Jim Tegeder of the Heritage Commission reports “the building is in bad shape on the backside. Windows are broken, foundation is cracked and is open to the weather. The roof has bad patches and generally looks like it suffered multiple grenade attacks.” Â Here’s what Mae had e-mailed to a long list of people: Â “To board members and other interested parties:Â
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Very sad news: the new owner of the property on Central road, which was the old South School House built for $3,000.00 in brick in 1881, has presented an application to demolish it to the Demolition Review Committee for its consideration. Given the limits of the Demolition Review Committee’s authority, we can hold a public meeting and salvage what we can but not ultimately prevent the demolition, sometime in the next 45 days or so.Â
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What is vexing is that “someone†has smashed the windows, torn open the back of the building leaving the interior exposed and otherwise rendered the building defenseless to the elements. There has been a dramatic transformation, from an intact home several months ago when the demolition committee first walked the site on the application for the adjacent building to the wreckage now.
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 I hope that each of you will take the time to come to the public hearing which will be held in the next two weeks with questions and suggestions as to how this historic landmark in our unique community can be saved and put to current use. Community apathy, particularly among those who stand for stewardship of our cultural and historic resources, will allow the fabric of Rye to become yet more tattered. If we do not take each such affront seriously, there will be less promise that even more significant landmarks, such as Rye Town Hall will not be preserved for the generations to come. These buildings have been peopled by our ancestors and embody the history of this town. Tell me what you want to do about this challenge made in the name of ‘its cheaper to tear it down and build a replica’.
