Charles Ives' house to be demolished?

7 August 2012, 17:32

Developers are looking to purchase Charles Ives' house and knock it down for development.

The house that American composer Charles Ives lived in with his wife from 1912 until his death in 1954 is up for sale. Developers are reportedly interested in destroying the house to maximise development opportunities.

Located in Redding, Connecticut, the house still contains many of Ives' possessions and is in perfect period condition. A recent visit to the house by cellist Zoe Martlew and composer Oliver Knussen led Martlew to comment: "The  real‐estate  agent,  an  expert  on  historical  buildings  in  the  area  and sympathetic  to  the  cause,  explained ruefully  that  property  investors  are snapping  at  his  heels  to  get  their  hands  on  this  prime  bit  of  real  estate."

The estimated value of the property is $1.5m. According to the Redding tourism and history website, Ives was in opposition to all modernity regarding the site - he would routinely run into the garden and shout, "Get off my property!" when planes flew overhead.

Ives' legacy in the area includes the Ives Collection at Yale University. Upon his death, Ives' wife, Harmony, also bequeathed any further music royalties to the American Academy of Arts and Letters for the Charles Ives prize.