Location. Location. Location.
That must have been the deciding factor for the $110,000 price tag on the Phyllis Warren home purchased by the Friends of the Bowlus in 2011.
It certainly wasn’t because of the integrity of the structure. The house lacks insulation; its wiring and plumbing need replacing; a spiral staircase sits squat in the middle of a room rendering it useless for anything else, and its basement is a perfect petri dish for mold because of inadequate drainage.
Placed anywhere else in town, the house would be valued at considerably less and sell for below that.
Its architectural integrity has long since been bastardized with countless additions.
The lone claim of credibility of the house’s significance is that Evalyn Northrup, wife of a grandson of the lumber baron and banker L.L. Northrup, once lived there.
A groundswell of opposition has been mounting to the rumor the Friends of the Bowlus want to tear the house down to make a parking lot — which is perfectly within their right. They bought the house fair and square with no strings attached.
To this date, the Friends, a nonprofit organization whose mission it is to help with physical improvements to the Bowlus, have asked architects for their professional opinion as to how the Bowlus can best use the house.
Friends representatives have said they are willing to consider all options for the property.
That same open-mindedness should be held by the public at large. Every effort should be made to avoid insisting what must happen with the property, especially with the threat that unless otherwise, their checkbooks will be off limits for future donations.
AS IT IS, the house obscures the east entrance to the Bowlus, which is the most frequently used.
The impressive front doors are open only when a performance is occurring in the main auditorium. But, you wouldn’t know that unless you live here. To outsiders, the Bowlus is a great, big building with no visible access — a no-no for those who promote economic development.
Some say the Warren house should be refitted to accommodate administrative offices and the art gallery.
Professionals say that would about double the investment the Friends have already put into buying the property.
