More Negative Income Properties Arriving In Milford

Nothing threatens schools and education more than Negative Income Properties. NIP's unlike financially irresponsible politicians cannot be voted out of office on election day. NIP's consume more taxes and tax dollars than can ever be reasonably recouped by taxation. The following note that arrived to me today has all the hallmarks of a classic tax burden to the people of Milford. The e-mail reads as follows:

"The appeal to prevent the development of apartments on Prospect St. has failed after 4 years in court. The current owners have posted a Notice of Demolition on 25 Prospect St., the little brown house, after 4 years of neglect. It appears the developer will build their first proposal of 3 apartment buildings with minimum setbacks against the cemetery property and the railroad property. 84 apartments. 97 cars. "

This type of development will result in new Milford residents that will potentially have one or more kids in our schools. The cost of educating those kids $12,500.00 each... the taxes they pay perhaps 4, or $5,000.00 per unit creating an additional tax burden on the people of Milford, and the kids we need to educate here. Truly sad and tragic.

Milford's Pirate Heritage Revealead

Charles Island is accessible from shore via a tombolo (locally referred to as a sandbar), which is exposed at low tide. According to early local histories, the Sachem Ansantawae resided there during the summer months. European discovery of the island occurred in 1614 when Adriaen Block sailed through and mapped Long Island Sound. The island appears on his hand-drawn map found in The Netherlands National Archives.

After the Milford area was settled by the English in 1639 the island was referred to as Milford Island. After Charles Deal bought the island in 1657 it became known as Charles Island. Deal made a failed attempt to raise tobacco on the island – one of the first such efforts in Connecticut.

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Charles R. Iovino Rests In Peace

For those of you who might have missed it, I want to bring to your attention that Charles R. Iovino passed away on September 5th in Peabody Massachusetts at the age of 99.

While many of you may not know Mr. Iovino, he was the Mayor of Milford back in the late fifties and early sixties. While being the Mayor is significant in and of itself, Mr. Iovino was the very first Mayor of Milford and won not as a Republican or Democrat, but as a write-in candidate and he won overwhelmingly. His winning was a first in Connecticut as an Independent candidate.

Although I never met Mr. Iovino, he was/is an inspiration to me as I know an Independent candidate here in Milford can win just as he did back in 1959. His commitment to the City and not the political parties is my inspiration and I am truly sorry that I never had the opportunity to thank him for his leadership and commitment to the Milford community.

So, in this little way with this formal notification I wanted to say “thank you” Mr. Iovino for not only your inspiration to me, but more importantly for the years you served as one of Milford’s wonderful Mayors. May he rest in peace knowing that he has served us well.

From a very grateful citizen, an appreciative Independent Party, and a thankful community to have had the likes of Charles R. Iovino serve as our Mayor. I send our condolences to the Iovino family.

Peter L. Spalthoff

Independent Party Candidate for Mayor

Lessons Learned From The Cadley House Debacle

There are many lessons to be learned from the Cadley House debacle. At the very least, I hope we have learned to never again empower one person alone with the authority to determine the fate of a historically significant Milford property.

In their resolution, the board of aldermen handed the Mayor the authority to purchase and then sell the historic Cadley House. That authority granted the Mayor power over the transaction and even over building refurbishment, like selecting the exterior paint color. It seems that the aldermen’s intent was to preserve and protect the house, while entrusting this responsibility to the Mayor. However, the process followed by the Mayor was the opposite of what the aldermen envisioned.

The Mayor used the authority to have the historic house demolished, and then sold the house to a developer who had a new home built on the site.

Though possibly well intentioned, the results of the Mayor’s actions have raised many questions about the process. In the future, I would like the fate of our historic properties-whether to demolish, purchase, sell or renovate-to be resolved in accordance with city ordinances and with greater input from our City Historian, whose responsibility is to preserve Milford history. By doing this, the Mayor will not be alone in making the final decision concerning our historic properties, but rather consult and receive input from those that know more about the processes and the historic item.

As your Mayor, I will ensure that this practice is strictly adhered to so that the Cadley House debacle will never be repeated.

As Milford is the 6th oldest City in the State of Connecticut, we need to be more considerate of the historical property that we have, and we certainly need to be even more considerate in the way that we handle our historical property. Once we lose a historical piece of property, we lose it forever.

Peter Spalthoff

Milford's History Being "Demolished By Neglect."

A once-graceful, but deteriorating Gulf Street home is drawing the attention of preservationists and city officials determined to save it from "demolition by neglect.''

The 1890 neo-Colonial house at 417 Gulf St., owned by Nicholas Riggione, has missing windows that allow birds, rain and wind to damage the interior, officials said. "It is the most efficient way to allow a property to deteriorate," City Historian Richard Platt said.

Riggione met Platt at the property recently and reportedly indicated that he has plans to repair it, but the city historian said the owner offered no specifics or timetable. Riggione did not return calls for comment Monday.

The 1.6-acre property that includes the nearly 4,000-square-foot house has an assessed value of $922,000, 70 percent of its market value. It is near Gulf Beach and would fall within the boundaries of a proposed Gulf Street Historic District.

Linda Stock, the city's zoning code enforcement officer, notified Riggione by letter in March of several violations on the property, and set a deadline for them to be corrected. But nothing appears to have been done, officials said.

Platt and other preservationists are still smarting over the loss in 2007 of the Merwin-Cadley House on Gulf Pond, and what they feel was a circumventing of regulations meant to protect historic structures. A developer claimed that the house, one of the oldest in Milford, was being "dismantled," not demolished, but few of the original elements were ultimately reused.

"This is happening again right before our eyes, and it is clearly an economic development issue,'' said Genevieve Salvatore, chairwoman of the city Economic Development Commission. "People are coming to Milford for its quaint New England charm, and we're letting it go by the board."

Salvatore, the Democratic candidate for mayor, and an aide surveyed the property from an adjoining yard and took photos Thursday.

The issue is within the purview of her commission because of its impact on tourism and through its Neigborhood Preservation initiative, Salvatore said.

Lisa DiLullo, aide to Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr., said the mayor ordered a structural inspection of the house and no safety issues were found. The debris visible through the open windows is from interior renovations that are being made after Riggione received the required permits, DiLullo said.

Platt said that he will submit to the Board of Aldermen next month a proposed ordinance that would increase protection for historic homes and commercial buildings. Among other things the measure would make a legal distinction between dismantling and demolition.

Shorten to 50 years the age of a building eligible for protection and require notice to all adjacent property owners when a demolition permit is issued for an historic structure. Platt's legislation would also create a Historic Review Board to consider such permits.

The Gulf Street house is listed on the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "threatened'' properties.

CLICK HERE FOR ORIGINAL FRANK JULIANO STORY

Milfords Oldest Home Recently Turned 300 Years Old

When I thought to write this article, I started doing lots of research, only to discover the job of describing this house was done so eloquently and factually by the Milford Historical Society that I decided to include the article in its entirety. They put the story of this house together better than I could have and consequentially wish to give them full credit for their wonderfully written article.

Reprint From Milford Historical Society Website.

"The Eells-Stow House is believed to be the oldest house in Milford and takes part of its name from the Eells family, who arrived in Milford in the later 17th century from the Boston area.

Samuel Eells, born c. 1640, came to Milford with his bride in 1668. After his wife's death, he moved to Hingham, Mass. Upon his death, the Wharf Lane property was inherited by his son, Col. Samuel Eells.

Col. Samuel Eells was very prominent in the affairs of both Milford and New Haven Colony. He married Martha Whiting Bryan (his second wife) who bore him a son, Nathaniel. Nathaniel married Martha Stow who unfortunately only lived for seven months after the wedding. The widowed Nathaniel then moved to Middletown. He eventually inherited the Wharf Lane property from his step-mother (the Col.s third wife) which he then sold to Stephen Stow, his deceased wife's brother.

Stephen Stow was born in Middletown on ww May 1726 and married c. 1752 Freelove Baldwin of Milford. They had seven children, six boys and one girl. Stephen was the captain of a coastal schooner and carried on a trading business up and down Long Island Sound. His day book is in the possession of the Historical Society, and tells an interesting story of his trading business.

Four of their sons, Stephen, Samuel, John and Jebediah served their country in the Revolutionary War, but their father, Capt. Stephen Stow gave his life while nursing 200 smallpox-stricken American soldiers. They had been brought from a British prison ship and cast ashore at Milford Harbor. The full extent of Capt. Stow's heroism can be appreciated only when it is understood that in 1777 very little was known about fighting this disease and its death toll was appalling. Forty-six soldiers died in one month and are buried in a common grave along with Capt. Stow.

Capt. Stow's historic home was saved from destruction in 1930 by the efforts of the Freelove Baldwin Stow Chapter of the D.A.R. The Milford Historical Society was organized shortly thereafter for the specific purpose of saving this, and many other, Milford antiquities.

In 1981, because of serious settling on the north facade, outside sheathing was removed to determine the cause. Complete destruction of corner posts, sills, and other bracing members were found and immediate reconstruction was begun.

During 1981-1982 the Eell-Stow House underwent extensive remodeling, which shed much light on the original plan and structure of this old house. All clapboards, sheathing, window frames and sashes were removed revealing the basic structure of the framing. Tradition had the date of the house late in the 17th century coinciding with the arrival of the Eells family in Milford. Investigation of the revealed framing put the date a little later, possibly as late as c. 1720.

The oldest part of the house has now been restored by replacing clapboards, sheathing, diamond-pane casement windows and interior refurbishing.

This restoration has repaired the Eells-Stow House so that it is now structurally sound and presents an historic building to the people of Milford which, along with the Bryan-Downs House and the Stockade House, represents Milford's proud past.

The Eells-Stow House is listed on the National Register of Historic Houses."