Behind them is the restored William Hungerford House, built in 1865. Almost all of the great houses built here at the turn of the century are gone. You either buy and fix up, or buy, tear down and start over. Rebuilding can be more economical than restoring. And subdividing desirable land can be more lucrative for property owners than selling a large lot.
People sell off the smallest parcels imaginable.
And if it's legal, someone's going to build on it. While overbuilding is clearly a concern locally, nothing as dramatic as outlawing teardowns has been put in place to stop the problem. We don't worry about whether it's logical or why they are doing it. If they have a good plan that adheres to our restrictions, they will get approved. There have been some that were so bad, we just let them go.