not with the demolition, but what would follow. A new house, taller and larger than the last, will likely be constructed. And the new home will have a free-standing garage.

"A free-standing garage visually increases the bulk of a home," Brown said. Later in the evening, a resident who lives across the street from 11 Orchard asked whether the new structure would be considerably taller.

"The new home will be two stories, and the current is one-and-a-half," Hoene said. "But the project is well within zoning requirements."

When the board approved the demolition, Brown noted it is only the first step in a tentative process.

"This motion in no way approves the future structure," she said.

The Architectural Review Board will meet again on Aug. 18 to continue discussing the issue.