Preview
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021
Exhibit 2i
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021
Andrew Scott Dolkart
116 Pinehurst Avenue, S-11
New York, NY 10033
11 Dolma Road: Preservation Assessment
I have been asked to access the house at 11 Dolma Road, Scarsdale, which is proposed for
demolition. In I completed a survey of the architecture of Scarsdale with Li-
2012, along
Saltzman Architects. Since then, the Village has asked me to assess the value of six other houses
where demolition was praposed. For the assessment of 11 Dolma Road, I visitedthe siteto
examine the building in itscurrent condition. I also uñdericok research on the house. This
effort was handicapped by the fact that I could not view the house in itsentirety. The house is
partially hidden from public view by plantings and there is agate across the driveway. I didnot
feel free to walk on the grounds to get a closer look at the building. In addition, research was
limited to material in my extensive library and items that are available online since alllibraries
and archives are currently closed due to Covid 19.
I was familiar with the house at 11 Dolma Road since itwas inc!uded in the 2012 survey as part
of a discussion of a proposed Dolma Road study area. The report states that "The talented
architect Julius Gregory, whose work can be seen in other areas of Scarsdale (including his own
house), designed a huge French farmhouse at No. 11, one of the finest houses of the type in
Scarsdale. The L-shaped brick house has a polygonal corner tower and an entrance set beneath
design."
a shed hood, a sophisticated rendition of vernacular rural French Having revisited the
site, I have no reason to change my assessment of the quality of the building.
W. Wallace Lyon, a wealthy Wall Street broker and insurance man, commissioned 11 Dolma
1928.1
Road in Lyon purchased a six-acre site on Dolma Road stretching through to
Mamarcñeck Road. At the time, this was one of the largest available parcels of unbuilt land in
Scarsdale. For the design of his new home, Lyon hired Julius Gregory, one of the most
prcrñiñêñt architects of freestanding residential buildings in suburban sections of the New York
City metropolitan area. While Gregory had his office in Manhattan, he was a resident of
Scarsdale, livingin a home that he designed in 1926 at 3 Church Lane. Gregory was born in
Sacramento, California and studied at the University of California before moving to New York
and establishing his office.During World War 1, Gregory served as Chief Camoufleur for the
United States Shipping Board, and during World War 11was associated with the War Production
Lyon: Saunders,"
"W. Wallace Member of a BrokerageFirm, Chairman of Kirby, New Yorklimes, October 12,
Street,"
1942, 17; "W. Wallace Lyon: Partnerin Firm in Wall New YorkHerald-Tribune, October12, 1942, 14.
11 Dolma Rd -0400
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021
Board. Gregory specialized in the design of houses in revival styles, notably the English
medieval, French Norman, and American Colonial As the New York Herald-Tribune noted in its
1955 obituary for Gregory, "his desigñs for houses were reproduced in many national
magazines and were based on an adaptation of traditional styles to new materials and
treatments."2 designed
During his career, Gregory not only houses and several churches, but
was also the architectural consultant to both House and Garden and House Beautiful
magazines. He received several gold medals from the American Institute of Architects before
1953.3
his retirement in
The permit to erect the Lyon House was submitted to the Village of Scarsdale in late January
1928 and by late May the house was almost finished. itwas constructed by the Collet
Construction Company, founded by Walter Collet, which was responsible for the deva|apmsñt
of the Dolma Road enclave and constructed most of the houses in the Dolma Road area and
was also active elsewhere in Scarsdale. Articles about the completion of the house were
published in both the New York Times and the New York Herald-Tribune. This isquite unusual
and isan indication of the prestige of architect and client.The articles are very similar and
probably echo a press release issued either by Gregory or Lyon. The articles refer to the house
"English-Normandy"
as an [style]building, "patterned after several old public buildings and
England."
castles in Gregory used this French Norman-inspired style, on a smaller scaled, at his
own house.
During the 1920s, there was enormous interest in adapting historical styles for the new
suburban homes that were appearing in American suburbs. Articles and books described and in
some cases advocated for particular revival styles. Although never the most popular of styles,
medieval, French Norman design, especially as filtered through English architecture, was a
popular choice for new homes. Architect Frank J.Forster, likeGrsgary, a highly successful New
York based architect of suburban houses in revival styles, wrote an article in the Architectural
design.4
Forum in 1926 that discusses the style and itsinfluence on suburban Forster commênts
houses"
on the "growing appreciation of the English and Norman style of country and seeks to
explain the characteristic of English Norman design. The style derives from rural buildings in
Normandy. The forms commonly used in Normandy, France arrived in England with the
Norman Conquest in the eleventh century.
Forster details some of the main features of the English Norman house, including a steep roof
pitch, shallow overhangs, patterned brickwork "with frequently an entire wall surface laid up in
patterns,"
squares or diaper the blending of stone and brick, and the use of"towers, roof
compositions."5
masses and picturesque Also common isa use of a limited amount of half
timbering. Such features appear on Norman-inspired English medieval houses such as Beeleigh
Abbey, Essex (late twelfth century) with itssteep roof slopes, brick and stone bisñdiñg into one
2 "Julius Churches,"
Gregory 80, Designed Homes, NewYork Herald-Tribune,December 6, 1955,10.
S "Julius "Julius Designer's Publicizedin
Gregory 80; Gregory, Dead: Home Work was Widely Reproduced -Ideas
Magazines,"
New York Times, December 6, 1955,38.
4 Houses,"
FrankJ. Forster,
"Norman-English !n9uence in Country ArchitecturalForum 44 (March 1926): 139-146.
5 "English-Norman,"
Forster, 139.
11 Dolma Rd -0401
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021
another, patterned brickwork, and hand-cut timbers; Markenfield Hall, Yorkshire (c.1280 with
additions) with itsrough-textured stonework and tower set between two angled wings; and
Stokesay Castle, Shropshire (latethirteenth century) with itssteeply-pitched roof, rough stone
facing with brick detail, and tower capped by a half-timbered projection.
The Lyon house is an exemplary example of the type. The house isan irregular, L-shaped
structure massed in a picturesque composition with extremely steep roof slopes clad in slate.
The focus of the house isa round tower with a polygonal roof set at the intersection of the two
wings. The entrance islocated in a one-story pavilion located adjacent to the tower. This
vestibute isconstructed of brick laid in a modified parquet pattern with fields of brick set
between vertical half timbers.Gregory's original design elevations call for "rough adzed
timbers"
on the vestibule and on features of the rear facade. Such rough-hewn timbers
textured with an houses.6
adze were another common feature of English Norman Windows
were not generally large on medieval houses. Of course, the new suburban houses had larger
windows as befit a contemporary dwelling, but homage isoften rnade to the large expanses of
uninterrupted wall area on the early buildings that were a model for these later houses. This is
evident at the Lyon house on the side wall facing Dolma Road, with itssteep gable and tall
chimney. This wall isa combination of irregularly-laid stone at the bottom and diaper-patterned
brick above. The stone and brick blendinto one another, giving the impression that the building
has aged irregularly over time. Indeed, Gregory specifically called out this blending on his
elevation windows.7
drawing. The facade was uninterrupted by
W. Wallace Lyons and his family did not liveat 11 Dolma Road for long. By 1932 they had
rented to house to stockbroker Charles H. Sabin, Jr.,who moved in shortly after his second
marriage. In 1939, the house was rented to Hans Petchek. Lyon died in 1942 while living on Park
Avenue in Manhattan and itwas probably after his death that the house was sold. There have
been a few minor alterations to the exterior of the house, but none appears to have had an
impact of the architectural integrity of the structure.
in summary, Julius Gregory's W. Wallace Lyon House at 11 Dolma Road isa building designed by
a master architect. Itis an excellent example of an English Norman style house. The house has a
picturesque massing and uses materials in an interesting and proficient manner. The house also
contributes to one of the finest residential ensembles in Scarsdale. I conclude that itis worthy
of preservation.
Andrew Scott Dolkart
June 26, 2020
6 The
portion of theentrance pavilionwas slightlyenlarged in 2018,but the basicform and originalfeaturesare
extant.
7
Originaldrawings were submitted to the VillageofScarsdale.Copies are available.
Since the house has an
irregularcovering ofwhite paintand the side elevationis now fargelycovered in greenery;itis difficult
toaccess
the design in its entirety
from a distance.In 2018,a proposal was submitted to theVillageto add two small
windows to thiselevation.They do not appear to have been added, but it is possible
that theyare hidden by the
greenery.
11 Dolma Rd - 0402
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021
11 Dolma Rd - 0403
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021
. o
o a v'ê.er n . Je
if not \
c et /½od é4t>
stro--
Shiv'
c d
, /
11 Dolma Rd -0404
Preview
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021 Exhibit 2i FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021 Andrew Scott Dolkart 116 Pinehurst Avenue, S-11 New York, NY 10033 11 Dolma Road: Preservation Assessment I have been asked to access the house at 11 Dolma Road, Scarsdale, which is proposed for demolition. In I completed a survey of the architecture of Scarsdale with Li- 2012, along Saltzman Architects. Since then, the Village has asked me to assess the value of six other houses where demolition was praposed. For the assessment of 11 Dolma Road, I visitedthe siteto examine the building in itscurrent condition. I also uñdericok research on the house. This effort was handicapped by the fact that I could not view the house in itsentirety. The house is partially hidden from public view by plantings and there is agate across the driveway. I didnot feel free to walk on the grounds to get a closer look at the building. In addition, research was limited to material in my extensive library and items that are available online since alllibraries and archives are currently closed due to Covid 19. I was familiar with the house at 11 Dolma Road since itwas inc!uded in the 2012 survey as part of a discussion of a proposed Dolma Road study area. The report states that "The talented architect Julius Gregory, whose work can be seen in other areas of Scarsdale (including his own house), designed a huge French farmhouse at No. 11, one of the finest houses of the type in Scarsdale. The L-shaped brick house has a polygonal corner tower and an entrance set beneath design." a shed hood, a sophisticated rendition of vernacular rural French Having revisited the site, I have no reason to change my assessment of the quality of the building. W. Wallace Lyon, a wealthy Wall Street broker and insurance man, commissioned 11 Dolma 1928.1 Road in Lyon purchased a six-acre site on Dolma Road stretching through to Mamarcñeck Road. At the time, this was one of the largest available parcels of unbuilt land in Scarsdale. For the design of his new home, Lyon hired Julius Gregory, one of the most prcrñiñêñt architects of freestanding residential buildings in suburban sections of the New York City metropolitan area. While Gregory had his office in Manhattan, he was a resident of Scarsdale, livingin a home that he designed in 1926 at 3 Church Lane. Gregory was born in Sacramento, California and studied at the University of California before moving to New York and establishing his office.During World War 1, Gregory served as Chief Camoufleur for the United States Shipping Board, and during World War 11was associated with the War Production Lyon: Saunders," "W. Wallace Member of a BrokerageFirm, Chairman of Kirby, New Yorklimes, October 12, Street," 1942, 17; "W. Wallace Lyon: Partnerin Firm in Wall New YorkHerald-Tribune, October12, 1942, 14. 11 Dolma Rd -0400 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021 Board. Gregory specialized in the design of houses in revival styles, notably the English medieval, French Norman, and American Colonial As the New York Herald-Tribune noted in its 1955 obituary for Gregory, "his desigñs for houses were reproduced in many national magazines and were based on an adaptation of traditional styles to new materials and treatments."2 designed During his career, Gregory not only houses and several churches, but was also the architectural consultant to both House and Garden and House Beautiful magazines. He received several gold medals from the American Institute of Architects before 1953.3 his retirement in The permit to erect the Lyon House was submitted to the Village of Scarsdale in late January 1928 and by late May the house was almost finished. itwas constructed by the Collet Construction Company, founded by Walter Collet, which was responsible for the deva|apmsñt of the Dolma Road enclave and constructed most of the houses in the Dolma Road area and was also active elsewhere in Scarsdale. Articles about the completion of the house were published in both the New York Times and the New York Herald-Tribune. This isquite unusual and isan indication of the prestige of architect and client.The articles are very similar and probably echo a press release issued either by Gregory or Lyon. The articles refer to the house "English-Normandy" as an [style]building, "patterned after several old public buildings and England." castles in Gregory used this French Norman-inspired style, on a smaller scaled, at his own house. During the 1920s, there was enormous interest in adapting historical styles for the new suburban homes that were appearing in American suburbs. Articles and books described and in some cases advocated for particular revival styles. Although never the most popular of styles, medieval, French Norman design, especially as filtered through English architecture, was a popular choice for new homes. Architect Frank J.Forster, likeGrsgary, a highly successful New York based architect of suburban houses in revival styles, wrote an article in the Architectural design.4 Forum in 1926 that discusses the style and itsinfluence on suburban Forster commênts houses" on the "growing appreciation of the English and Norman style of country and seeks to explain the characteristic of English Norman design. The style derives from rural buildings in Normandy. The forms commonly used in Normandy, France arrived in England with the Norman Conquest in the eleventh century. Forster details some of the main features of the English Norman house, including a steep roof pitch, shallow overhangs, patterned brickwork "with frequently an entire wall surface laid up in patterns," squares or diaper the blending of stone and brick, and the use of"towers, roof compositions."5 masses and picturesque Also common isa use of a limited amount of half timbering. Such features appear on Norman-inspired English medieval houses such as Beeleigh Abbey, Essex (late twelfth century) with itssteep roof slopes, brick and stone bisñdiñg into one 2 "Julius Churches," Gregory 80, Designed Homes, NewYork Herald-Tribune,December 6, 1955,10. S "Julius "Julius Designer's Publicizedin Gregory 80; Gregory, Dead: Home Work was Widely Reproduced -Ideas Magazines," New York Times, December 6, 1955,38. 4 Houses," FrankJ. Forster, "Norman-English !n9uence in Country ArchitecturalForum 44 (March 1926): 139-146. 5 "English-Norman," Forster, 139. 11 Dolma Rd -0401 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021 another, patterned brickwork, and hand-cut timbers; Markenfield Hall, Yorkshire (c.1280 with additions) with itsrough-textured stonework and tower set between two angled wings; and Stokesay Castle, Shropshire (latethirteenth century) with itssteeply-pitched roof, rough stone facing with brick detail, and tower capped by a half-timbered projection. The Lyon house is an exemplary example of the type. The house isan irregular, L-shaped structure massed in a picturesque composition with extremely steep roof slopes clad in slate. The focus of the house isa round tower with a polygonal roof set at the intersection of the two wings. The entrance islocated in a one-story pavilion located adjacent to the tower. This vestibute isconstructed of brick laid in a modified parquet pattern with fields of brick set between vertical half timbers.Gregory's original design elevations call for "rough adzed timbers" on the vestibule and on features of the rear facade. Such rough-hewn timbers textured with an houses.6 adze were another common feature of English Norman Windows were not generally large on medieval houses. Of course, the new suburban houses had larger windows as befit a contemporary dwelling, but homage isoften rnade to the large expanses of uninterrupted wall area on the early buildings that were a model for these later houses. This is evident at the Lyon house on the side wall facing Dolma Road, with itssteep gable and tall chimney. This wall isa combination of irregularly-laid stone at the bottom and diaper-patterned brick above. The stone and brick blendinto one another, giving the impression that the building has aged irregularly over time. Indeed, Gregory specifically called out this blending on his elevation windows.7 drawing. The facade was uninterrupted by W. Wallace Lyons and his family did not liveat 11 Dolma Road for long. By 1932 they had rented to house to stockbroker Charles H. Sabin, Jr.,who moved in shortly after his second marriage. In 1939, the house was rented to Hans Petchek. Lyon died in 1942 while living on Park Avenue in Manhattan and itwas probably after his death that the house was sold. There have been a few minor alterations to the exterior of the house, but none appears to have had an impact of the architectural integrity of the structure. in summary, Julius Gregory's W. Wallace Lyon House at 11 Dolma Road isa building designed by a master architect. Itis an excellent example of an English Norman style house. The house has a picturesque massing and uses materials in an interesting and proficient manner. The house also contributes to one of the finest residential ensembles in Scarsdale. I conclude that itis worthy of preservation. Andrew Scott Dolkart June 26, 2020 6 The portion of theentrance pavilionwas slightlyenlarged in 2018,but the basicform and originalfeaturesare extant. 7 Originaldrawings were submitted to the VillageofScarsdale.Copies are available. Since the house has an irregularcovering ofwhite paintand the side elevationis now fargelycovered in greenery;itis difficult toaccess the design in its entirety from a distance.In 2018,a proposal was submitted to theVillageto add two small windows to thiselevation.They do not appear to have been added, but it is possible that theyare hidden by the greenery. 11 Dolma Rd - 0402 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021 11 Dolma Rd - 0403 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 06/11/2021 03:29 PM INDEX NO. 54241/2021 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 48 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 06/11/2021 . o o a v'ê.er n . Je if not \ c et /½od é4t> stro-- Shiv' c d , / 11 Dolma Rd -0404