By Kerri Williams

WESTPORT — Historic District Commission members Tuesday asked owners of a nearly two-century-old house on Newtown Turnpike to explore alternatives to its planned demolition.

Commission members voted to oppose tearing down the 8 Newtown Turnpike house, built in 1830, and require a full 180-day delay, calling the home an “important resource on a historic road.” 

One of those alternatives could be for homeowners, John and Judith Manocherian, to divide the 0.75-acre lot and build a second home behind the historic house, according to commission member Wendy Van Wie. 

Van Wie said the homeowners may have just “won the lottery” with the option to take advantage of section 32-18 in the town’s zoning ordinances that allows for special considerations concerning the preservation of historic buildings.

But builder Chris Munch, who represented the homeowners, told the commissioners the home is in such poor condition that it may not be worth saving. 

The previous owner had “passed away and left it to his attorney. There’s not too much left of it,” Munch said. 

Munch added that the size and shape of the lot would make it difficult to divide. Because of the property’s rectangular shape, the second house would need to be “physically behind” the original one, he said. The location of the driveway for the second building would need to pass right through the historic house, he added.

“Sticking a structure behind it might ruin both,” he said.

The plan for the homeowners had been to demolish the house and build a center-hall Colonial on the property, according to Munch. The property was purchased last September for $1.1 million.

Commission Chair Grayson Braun told Munch that his clients can still decide to proceed with the demolition after the 180-day-delay, but the period will give them the opportunity to meet with Planning and Zoning Department officials to see if the preservation option “is something you would consider.”

She added that the commission could still shorten the 180-day waiting period if the homeowner put forth a “good faith effort” looking at alternatives.

The proposition to divide the property might work for some homeowners, but not for others, according to commission member Arthur Hayes. 

“Moving to the back yard might not be what they want to hear,” he said.

But Van Wie countered that dividing the Newtown Turnpike property is “an option most people don’t have.”

Kerri Williams is a freelance writer who has worked in journalism for years, including as a reporter for the Norwalk Hour and managing editor of the Norwalk Citizen-News.