Both 32 Dennison (on the right) and the adjacent property are being considered for demolition as part of a proposed expansion of the St. Clare Home.
A weather-worn plaque is the only indication that 32 Dennison St. served as the homebase of the man who took the America's Cup away from Newport. (Photos by Tom Shevlin)
NEWPORT, R.I. – The house that once served as home to the skipper who stunned the world by defeating the U.S. in the 1983 America’s Cup on board Australia II, is being eyed for demolition. The property, located at 32 Dennison St. in the city’s historic yachting village, features a faded plaque, overgrown with creeping vegetation that reads “The John Bertrand House.”
Bertrand, with Australia’s innovative winged keel design bested defending champion Dennis Connor on Liberty in what would be the last Cup held in Newport.
The property, which is long past its glory days, is being eyed for demolition as part of a proposed expansion of the St. Clare Home, located on the corner of Spring and Dennison streets.
The city’s Planning Board is set to take up the matter when it meets on Monday.
Paige Bronk, the city’s director of planning, zoning and development, wouldn’t wager a guess as to how the board would vote on the matter. But depending on your viewpoint, razing the home could either be a bad omen for Newport’s renewed chase for the Cup, or it could just be the karmic cleansing the city needs to bring it back.
This post was updated at 9:28 p.m. 3/12/10
Loading ...
Newport, RI
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Bertrand’s hovel to be demolished.
No, this house must be saved and preserved as all historic Newport.
The building of America’s Cup Avenue destroyed so much historical houses.
Newport has a precious heritage.
Do as we do in Europe:
All the wires (telephone and electricity) are ugly.
Dig them.
Ban the cars in some places excepted for resident.
Repair the roads and pavements.
Clean the docks and create a real dockland with nice places to go.
Bowens Wharf and Bannister Wharf are Newport spirit.
This is the Newport I like.
This is no cosmic cleansing.
The development proposed for the St. Clare home is totally out of scale for the adjacent neighborhood. The height proposed, the massing, and the number of residents to be accomodated will all overwhelm the small houses in the area.
The real answer is to hold derelict and often absent landowners responsible for maintaining their homes in acceptable repair.
Yves has some very good suggestions, unfortunately the competing interests of business and resident in Europe will prevent most of those recommendations from being effected.