Greenwich Homeowners Seek Historic Property Designation For Home Designed By Prominent Architect

GREENWICH, CT — A Greenwich couple is seeking a local historic property designation for their North Street home that was designed by a prominent architect and completed in 1918.

Andrew Melillo from the Greenwich Historic District Commission (HDC) appeared before the Board of Selectmen last week with a request to designate the HDC as the study committee for the property at 352 North St., which contains the William B. Tubby Jr. House.

"The owners are seeking local historic property designation on it, and this is the beginning of the process," Melillo said of the request.

By providing such designation, which is by state statutes, any future change to a "contributing structure or factor" to the property must receive a certificate of appropriateness from the HDC, after the typical town agency review process.

"One of the big myths is that historic preservation means you can't develop, modernize or enhance; you absolutely can, you just have to get the HDC to like it. That's all," he said.

The two-and-a-half-story house was designed by William B. Tubby (1858-1944) for his son and his wife, and it was built on Tubby's property where he had designed his own house 15 years earlier, now located at 364 North St., according to submitted documents.

Tubby's work on the home, now located on an approximate 2.2-acre lot, "shows an expansion of the architect's foray into architectural designs/methods/styles including aspects of what was to become Tudor Revival," submitted documents about the property note.

The home was described in Architectural Review in 1920 as being "picturesque and attractive."

"The home is set back from the street whose drive is lined with dense foliage that provides both privacy and a noise barrier to the well-travelled and busy North Street," submitted documents say.

Located in what is known locally as "mid-country" Greenwich, at the time of its construction, the area was referred to as "Electric Hill" due to a neighboring estate, Alta Crest (circa 1888).

Alta Crest was one of the first homes in town to use electricity for the then-described "electric proclivities," which included using lights for decorative effects and "the useful application for household work," submitted documents say.

Tubby was one of several well-known architects who lived in Greenwich during the early 20th century.

He designed many structures in Greenwich, including his father's house (1901), his own house (1904), the first Greenwich Hospital (1905), Hamilton Avenue School (1914, 1938) and Dunnellen Hall (1916-1918).

Other notable structures nearby that Tubby designed include the Westport YMCA, Norwalk Hospital and nurses home, and Waveny Hall in New Canaan. Tubby also was active in Brooklyn, N.Y., submitted documents say.

In a letter to members of the HDC, the current homeowners, Marjorie R. Smith ad Guy L. Smith IV, said they acquired 352 North St. in 1984 from the estate of Eleanor Tubby, the widow of William B. Tubby III.

"We commend your personal commitment to preserving important elements of Greenwich and ensuring that these architectural gems are preserved for future generations," the Smiths wrote to the HDC.

The Board of Selectmen are expected to vote on the request from Melillo during the Dec. 23 meeting.