A 70-room “palazzo” built in 1895 by a member of the illustrious Vanderbilt family and now a National Historic Landmark owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County (Rhode Island) has divided the town of Newport — donors, members of the preservation society and the town’s historic commission — over plans to add a wheelchair ramp and a structure to house prepared food and bathrooms. Two Vanderbilt family members still live in the palace’s third floor.
Some want the 13-acre, Atlantic Ocean-bordering estate to remain as close to its original state as possible; others want to see the modern amenities that are standard at other heavily visited landmarks.
Source: New York Times