Should A Historic Mansion Meet The Wrecking Ball?

How much responsibility does a new owner have when taking over an architectural treasure? Bright and Spacious points to a Bloomberg story on the owners of La Ronda, an Addison Mizner designed home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The Mediterranean Revival-style villa may be razed by its current owners who want to build a new home on the property. The owners of the 80-year-old mansion bought the home for $6 million in March. The township's board will decide today whether La Ronda will be immediately razed or if the destruction will be delayed by 90 days allowing time for other actions.

The home does not have federal designation as a historic site. Many Mizner-designed buildings in south Florida, where Mizner designed many homes and buildings, have this designation. The home is the only surviving Mizner-designed home north of the Mason-Dixon line. The township and historic preservation groups want to set up a foundation to buy back La Ronda but that could cost as much as $7 million. Check out the a gallery of Addison Mizner designs and vote in the Save It or Raze It poll on Bright and Spacious.

UPDATE: La Ronda has been given a 90-day reprieve.