Why STPH didn't bid on or relocate The Pink House

We see a few comments on random social media posts asking why Support the Pink House didn't bid on The Pink House if it were offered for only $3000. Others ask why it was not just relocated.  Here are the facts.

Support the Pink House Inc (STPH) formed in answer to tens of thousands of this regions’ businesses, artists, preservationists, historians, related organizations, residents and visitors who would like to see the iconic The Pink House stay standing and be restored IN place.
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Your mission became our mission.

But STPH's role has always been as a facilitator of parties and agreements to achieve that mission, but never to own or restore it ourselves.

In kind, FWS Realty Chiefs never asked that the house be moved as an option because the value of trading this one acre to gain the US FWS up to 400+ acres of new, far more beneficial land was so great. And our argument is that it’s still possible, and should still happen for this to succeed as the win for all STPH has always worked so hard for -- The public, FWS, and the elected officials who helped. Businesses, artists, and visitors. Local culture, history, and economy. Generations to come.

Helping FWS conserve more land has always been an added motivation for us. We continue to ask that FWS to do a sincere and comprehensive search nation-wide so that fantastic conservation outcome can happen.
 
Though it was not our job to bring land to FWS, since 2016, STPH looked for land to contribute to that win for all, talking to land trust directors and board presidents, local owners, adjacent town planners, builders, elected officials, and refuge managers, scouring maps without resources or specific expertise. And once FWS reconfigured criteria released late last year, we found several parcels that would fit for the house to remain in place with a land trade. 100% were declined by FWS. 

Though the setting is as iconic as The Pink House itself, and why people don't want to see it moved, we of course did a deep dive into the logistics and costs to move it so we could be prepared with facts ourselves, or if someone stepped forward. Here's what we learned: 
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After speaking to expert movers, foundation builders, 3 independent building advisors, wetland attorneys, NBPT Sewer, NBPT Water, Newbury’s Planner and building Inspector, and National Grid, among others, relocating TPH seemed limited by:

• MOVING WHOLE: The Pink House is not a candidate to be cut apart and reassembled.
• DISTANCE ENCUMBERED: It should travel no further than .50 mile, though we pressed for a yes to a mile.
• CAN’T GO OVER PI BRIDGE: Concerns it was too wide and tall (especially once on a flatbed) for PI Pike. Had the mover measure the house – he determined it would just fit on the PI Pike width, but would likely not be able to go over the Plum Island bridge. We considered one parcel available on Plum Island anyway.
• PERPETUAL PRESERVATION RESTRICTION LOST: The perpetual PR would not go with TPH as it attaches to the land deed not the structure. We no longer have restoration as The Pink House, which preservationists and Mass Historic worked on for 2 years with us, with partial funding from the Newburyport Preservation Trust.STPH Inc formed in answer to tens of thousands of this regions’ businesses, artists, preservationists, historians, related organizations, residents and visitors who would like to see the iconic The Pink House stay standing and be restored IN place.

It would require raising at least $1- 1.5 million dollars. Without FWS' full commitment or guarantee to release the house/land, no legitimate organization would have embarked on raising that kind of money - or succeeded - based on such an uncertain outcome.

So when it came time for the auction, we did look into every option within the parameters given by experts, for relocating The Pink House. Though it's not our mission, even if we found a workable situation, it's simply not within our current means to do it.

Therefore it’s not been a matter of our choice to not pursue the option to move The Pink House to a new location, but a realistic function of being unable to at this time.

See details below: 

Lands Suitable for Pink House Relocation Explored by STPH

1. NEWBURY TOWN GREEN –Get $150K to move it, $70K to pour foundation, Take time to restore, could not need electric or restrooms or water to act like a gazebo. Casually asked Select Board members, got a flat no.
2. NEWBURY LOTS - Among others:
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a. Tendercrop-owned buildable lands, mostly off Rt 1A. Were told by builder that they would never let their lands go.
b. The Colbys owns a lot of land in the vicinity, but all non-buildable, including 95% of the land surrounding TPH. See note below* They also declined selling to FWS.
c. Kathryn O’Brien, 103 High Road, Newbury, one of the top lands Katy Ives forwarded to you, that Matt declined. Instead of this 4.4 acre, marsh lot worth $500k being conserved by FWS, it is unfortunately now listed for sale, with developers bidding.
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3. HISTORIC NEW ENGLAND: Talked extensively in 2018-2019 for TPH becoming part of their 260+ acre protected holdings, including the airport and Spencer Pierce. If it could be moved to the grounds near the Vintage Baseball lot or somewhere else –it would again require the same costs+ to move to the Village Green but be more complicated to get it to the area. They would want a big endowment before saying yes for upkeep, which does not include the funds to restore the outside, let alone the inside.

4. MAUDSLAY AJACENT – Met with owner of a 1600’s historic house and 10 acres abutting Maudslay who said if we could get it there they’d slowly restore it, but it is over 7 miles. We even looked at moving TPH via the Merrimac on a barge but there was no way to hoist it up and get it from the shore through forest to the site.

5. PLUM BUSH DOWNS - 2 different owners across the street in Plum Bush Downs approached us about land swap (not enough $ value) or moving the house (they have no funds). One also asked us to help fund for them to build a replica + Pilings on their 3 acres in a deeper flood zone. This is not our mission and we do not have the funding. If he wants to pursue that, it is up to him.

6. PLUM ISLAND GRILL – Former restaurant on corner of PI Turnpike and Sunset. IF it would fit across the PI bridge, and the lot were wide enough, it’s cost prohibitive. The property costs $2 million to start, before moving, pilings, and restoration, if the lot is big enough at .28 acres. That area floods to the ankles in storms when TPH is still on dry ground.

7. HORDEN PROPERTY –Already detailed. NOTE: There are TWO different Horden properties off PI. What’s available is R49-0-11, the rectangular 7.9 acre property with no road access. It is accsessible however, from the 8.3 PH acreage FWS would retain in the land swap. It’s true value is in FWS owning it as the only way to expand their orphan acres in the location.

*UNBUILDABLE COLBY NOTES: Even though the Colby land was unbuildable, we called Newbury’s building inspector and Newbury town planner, the head of NBPT Sewer Dept Head and then NBPT Water to ask about feasibility and cost in detail. So far it looks like it can’t get the permits, can’t have a drive way, must go on pilings, and then no one can live there. Without being able to carve out a lot, there are complications for liability re: upkeep, maintenance and monitoring. 

We hope our efforts show that while moving The Pink House is not our mission, or what the people want, Support The Pink House did an extensive job of exploring and pricing out everything we could – including putting The Pink House on a barge.