Tom Wardrop: Let's get behind this great proposal for the heart of M'borough

To The Daily Sun,

I read about the proposed sale of the Taylor House recently, and I’m excited that an outdoor outfitter and tour company wants to locate its headquarters in Moultonborough. Having served on the UNH First Impressions committee last year, this is everything we could have asked for, given our goal to attract new businesses and reinvestment in Moultonborough Village.

I also watched the Moultonborough selectmen’s hearing on November 5, where I was appalled to see a woman demand demolition of the house and present a petition to that end. Who are the people who would sign such a petition? Did they take the time to read the buyer’s plan for the property, posted on the town website with the hearing notice? They are either unaware of, or don’t care about, any of the recent planning studies and recommendations for our village. I and many other volunteers have participated in those studies, including the 2018 charrette.

We need to move forward quickly with this sale. Our planning studies have identified the house as a community asset, and an iconic building that is critical to our town’s identity, history, and the look of our "Main Street" area. People come to New Hampshire to see historic buildings, not vacant lots, in village centers. Are we trying to discourage visitors and investors in Moultonborough?

I also attended the Town Meeting in late June, where voters enthusiastically endorsed staying the course to find a buyer for the property who would rehab it, rather than spending $75K to demolish it. Speakers talked about how the Taylor House contributes to the desirable historic character of our Village, and one said he and his wife had relocated here exactly for that small-town look and feel. The Taylor House is recognized by the state for its architectural and historical significance, and it was featured as an opportunity in This Old House magazine earlier this year.

If the overall goal is to revitalize the village, then clearly there should be no agenda to demolish a landmark historic building. The Taylor House was identified both as an asset and as an opportunity for redevelopment in the UNH report, which like the 2018 Community Charrette recommends selling this character-defining building to an investor who will rehabilitate it and return it to the town tax rolls.

So here we are, with a willing investor who wants to rehab the house for an outdoor outfitter and tour business, and partner with our town on year-round outdoor recreation activities. We’ve found the right buyer to take on the property for a viable business, at the right time, in the middle of the Covid pandemic where outdoor recreation is the way to go. In my view, sale of the property now is the only solution. Let’s all get behind this great proposal, support business and our local economy, and make it happen for everyone’s benefit.

Tom Wardrop

Moultonborough