NEWBURY — More than a month after Gov. Maura Healey hit the pause button on plans to demolish the iconic Pink House, the manager who oversees the federally owned property said Monday he is hoping a commitment, one way or the other, is worked out with the state by the end of the month.
“We always said we would like some resolution by Dec. 31 and we’re still hopeful for that,” Parker River Wildlife Refuge manager Matt Hillman said.
What a resolution might mean remains up in the air as Hillman kept his cards close to the vest when pressed for details, and a call to the governor’s office was not returned.
As the waiting game continues, the unoccupied home is feeling the effects of recent winter weather. With its roof shingles ripped off and windows removed in October, snow fell into the house virtually unabated over the weekend.
“Every time there’s a rain event or a storm, there is clearly water infiltration,” Matt Hillman said. “That’s definitely a concern.”
Hillman manages the local wildlife refuge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, which owns the 100-year-old house that has become a mecca for local artists as well as photographers drawn to its unique location and color.
In August, Hillman announced the structure would be demolished by Dec. 31, after an auction in July saw no bidders for the property.
In September, workers began preparing the house for demolition by removing the asbestos from the structure, which led to the removal of most of the roof, siding and all of the windows.
But on Oct. 30, Gov. Maura Healey stepped in and said the demolition had been placed on hold pending conversations between her office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as other stakeholders like state Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester and state Rep. Kristen Kassner, D-Hamilton to determine a path forward.
Healey said in a press release at the time that the Pink House is a beloved local landmark that makes valuable contributions to the North Shore economy by bringing in tourists and artists from across the country.
On Monday, Hillman confirmed his office has been working with the governor’s office to end the stalemate, one way or another.
Local nonprofit organization Support The Pink House has spent almost 10 years working with Fish and Wildlife to save the property. On Monday, its leader, Rochelle Joseph said she remains “cautiously optimistic” the house can be saved, as well as restored.
“The constituents wait along with Support the Pink House, with trust in the skills and commitment of Gov. Healey, Sen. Tarr and Rep. Kassner to work out a positive solution with Fish and Wildlife,” she said.
Although plenty of work needs to be done at the state and federal level the house itself, however, still remains idle.
Hillman said he has workers out, patrolling the property everyday. But, since the windows and roof shingles are gone, it remains open to the elements. The stairways to the house have also been removed, so Hillman said it will be very tough for anyone to get inside, including his own workers.
“It’s difficult to access but there are no windows, so we’re keeping it under close surveillance,” he said.
Fish and Wildlife staff have not been inside the property since the governor announced the temporary reprieve, Hillman added.
“It’s been over a month since the roof was removed and structural stability is a concern. So we obviously wouldn’t want to put our folks in harm’s way,” he said.
In 2011, Fish and Wildlife bought the Pink House, as well as the 9.2-acre site it sits on for $375,000 from the Stott family. But plans to station federal workers there were abandoned after the building was deemed in need of major renovations. The federal government then began looking for a way to offload the house to save money on upkeep.
But, since the house sits on federal property and is owned by the government, a land swap was the only way for it to be handed off to a new owner without an act of Congress. Although Support The Pink House has made some progress in reaching such an agreement, a pair of land swap deals fell through in 2020 and 2022.
In July, the house was put up for auction but no bids were received. On Aug. 15, the auction closed after only a month.
The auction was also only for the building and the winner would have been required to move it off the property by Dec. 31. Such an undertaking could cost up to $150,000, according to one estimate.
In late October and just days before Healey put demolition on hold, an anonymous donor pledged to give Fish and Wildlife up to $1 million in return for not demolishing the house.
The unidentified man offered to shore up the structure against weather, as well as cover the cost of any remaining remediation along with making the demolition company, Ludlow-based Global Compass Inc. whole if its contract is not fulfilled. But the federal government turned the offer down within hours.
Tarr did not return calls for comment.
Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.