A proposal to expand a historic property in Edgartown drew public scrutiny last week from neighbors who fear the additions could block one of the area’s last remaining views of the harbor.
The building at 37 Main street, currently home to the boutique Sole, is owned by the North Water Street Corporation and is one of the oldest storefronts in downtown Edgartown.
Across the Island but particularly in the down-Island towns, changing tastes and demands from owners of historic homes are increasingly butting up against rules designed to preserve the character of the Island.
In recent years, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission strengthened its oversight of century-old buildings that lie outside designated town historic districts — oversight that has been met with increasing resistance from some homeowners.
Last week, civil engineer Douglas Hoehn told the town’s conservation commission that his client, real estate investor David Malm, will no longer be moving forward with the exercise spa at 81 South Water street.
Depending on one’s perspective, the Island’s historic district commissions are the last stalwarts fighting to preserve the Vineyard’s eroding character or another bureaucratic hurdle for frustrated homeowners.