[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JViello

While I agree about saving historic properties, on the flip side regarding your comment, this is America - land of the free. What do you care how big someones house is or what kind of car they drive or how much they make or what they do with it...and who gives you the right to regulate someone in that manner?

I think YOU should donate 10% of your income to a charity. Maybe I can get it into law so you are forced too. How would that feel?

You know - I have to agree.

As ridiculous as a 50k square foot home sounds, it's within the property owners rights to build what they want as long as it's within the community's regulations. My guess is those who complained live in 20k+ square foot homes. Hypocritical. It's Belle Haven.

As for spreading it around - why? It's their money that they made, fair and square (well, one could only hope). No matter how much money someone has, it's their money and nobody has a right to dictate what they spend it on. If they want a "supermansion" - well so be it. Greenwich is the perfect town for it!

[nish2006]

On a related subject - this was in the NYT today... the Twain family home in Hartford may have to close down. Being an incurable pessimist, I plan to head up there & see it for myself asap, before it passes into history.

Rumors of Twain House’s Possible Demise Are Not So Greatly Exaggerated - NYTimes.com

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by nish2006

On a related subject - this was in the NYT today... the Twain family home in Hartford may have to close down. Being an incurable pessimist, I plan to head up there & see it for myself asap, before it passes into history.

Rumors of Twain House’s Possible Demise Are Not So Greatly Exaggerated - NYTimes.com

If the Mark Twain House closes it will most likely only be temporary. this is a major attraction in the city and I doubt the city will let it close permanently. I always questioned why they built that visitor's center. It was not really needed and was poorly conceived. For some reason they over-estimated the number of visitors they would get in the future and built this enormous center. Anyway, it is too bad that this has happened. Lets hope thye can work it out. Jay

[toddb]

Originally Posted by JViello

While I agree about saving historic properties, on the flip side regarding your comment, this is America - land of the free. What do you care how big someones house is or what kind of car they drive or how much they make or what they do with it...and who gives you the right to regulate someone in that manner?

I think YOU should donate 10% of your income to a charity. Maybe I can get it into law so you are forced too. How would that feel?

Easy there...no need to get fired up. I didn't say to make it a law or mandatory, but if you have so much money that you feel the need to tear down a perfectly nice 20,000 sq ft home to make way for 50,000 sq ft, then why not spread it around? And don't give me the BS about employing tradesmen to do the work....

If I had enough money that I could afford to rip down a 20k sq ft home (like this guy with $900 million or whatever), then I would gladly donate 10% of my income to some worthwhile charities. I think it's excessive and ridiculous. I'm all for having nice things and doing what you want with your money, but spending money just to spend it doesn't make sense to me.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by toddb

Easy there...no need to get fired up. I didn't say to make it a law or mandatory, but if you have so much money that you feel the need to tear down a perfectly nice 20,000 sq ft home to make way for 50,000 sq ft, then why not spread it around? And don't give me the BS about employing tradesmen to do the work....

If I had enough money that I could afford to rip down a 20k sq ft home (like this guy with $900 million or whatever), then I would gladly donate 10% of my income to some worthwhile charities. I think it's excessive and ridiculous. I'm all for having nice things and doing what you want with your money, but spending money just to spend it doesn't make sense to me.

And that is the beauty of America. We are FREE to do what we wish when and how we want too so long as we are not violating anyones rights or breaking any laws.

Your opinion is your opinion and you are entitled to it as well. But it seems more to be telling someone what they should do with their money than a simple opinion.

I personally would not rip that house down. But if someone wants to purchase it and it's legal to do so...they are FREE to do it.