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Duke agrees with planning decision: Oak Street house is not so historic

By Shannon Burkey

An Oak Street home that was taken off the city's historic resources inventory by the planning commission will soon be demolished.

The planning commission voted 4-1 at its Feb. 14 meeting to overturn the heritage preservation commission's decision to place the home on the inventory. The issue came before the commission on appeal of the homeowner, Darrell Duke, who said he did not feel the decision to place his home on the inventory was based on historical fact.

Commissioner Yan Zhao agreed with Duke and voted to uphold his appeal.

"I can't see how this house is significant with any person in Saratoga's history--the land maybe, but not the house," she said. "And I don't think the house has any significant architectural style, either."

The heritage preservation commission began looking at the property in December 2006, after Duke applied for a permit to demolish the home and build a new structure on the property. The city requires all homes over 50 years old be reviewed by a historical architect to determine if they are of historic significance.

The home was built in 1947 on land that was formerly owned by the George A. Wood family. The Woods were a prominent Saratoga family that owned land throughout the city, and they donated the land that became the Foothill Club's home.

By the time the Dukes' home was built, the Woods had sold the land and had no ties to the home or its new owners, the Derby family.

"The Woods family, although historically significant in the city, are not represented in the property that is there now," said Leslie Dill, the architectural historian hired by Duke.

But historic preservation commissioners disagreed and felt the house met two of the seven criteria listed in the city code that's used to determine a site's historical significance.

They felt the home was "identified with persons or events significant in local, county, state or national history," because of its association with the Foothill Club.

"The Woods were a dominating family in Saratoga and they donated the land to the Foothill Club. They also sold this property to the Derbys, who were big in the lumber industry in Saratoga. In terms of individuals, it doesn't necessarily have to be a big name like a movie star. It's how the trail hooks up," said historic preservation commissioner Peter Marra, adding that their reasoning might be a loose interpretation of the criteria.

The heritage preservation commission determined the home also met criteria E of the city code because it embodies "the unique physical characteristics" of its neighborhood.

"This piece of property captures a lifestyle of the people at the time," Marra said. "The whole area is unique because it's close to the Village and the center of town. Even though it's not defined as a historic district, it does capture the spirit of the time and the way Saratoga was and has developed over time."

Dill, however, disagreed with the criteria the heritage preservation commission used to justify its findings.

"The criteria are meant to allow communities to identify structures in an area that are not identified as historic districts," she said. "In this case, this particular house is in an eclectic neighborhood and it's difficult to identify it as supporting a particular characteristic of the neighborhood."

A majority of the houses on Oak Street have been remodeled since they were originally built, so Duke is not sure what characteristics the heritage preservation commission is concerned about saving.

"I can go down every house on the street and every one has been changed. So what are we trying to preserve?" he asked.

Since purchasing the home 29 years ago, Duke said he has performed major remodeling, changing its original style in many ways. He believes it is only because he has meticulously maintained the home over the years that the heritage preservation commission is even interested in adding it to the inventory.

"If it was a dump, I guarantee every neighbor would be in here asking me to get rid of it," he said to the planning commission.

Although Planning Commissioner Joyce Hlava said she is always for preserving historical structures, she just did not feel this home met the criteria.

"The issue is we really do want to save the house, yet when I look at this home, the fact that someone historical once owned the land does not make the structure historical," Hlava said.

With a planning commission decision in his favor, Duke plans to demolish the property and build a new single family home on the property.