This historic York home is free to anyone who can move it
A 250-year-old York home that once housed law and medical offices — and most recently a popular bagel shop — could be demolished to make way for a mixed-use development, though its current owner is offering the building to anyone willing to move it for free.
The John Kingsbury House, built in 1760 by its namesake on what was then a site farther west, has stood on York Street for roughly a century after being relocated in the early 20th century by a local antiquarian. Since 1999, the building has been home to Bagel Basket, while also serving as a residence. But its future is now uncertain as developer Sean Mitchell and Civil Consultants move forward with plans for a three-lot, 24-unit project that would span more than 10,000 square feet.
At an Aug. 27 planning board meeting, Geoff Aleva of Civil Consultants presented the proposal, which calls for "modern housing options," an outdoor patio, on-site parking and a reserved first-floor spot for Bagel Basket. The Village Scoops building next door would be preserved under the plan.
Whether the Kingsbury House survives depends largely on whether anyone steps forward to claim it. The property sits just outside York's nearest designated historic district, which limits the town's power to block demolition. Town Planner Brendan Summerville said the building would need to clear both the planning board and the historic district commission before coming down — the latter only because the structure is more than 75 years old.
Historic District Commission Chair Scott Stevens acknowledged that, even with commission review, the panel's leverage is largely limited to delay. If the Kingsbury House were inside a historic district, demolition could be stopped outright. As it stands, the commission can only slow the process while working with the developer on alternatives.
"In the last 13 years, the most common application we have gotten has been for demolition of structures outside the historic districts," Stevens said. "There have been 60 structures that we could not prevent the demolition of."
Stevens, who has served on the commission for 15 years, said he is not aware of any case in which a threatened building was successfully relocated to save it.
Still, Summerville said there may be reason for cautious optimism this time around. "We've gotten some interest in people looking into moving it," he said. "It's just a matter of, 'Can somebody put together the land and then the money to move it?'"
During the public hearing portion of last month's meeting, residents pushed back on the prospect of losing the structure. Nancy Cicco was among those who urged the planning board to preserve what she described as part of York's charm. "I don't know why you would want to demolish a historic building," she said. "I don't know why [the developer] would want to deprive the rest of the town the charm of that building."
Stevens echoed that concern, calling compatibility with the town's character his top priority. But he noted that the commission would need to assess the building's historical and architectural significance before deciding whether to invoke its limited authority to delay demolition.
Neither Mitchell nor Civil Consultants responded to requests for comment. It also remains unclear whether the home currently has a residential tenant and what would happen to that person if the building is moved or torn down.
Following the hearing, the planning board opted to take up the proposal again at a later meeting, asking the development team to return with a more detailed plan that better reflects the area's historic character.
