A group of folks thinks the National Register of Historic Places status of the East End Drumanard Estate got its status as part of a conspiracy.
They’re holding a press conference today at 10:00 A.M. to discuss it. From a release:
New information has been discovered in the form of historic documents that seriously questions the validity of the National Register status of the 55 acre Drumanard estate. The Drumanard estate is located at the eastern terminus of I-265 (Gene Snyder Freeway), and due to its National Register designation, the extension of I-265 across the Ohio River is proposed to be underground in tunnels, which will cost $261 million dollars. If this property is not on the National Register, then this proposed Interstate can be located above ground, thereby saving over $100 million dollars in taxpayer money.
The new findings clearly demonstrate that the Olmsted firm’s 1904 layout for Drumanard was never implemented, nor was it ever intended to be on the entire 55 acres. Other earlier findings determined that the house was not built per Olmsted’s layout. New evidence reveals that the landscape plantings were selected by the property owners and not per the Olmsted firm. And, there are more discrepancies in the National Register nomination forms, such as an incorrect architectural style (Tudor.)
But, perhaps the most startling new disclosure involves how state and local historic preservation officials manipulated the process in a deceitful and unethical manner. Individuals representing the Kentucky Heritage Council (KHC), the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the Jefferson County (KY) Office of Historic Preservation and Archives (JCOHPA) used unprofessional tactics on the owner of the Drumanard during the period of 1988 to 1992 in order to intimidate the owner in placing this property on the National Register solely for the purpose of blocking progress of the East End Bridge. The result has been costs approaching a billion dollars and decades of delays of the East End Bridge Project in what is being called one of the biggest travesties ever orchestrated against the citizens of Metro Louisville.
In summary, the Drumanard “boundary increase” of the entire 55 acres is not a historic property and should not be on the National Register of Historic Places. It demeans the status and integrity of all properties on the National Register due to its illegitimacy as well as the egregious process that placed it there back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. The Drumanard property should be promptly removed from the National Register and the taxpayers should be spared paying the hundreds of millions of dollars for tunnels under this non-historic location.
Heavy claims to level at what is essentially River Fields, eh?
4 responses so far ↓
1 Gary Guss // Dec 21, 2011 at 10:19 am
Well Duh !
2 Mark H (Not Hebert) // Dec 21, 2011 at 10:47 am
Wow, a glimmer of integrity. The entire Section 106 process is joke to begin with because of the subjective nature of the findings of an adverse effect. This gives a great deal of influence to the SHPO officer in the state, and sets the stage for the potential for corruption. In a State like Kentucky, we shouldn’t be surprised.
The $261M question, is who and how di they influence these heritage groups to exaggerate and mislead their claims? Obviously the first thought would be the Nita Yuma contingency, but by using the finding and Section 106 of the NHPA to force the construction of a tunnel under the site, there was going to be a hell of a lot of money riding on that designation.
Something smells rotten on Old Harrods Creek Road
3 ace hat // Dec 21, 2011 at 7:00 pm
They should all be prosecuted if any conspiracy can be identified?
4 History guy // Dec 27, 2011 at 9:50 am
There is nothing in the Section 106 regualtions that requires anything remotely like a tunnel. Historic properties are demolished, altered, or otherwise adversely affected all the time. Section 106 merely requires consultaiton and consideration.
It is likely that Section 4-F of the FWHA’s regs were cited to create this boondoggle. However, it appears that the DOT officials who signed off on this tunnel do not understand the meaning of “prudent and feasible.”
Do not blame the National Register status of the property, blame the conslutants who sold the KY Transportation Cabinet a bill of goods.
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