Editorial: Increased budget for research pays off with 16 new landmarked homes in Palm Beach
The past often is a good guide to the future.
That statement is true in a number of disciplines, but in Palm Beach, it is especially apropos when it comes to real estate. There has always been a tug of war on the island between the need to preserve historically significant properties and to allow for the modernization of others.
Over the years, countless gems have been razed, all in the name of progress, lost forever in the rubble left by the wrecking ball. But the town, through its Landmarks Preservation Commission, has moved to slow the pace at which older homes are being demolished.
This past season, an eye-popping 16 properties were approved by the Town Council for landmark designation, consultant Emily Stillings told the commission at its meeting last week.
It seems that the council's decision to sweeten its preservation budgets — which included the designation reports as well as other work — from an average of $55,000 in recent years to $100,000 in 2021-22 has paid dividends.
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Stillings and co-consultant Janet Murphy typically had the cash to research only about 10 properties a year — with just a handful being approved. But armed this time with that bigger budget, the duo researched and wrote 23 designation reports during the landmark-designation season, which runs from November to May. Another six properties that were deferred from last season also were reviewed for potential designation.
In a town that prizes its history, that is welcome news. For years, preservationists have been clamoring for more money, and the council finally has stepped up to the plate.
Preserving the past is especially important in such a hot real estate market, where multimillion-dollar purchases likely will lead to more demolitions. At Wednesday's Architectural Commission meeting, there were nine applications to approve new homes, some that will be built where older homes once stood.
Along with the creation of the historically significant building program in 2020, which was created to discourage owners from tearing down older houses that aren’t landmarked, the town is making sizable strides in preserving its architecture.
The commitment to the historical significance of its housing stock is one of the things that makes Palm Beach such a world-renowned place. It's what separates the island from the cookie-cutter housing that can be found almost everywhere else.
Its value should never be underestimated.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Editorial: More money leads to more saved Palm Beach homes
