LETTER: Make Downtown Rye Great Again

In a letter to Rye Mayor Josh Cohn and the Rye City Council, the owner of the largest building on Purchase Street (65-67 Purchase, a building that houses the Village Social restaurant and other businesses) calls foul on some of the new development in downtown Rye, noting Purdy Avenue in particular. Karen Butler urges Council to “long and hard at enacting legislation, regulations and the like that will preempt the possibility of the charming downtown area of Rye being destroyed in a piecemeal manner”.

At the end of the last City Council meeting, Councilman Bill Henderson noted the letter and asked for a future discussion on the topic. Seems related to the refreshed “plan” for a master – or now comprehensive – plan.

Here is Butler’s letter:

Karen T. Butler
Post Office Box 2608
Bonita Springs, Florida 34133

November 1, 2024

To: Mayor Josh Cohn
Councilmembers: Cunningham, Goddard, Henderson, Jensen, Nathan, Souza

I am writing to urge you all to look long and hard at enacting legislation, regulations and the like that will preempt the possibility of the charming downtown area of Rye being destroyed in a piecemeal manner.

If one travels the United States there are only a handful of cities, villages and towns that have the uniqueness of the beautiful tree-lined Purchase Street area especially since some of them date back into the 1800’s like the Budd Building (1850).

Two buildings on Purdy Avenue have been approved of late. The one that is complete is a big rectangular “blob” of concrete, okay, not notable as a piece of architecture. The approved one across the street was enhanced slightly. The problem today is as economics of scale incentivize property owners to build fully to the three floor limit plus shafts and vents, each new edifice has a great impact on the overall “mosaic” of downtown Rye.

I say this as the owner of the building at 65-67 Purchase Street that has the largest amount of footage of any building on Purchase Street. Imagine that as a “blob” of a three floor concrete building. If its facade is not designed in such a way to give texture, charm and variety to make it appear to be numerous buildings it could be a monstrosity on Purchase Street.

There are those that will argue “You can’t legislate taste.” That may be true, but I urge all of you to put your heads together and have preservation of Rye’s “charm” at the forefront of your goals when you put together your forthcoming “master plan” for Rye, New York.

Rye, founded in 1660, is hallowed ground, and hopefully that will not be forgotten.

Best regards, wishing you all have the courage to do something “great” for Rye.

Karen T. Butler