Reading Carole Osterink’s recent reports on the demolition of historic structures in Hudson, one has to think: Isn't it time that Historic Hudson put a sharp attorney on retainer, so the organization can act swiftly when such emergencies arise?
House tours and general awareness-raising are all fine and good. But too many structures in Hudson have been lost to wrecking balls in the past decade. An attorney could get timely court orders as necessary, slowing the process of destruction and forcing bad actors to follow the rules. A legal pit bull (on a long chain) would also provide deterrence—showing those who don’t take local laws and codes seriously that the preservationists do.
Without any legal muscle to back up well-meaning preservation ideals, those hostile to such ideals are free to flout the rules, without consequences.
And if certain members of the City's preservation commission feign ignorance of the district boundaries they are supposed to oversee, isn’t it time to either make them produce that documentation, or to find it for them?