To our dear Pink House community,

We want to thank everyone for your incredible patience as we all awaited news.

Governor Healey and her staff, Senator Tarr, and Rep Kassner worked diligently since the Governor stepped in to stop the demolition on 10/30. They hoped to achieve the win for all that has always been possible with The Pink House.

Rest assured they met with the right people, including decision makers at the highest positions within FWS and the DOI. Several prime new parcels of acreage, most abutting refuges Matt Hillman manages were offered, along with the former ones Support the Pink House submitted, by the Governor’s office. All were denied.
After all of that work, the only option FWS would allow was no different than what they offered for the auction -to move the house to another location within 90 days, a crippling time frame.

We are all incredibly disappointed at the absolute waste on FWS part of an incredible opportunity to swap this one acre for up to 400+ new acres of land to conserve, and fulfill the deal they came to us with saying land swap would be so beneficial to their mission.

The donors intention was to restore the house in place, aligning with the public’s desire, which also formed STPH’s mission. However, when faced with the prospect of The Pink House being gone forever - or moving it to a similar location, specifically within the vista - we all decided to at least explore the option.
STPH and the donor worked together all through the holidays, consulting experts and service providers. Ultimately the hurdles proved untenable, and what might work simply needed more time for proper due diligence.

FWS cited March 31 as an absolute deadline citing the Migratory Bird period. That ends in June, which, Matt Hillman said at a December meeting, is why they planned the auction for July. They could have easily granted the extension so the proper due diligence could be done. The elected officials and the angel donor asked them repeatedly to extend the deadline the few months till June. FWS refused.

Land was extremely limited, and initial outreach was discouraging/wasn’t fruitful. A consequence of moving PH to purchased land is that it would exhaust the million dollars, leaving a boarded up house on pilings without the funds to restore it – a result far from what we were all working to achieve. Senator Tarr sought a nonprofit end user, and while discussions were had with two promising groups, again, their due diligence would not be accomplished within the time frame FWS set.

Moving The Pink House it would also affect the perpetual preservation restriction we worked so hard to achieve to keep the house’s signature silhouette, size, color and prevent it from being demolished. Efforts to extend the time just three months - past the Migratory Bird season, was repeatedly requesteD to no avail.

It’s really disappointing to leave opportunities worthy of exploration unfulfilled, due to the time limits FWS imposed.

We are extremely grateful to Governor Healey, Senator Tarr, Rep Kassner and their staffs who, seeing the incredible value The Pink House brings to the State and this region, lent their substantial powers to this effort.

We all should be proud of the efforts put forth. You called and emailed FWS and the federally elected officials, signed petitions and cards, came to rallies, donated, came to meetings, passionately commented across social media, shared the word, wrote letters to the editor, commented on media postings anywhere you found them, came out to visit, photograph, and paint the house in all seasons, under the moon, the milky way, the northern lights, sunrises and sunsets.

Our work, and the many generous souls who helped us along the way, have allowed The Pink House to remain in its rightful home for nearly a decade longer that it would have, if FWS had not been stopped.

It is hard to effectively say thank you to our donor’s unbelievably generous offer. Or to our Governor for stepping in to stop the demolition, and, together with her impressive, talented staff, took this to a higher level. To Senator Tarr for his many efforts on this project throughout the years and for taking a stand for this region, joined by Rep Kassner.

It should not go unnoticed, that due to these people’s actions, The Pink House did enter its hundredth year as our icon. We are all so grateful for that alone.
​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
 
Governor Healey, Leader Tarr, Representative Kassner, Support The Pink House Inc. Respond to U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Decision to Remove The Pink House 


BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, Representative Kristin Kassner and Support The Pink House’s President Alison Odle issued the following statements in response to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)’s decision to demolish the building known as “The Pink House” at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in March while further options were explored. FWS had previously agreed to pause demolition after Governor Healey intervened and requested additional conversations about potential paths to save the beloved structure. Despite extensive negotiations, FWS has notified the state that it will be moving forward with demolition in the coming weeks. 


“The Pink House is a beloved fixture on Plum Island and a special part of the history, culture and fabric of greater Newbury and Newburyport. We are deeply grateful for all of the residents, including artists, who have made their voices heard about how meaningful the Pink House is to them and their communities,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Last fall, we stepped in on behalf of community members, businesses and our tourism industry to try to preserve this important economic driver and landmark. With the partnership of Leader Bruce Tarr and State Representative Kristin Kassner, we worked diligently toward a solution with FWS but unfortunately they are moving forward with the demolition. Though the house will be removed, we remain committed to working together to evaluate additional steps we can take to ensure that the legacy of the Pink House will endure.” 
​
"While I am both frustrated and disappointed that we couldn't find a way to save this iconic structure that is important in so many ways, I am deeply appreciative to everyone who worked tirelessly to achieve the common goal of preserving this structure,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Governor Healey, Support the Pink House, local officials in Newbury, Salisbury, Newburyport and beyond, Representative Kassner, our federal legislative colleagues and many others gave the task of preserving the house the type of attention, focus, and perseverance it deserved. Now that remarkable effort will be part of the Pink House legacy that holds special meaning for the region and our Commonwealth.” 


“The Pink House is an iconic part of the Plum Island landscape that has inspired artists, attracted tourists, and warmed the hearts of residents for almost a century," said Representative Kristin Kassner (D-Hamilton). “I want to thank Governor Healey and her team, Senator Tarr, the hard work of Support the Pink House, the generosity of the anonymous donor, and so many others for this valiant final effort to preserve this cherished landmark. I wish we had been able to prevail, but there were too many obstacles to overcome.” 


“Support The Pink House did everything in our power to make this work,” said Support The Pink House’s President Alison Odle. “Our mission was formed by the people– to facilitate a solution to save and restore The Pink House in place, in perpetuity. All deeply appreciate the tremendous response to them by the efforts of Governor Healey, her office, Senator Tarr and Rep Kassner. After considering even a last-ditch effort of moving the house within the vista, we join all who will be completely devastated by the imminent loss of this treasured landmark and what it could have become.” ​

The mission of the US Fish and Wildlife is “working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats." Which of the below options do you feel best aligns with this mission? 

Options For The Pink House 
Option 1: Demolition, USFWS’s current plan. Save 1 acre of upland by demolishing the Pink House and placing it with a parking lot and viewing area similar to Greenbelt’s located just 350 yards down the road. While this viewing area will be of little benefit, the bigger issue with this option is it is not what the community wants and it will destroy a $400,000 government asset. This fact is contrary to the USFWS’s Environmental Assessment which did not account for the lot the Pink House sits on being nonconforming and the Pink House being grandfathered. This means this option will result in a house no longer being allowed to be built on the lot and therefore its current assessed value of $425,000 dropping to close to just $25,000. 

Option 2: Shore up the house and restore only the exterior. This can be accomplished at no cost to the USFWS by using up to $1 million in donated funds pledged to save the Pink House. An endowment could also be set up to cover ongoing maintenance and security expenses. This would preserve this cultural landmark for the community, eliminate all of USFWS’s stated concerns regarding the house, and preserve the acre's $425,000 assessed value so it could still be traded for 425 acres of ecologically important land (at the current value of $1,000/acre) in the future. 
Option 3: Renovate the Pink House. The USFWS may then use it to house personnel as originally planned or use it as a base for scientists, academics, and others who focus on barrier island study, seacoast resiliency, and marsh health. This option would mean the acre would not only retain its $425,000 value but double or even triple in value due to the renovation. Again, similar to shoring up and restoring just the house’s exterior, renovating the entire house can be accomplished at no cost to the USFWS by utilizing the $1 million in funds pledged to save the house. 

Option 4: Trade the house and its 1 acre, assessed at $425,000, for 425 acres of ecologically important habitat land. The Support The Pink House group (STPH) has an agreement with a restoration partner willing to use his own funds to purchase land for this trade anywhere in the country, as well as fund the restoration of the house under STPH's preservation restriction. This option would result in the house once again being added to Newbury's tax rolls as a single-family home. The house would be maintained by the new owner and USFWS would have zero responsibilities for upkeep or policing the property. 

(USFWS claims they spent 8 years unsuccessfully searching for land for this trade and it is too difficult to find. Neither of these claims is factual, however, and more importantly, with the recent pledge of up to $1 Million to save the Pink House, a portion of which can be used to facilitate this land trade, finding land now will certainly not be an issue.) 

Option 5: A hybrid of options 3 and 4 could be accomplished by the USFWS partnering with a university or other organization in a land exchange. This solution would involve using the $1 million in pledged funds to purchase land for the land trade, as well as renovate the house. The house and its 1 acre would 
then be donated to an organization to facilitate scientific research and education. However, without the restoration partner involved, there would be far fewer funds for finding land and its renovation. Just like the house becoming a single-family home, this option would relieve the USFWS of ongoing maintenance and security expenses while enabling them to acquire and protect 425 acres of ecologically important land. 

Hero or Bad Neighbor 
With the exception of option #1, every solution will result in the USFWS being recognized by the community as the hero who went above and beyond to save a beloved cultural landmark. Demolishing the Pink House, on the other hand, will destroy a $400,000 government asset, and solidify the USFWS's reputation as a "bad neighbor" who cares little about the community’s desires. It is hard to “work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats” if they don’t like or trust you. 

Bottom Line 
The only option clearly not in line with the USFWS’s mission is option #1, demolishing the Pink House. In fact, demolishing the house is the death of commonsense. It will result in protecting just 1 acre of upland, forever brand the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a “bad neighbor” and it is fiscally irresponsible as it will destroy $400,000 in government assets. 

The iconic Pink House  
The Pink House is located just before entering Plum Island on the Plum Island Turnpike in Newbury, Massachusetts. It has become a cultural landmark that helps make the community unique, similar to Rockport’s Motif #1, Gloucester’s Fisherman statue, and Ipswich’s Clam Box restaurant. It attracts photographers, painters, and other artists who have created a Pink House cottage industry that is helping the arts community flourish. The Pink House also helps the local economy by attracting visitors from near and far. The allure of the Pink House resulted in it winning North Shore Magazine’s most Instagrammable landmark award two years in a row. 
The Pink House and the 1 acre it sits on are owned by the US Fish and Wildlife Service which is not allowed to simply sell land. While the USFWS did try to auction just the house off, it had to be moved from its current location which was not feasible, did not make sense economically, and was not what the community wanted. The USFWS can, however, trade the Pink House and its 1 acre for land of similar economic value but higher ecological value i.e. salt marsh or other habitat land. 

Saving the Pink House is supported by all area towns, the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce, and The North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. It is also supported by the Governor of Massachusetts Maura Healey, MA State Senator Bruce Tarr, MA State Representative Kristin Kassner, Congressman Seth Moulton, and Senators Ed Marky and Elizabeth Warren. 

Written by Jeff Ackley, Treasurer, Board of Support the Pink House Inc

​The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) plan to demolish Plum Islands' beloved Pink House (PH) effectively means losing $1,400,000 to preserve 1 residential acre of land on a turnpike while forever making themselves mistrusted by the community they rely on for support and should be serving. Despite their claims in a flawed Environmental Assessment (EA), this is not in the best interest of USFWS’s mission to “work with others to protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.
 
The most recent Yellow Book appraisal assessed the value of the Pink House and the one-acre lot it sits on at $425,000. FWS’s EA, a study upon which they based their justification to remove TPH, neglected to factor in that the Pink House is a grandfathered house on a non-buildable lot. This means the lot will soon become non-buildable if the house is removed, causing the lot’s value to plummet by approximately $400,000. In addition, an anonymous donor has come forward offering to donate $1,000,000 to restore the house in place for FWS or a nonprofit’s use and serve as housing for visiting scientists, academics, and others focused on protecting the Great Marsh and better understanding the impacts climate change, invasive species, and various types of pollution are having on this ecologically critical resource.
 
FWS could also enable universities, nonprofits, and organizations like the Audubon to utilize the Pink House as headquarters for environmental education initiatives. Finally, once restored the Pink House and its 1 acre would become a $1,400,000+ asset FWS could use to exchange for more ecologically important land if and when the opportunity emerges. 
FWS’s only justification for demolishing The Pink House is that they conducted an Environmental Assessment in order to do so, and they are following its conclusions. Yet the EA has many flaws to the uneducated eye. One glaring point is that it does not recognize the Pink House as sitting on a non-buildable lot and completely disregards the new development of a $1,000,000 donation to restore the house. 
 
This does not include approximately $200K for theEnvironmental Assessment, the failed PH auction, the Remediation and demolition contracts, misc like no trespassing signs, and staff time (more of which was spent to work toward house removal that it would be to have done a land swap).
 
The USFW’s Environmental Assessment also vastly underestimates the lasting loss of community trust and support demolishing their beloved Pink House will effect for USFWS.

This loss will be greatly magnified by the community’s realization that demolishing the house means destroying $400,000 in government assets and the loss of a $1,000,000 donation to rebuild the house. 78% of those who responded to the EA want the Pink House saved, as do thousands of those who have signed Support The Pink House petitions as well as our over 8,000 social media friends. Supporters also include Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy, Senator Bruce Tarr, Representative Kristin Kassner, and virtually every prominent North Shore leader and organization - from the North Shore Tourist Bureau and Essex National Heritage and the Newburyport Preservation Trust, to Newburyport’s Mayor Reardon and Chamber of Commerce, to the governing bodies of Salisbury, Newburyport, Amesbury, and Newbury, many others. 
​
The USFWS should reconsider its decision to Rebuilding the Pink House at no cost to the taxpayers to preserve $400,000 in government assets and increase the value of the lot by $1,000,000. This will also restore trust and support for the USFWS and avoid a public relations catastrophe.
 
Rather it will forever restore the community’s trust and support for the USFWS as well as the admiration of tourists, photographers, painters, and the other craftspeople who are inspired by The Pink House and have created a cottage industry focused on it.

By Jeff Ackley