HomeMy WebLinkAboutSD-146 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
_ tI1LDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM
f UNIQUE SITE NO. 103to- X35 SD 146
DIVISION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION QUAD
NEW YORK STATE PARKS AND RECREATION SERIES
ALBANY, NEW YORK (51 S) 4740479 NEG. NO,
YOUR NAME: Town of Sni>tho1d/SPTTA DATE: Mart h 1937
YOUR ADDRESS:awn Hall, Main Road TELEPHONE: .516) -.765-1,992
Southold, L. I. , N.Y• 11971
ORGANIZATION (if any): Southold Town CammuniyDevelopment Office
IDENTIFICATION
1. BUILDING NAMES}: Telephone Company Building
2. COUNTY: Suff0D k TOWN/CITY: Southold VILLAGE: Southold
3. STREET LOCATION: 620 Youngs Ave._ east Side
4. OWNERSHIP: a. public ❑ b. private X
5. PRESENT OWNER: Rene "Qandron ADDRESS: r-
s. USE: Original:Telephone Co. office Present: residence
7. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: Exterior visible from public road: Yes X1 No ❑
Interior accessible: Explain
DESCRIPTION
ti. BUILDING a. clapboard ❑ b. stone ❑ c. brick X d. board and batten ❑
MATERIAL: e. cobblestone ❑ f. shingles ❑ g. stucco ❑ other:
1). STRUCTURAL. a. wood frame with interlocking joints ❑
SYSTEM: b, wood frame with light members ❑
(if known) c. masonry load bearing walls
d. metal (explain)
e. other
It)- CONDITION: it. excellent K b. good ❑ c. fair ❑ d. deteriorated ❑
1 1. INTEGRITY: a. original site 'k b. moved ❑ if so,when"
c. list major alterations and dates (if known):
Now remodeled as a residence
SD-RSM XVII-b
I?. PHom:from south west 13. MAP: N.Y.S. DOT Southold Quad
Front (west) and south elevation
27
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SD 146 '
14. THREATS TO BUILDING: a. none known b. zoning❑ c. roads ❑
d. developers ❑ e, deterioration ❑
f. other:
15_ RELATED OUTBUILDINGS AND PROPERTY:
a. barn❑ h. carriage house ❑ c. garage
d. privy ❑ e. shed ❑ f. greenhouse ❑
g. shop ❑ h. gardens ❑
i. landscape features:
j. other:
Ih. SURROUNDINGS OF THE BUILDING (check more than one if necessary):
a.open land ❑ b. woodland
c. scattered buildings Q
d.densely built-up ❑ e. commercial ❑
f. industrial ❑ g. residential [9
h.other:
17. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS:
(indicate if building or structure is in an historic district)
Youngs Avenue crosses Main Road at the main intersection
of the Hamlet of Southold. Here it is a 2-lane low
density residential road.
Ili. OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE (including interior features if known):
12-story 3-bay center entrance brick building built by
the Telephone Company.
SIGNIFICANCE
11). DATE OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION: 1930 ' s
s
ARCHITECT:
BUILDER:
_-10. HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:
In the 1930 's the Bell System spoke of fitting into the
communities it served. Local sub-stations were construc-
ted in an architectural style designed to blend with a
community's ambience. There were several on the North
Fork. They served until a large central office was opened
in Cutchogue in 1967. Adapted for residential use , this
well built structure reflects the development of the
community.
21. SOURCES: Suffolk Times. 12/23/76
"Significant Clients : Ma Bell Builds Big" by
Carleton Knight III. Architecture. July 1983
21. 1HLNIF.
Form prepared by Rosemary Skye Moritt, research
assistant.
t
SD 146
Suffolk Times
Paye 16A
r December 23,1476
- _ L Racoltv
Sacte
man
Obsolete Phone Buildings Serve Public Purposes
AN OLD•TMIER REBORN—What once was a New Fork Telephnne switching-fflce now
houses the Jamesport Country Store an Route 25.The building is one of several that was THE HOUSE THAT MA BELL BUILT—Mr.and Mrs.Rene Gendron wave hello from
sold after the company erected a new office In Cutrhoguc to provide more modern their home at 629 Young's Ave., Southold- which Gendron purchased from New Vork
facilities for customers.Phone employees often stop by to see what's happened and do a Telephone and spent 15 months rennovating.The building became obsolete when the phone
little shopping, company opened a larger, more modern central office in Cutchogne,"They don't build
houses like this anymore.,if they ever did,"says Gendron,"and friends were amazed at
Like acorns from an oak that take root and office at 620 Young's Avenue was purchased what could be done with it."
spring up to provide new shelter and a sense in 1974 and converted into a ree-bedroom
of continuity with the past, a number of residence.Rene Gendron,a retired 71-year- big.It's got a deep lot-208 feet—with plenty wood items,penny candy,giftware,nautical
buildings formerly owned by New York old contractor who has built many homes on of room for a vegetable and flower garden- items, ornaments, Looks and assorted
Telephone continue to flourish even though the East End,rennovated the interior of the It was a most desirable place and a good goodies and he was in business,
the equipment they once housed has long building by himself before he and his wife buy.I wasn't able to purchase such a sound His mother,Mrs.Eleanor Waldman,notes
since been stilled. moved in this slimmer. house at a better price.The phone company many telephone people stop by to see the
Once they were telephone sub-stations and "This house is built like no other that I builds things to last,that's for sure." place."They mention that they used to work
central offices in what were then smaller know of,"said Gendron. "There's four in- Several miles west of the Gendron home is here and are curious to see what's going on.
villages-on Long Island. Today, these dM of brick outside,then a one-and-a-half the Jamesport Country Store,also housed in Apparently the building was a sub-station
buildings are pert to varied uses and, In inch air space and then eight-inch Cinder a former telephone building. The store is and many have said they would stop in to
many Instances, have become vital.ad- blocks.It's got six inches of insulation in the owned by Howard E.Waldman who opened warm up after being on the poles during the
ditions to commimity life throughout Nassau ceiling and four inches in the walls. The It in April 1975.The building,measuring 26 winter."
and Suffolk counties, floor is an eight-inch concrete slab,I expect by 48 feet, was only a shell but it suited
Most people who enter the public library I'll be able to heat the place for about$100 a Waldman's needs to a"T."He sandblasted One item of interest that draws customer
in Hunlin ton yr the Southold District Court year—and I'll be acing the of mace the the exterior white paint,replaced the front attemion is the radiators that are on the
iSF!}ll< dor't5rms�einae*tp phone companyiefti"'-- windows, and-.= W a-glass-.IronL door, -walls."'That really is an eye catcher."Mrs
Sel en, or example, are lulaware these It took Gendron 15 months to complete the sanded the woad floors, painted the Inside Waldman says.`"I'maRea ARlie"why we per
Y�wldin8.once were telephone oIliees. The jab. "Many people were amazed at what and added new lights. them there and I have to explain that's the
same applies to the village office in could be done.It's hard to believe,but the Then he filled the place with china and way the building came,"
Greenport,the police station in Qliy !, a very soundness of the building slowed me J�
'lawyer's office in Mattituck, them fere down. I needed a pneumatic drill to break Pile Replacements Approved
centers in ShoTre�h aIRT'RTontauk,the fire through the masonry so I could install a bay
district office in Amaganset[, the country window,11 feet and six inches wide by three Harold Itoig of Shore Road, Shelter The annroval came through on November
stare in Jamesport oror w{ o small apartment feet deep,In the side of the building in what Is an�` re
from the Army 19.It was one of 28 Department of the Army
houses itl"Lihdenhurst and Westh"am�ton. is now the living room." Corps of Engineers to construct piles authorizations issued during November far
They are some Tthe 40 or go telephone Gendron bought the building in 1974 for replacements in Dering Harbor. work in navigable New York State waters.
buildings which, in the past decade, have about $18,000. He has since put in about
been declared obsolete by New York $20,000 in material and labor to transfer the
Telephone and put up for sal- commercial structure into a six-room house
All of the buildings, however, were that he believes is worth twice as much on
structurally sound and in excellent con- the open market now. The telephone com-
dition. Rather than tear them down, the pany closed the building,originally erected
company decided to try to recoup some of its back in the 1930's along with others in
costs by selling them.They went on the open Southold, MaIVOR and Peconic,when an
market and because they usually were enlarged central office was opened in
located in the center of the villages they Cutchogue in April 1967.
became prime targets for local govern- What attracted Gendron to the former
menta and civic groups needing room for phone building?"It was handy to the local r
their own expanding activities, stores and post office.My wife and I wanted
One of the more recent—and unusual— to five in the village and every other place The f p
sales occurred when the Southold central we looked at was either too expensive or too -
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