Yorktown Town Board votes to deny application for local historical designation of Underhill Farm property

On Tuesday night, the Yorktown town board denied a local historical designation application of nearby Underhill Farm property citing financial reasons and their own efforts to protect it.

Diane Caruso

Feb 6, 2024, 10:19 PM

Updated 213 days ago

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On Tuesday night, the Yorktown town board denied a local historical designation application for the Underhill Farm property, citing financial reasons and its own efforts to protect it.
Yorktown Heritage Preservation Commission is pushing for Underhill Farm to be designated as a historic landmark.
Underhill Farm, located at 370 Underhill Ave. has deep roots in Yorktown dating back to the 18th century.
The Yorktown Planning Board approved a resolution in July that would allow the sites use as a residential community for seniors.
The approved project involves the construction of 48 townhouses, a 32-unit condominium building and a mixed-use building consisting of 68 apartments.
Project developers argue the call to landmark Underhill Farm as “historically significant” may hinder their financial goals.
Tuesday night's resolution states that the property owner has seven days to agree to this detail. The town board would need to approve the mansion being demolished in the future.
Also during the meeting, it was noted that there are lawyers figuring out a way to protect the mansion at 370 Underhill Ave. in perpetuity. 
After Tuesday’s vote, News 12 heard from those who were fighting to landmark it locally.
They say they are disappointed in the outcome and reiterated that they wanted to work in collaboration with the developer to protect the town's treasure.