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Ashland examines teardowns Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Plans to destroy this 3,440-square-foot home on Terrace Street to make way for a 4,322-square-foot residence will be appealed Thursday. By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune ASHLAND - Changes in the city's character are under scrutiny again with the proposed demolition of a large hillside home to make way for an even larger residence. The bigger issue of teardowns - the purchase and demolition of homes to build larger ones - will be examined when the city's Demolition Review Committee meets Thursday to hear an appeal. "It's a citywide phenomenon that needs a little more light of day shown on it," said Planning Commissioner Colin Swales, who appealed an approval to demolish a 36-year-old home on Terrace Street that overlooks Lithia Park. But the project's architect is surprised that this home has come under so much scrutiny. "Of all the ones to have be an issue, I'm kind of surprised that this house was chosen in that it's not a historic house," said architect Ray Kistler, whose firm is the owner's agent for the rebuild. Owner Hughlee Askar of London, England, purchased the property in November for $450,000. The existing 3,440-square-foot house will be demolished leaving only the foundation. A new home totaling 4,322 square feet will be built in its place. Askar plans to live in the house with his family. A teardown on Granite Street drew community concern in December. A 5,400-square-foot home was approved in one of the town's historic districts, replacing a tiny 120-year-old cottage on the lot. Notices appeared to show that the 750-square-foot home would be demolished. In fact, the structure was to be moved. "Here we've got a 1966 home being completely removed," said Swales. "It seems to me we at least need to talk about it." Swales' appeal is based on his belief that the project's application did not clearly show the building was constructed in 1966. "The date we have on our application is taken from county records on how old the structure is," said Kistler. "Data at the assessor's office corresponds with dates on drawings." If the structure was 45 years or older, the applicant would need to prove it couldn't be rehabilitated under city ordinances before it could be torn down. Trees that hide the house from the street will remain in place. Ceilings will be just a foot taller. The home's footprint (the amount of ground it will cover) will increase only minimally, said Kistler, because the garage wasn't included in the original size figures. "Some of the neighbors' (houses) are quite modest," said Swales. "I'm sure they'd love to have a trophy home in the neighborhood because it increases their value. "You worry about the feeling of the neighborhood, but there's not much you can do about it," said neighbor Mindy Ferris, who will probably attend Thursday's hearing. "I'd hate it if they built something that didn't fit with the neighboring houses." Neighbor Grace Sheetz, who lives directly across the street, said she would be concerned if the house was extremely tall or the trees were cut. Contractor Mike Ryan, renovating a house across the street, said the owner could have sought to subdivide the lot and put in additional residences. "We haven't seen a lot of them, but we have seen several (teardowns)," said Mike Broomfield, a city building inspector who advises the committee. "Those we have seen have been '60s vintage homes." The hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main St. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.