Manchester Land Trust Hopes to Save Olds House

Terry Parla had never heard of the until she saw TV news report that the historic house was slated for possible demolition.

A member of the Manchester Land Conservation Trust, Parla has interest in preserving the town's historical places. Since learning the uncertain fate of the historic house, Parla has jumped into action.  “Somebody has to do something,'' she said. “We can't just let this happen.''

The John Olds House, also known as the Olds-Olmstead House, was built by one of Manchester's earliest residents, John Olds, a Revolutionary war veteran who was instrumental in getting Manchester established as a town in 1823. The house is located on the corner of Tolland Tpke and Slater Road, adjacent to the Waterford Commons apartment complex.

The landmark house is a white Federalist style home with a wide lawn, a well house, a gazebo and garage on the property. It is owned by TGM Associates, which also owns Waterford Commons. TGM has said it has no interest in the house or desire to renovate it, and announced plans to demolish it, which in turn led the Manchester Historical Society to petition the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism to place the house on the State Register of Historic Places. The house received historic register status in 2008.

The house has been unoccupied for several years, and has begun to deteriorate. The paint on the outside of the house is peeling, and the interior is said to need significant maintenance work. The Manchester Historical Society wants to preserve the house, but lacks the funds to purchase it. The house has been appraised by the town of Manchester for $290,000, but TGM is said to be asking $500,000 for the property

Malcolm Barlow, president of the Manchester Land Conservation Trust sent a email and attached letter July 14 to Michael Coyne, a TGM representative, asking for a meeting to discuss a transfer of the property to the organization to prevent possible demolition in September. TGM is a New York-based property management and acquisition company.

The Land Trust is asking the company to donate the property as a gift, which would be a charitable tax deduction. A range of possible uses for the house under the auspices of the trust would be an art gallery, a permanent office for the land trust, a museum of early Manchester history, and an apartment for a resident property care-taker.

Coyne sent a brief email response the same day, telling the Land Trust that if there is any interest, someone from TGM will get back to them. So far, the organization has not received any sign of interest in their offer, Parla said.

“So far, we have not gotten any response from them, and I am afraid that time might be running out,'' Parla said. “We don't think moving the house is the answer; that’s just another way of demolishing it, if its not done by someone who can afford the reconstruction costs. I'm at my wits end.''

Parla has reached out to Kathleen Olmstead, whose family once owned the house. Her father Alan Olmstead, editor of the Manchester Herald, purchased the home in the early 1940's and lived there until his death in 1980. Olmstead lived in the house with her mother until she passed away in 1996, and then sold it to the developers of Waterford Commons.

“I was naive – I was assured at that time that the house would be preserved,'' Olmstead said. “I should have realized that they would just sell it to someone else.'' Olmstead said she has contacted TGM, but has received no response.

Olmstead, 76, said the family moved to the house when she was five years old, and she grew up there. “My mother was an avid gardener, and the area around the brook was filled with many kinds of flowers. I learned to swim in that pond behind the house,'' she said. “Its a picturesque sight on that street corner, and I'm sad that the house is deteriorating. I hope something can be done to save. It belongs where it is.''

Correction: An earlier version of this article referred to Kathleen Olmstead as Kathrine.