The day after Gov. Maura Healey touted her office’s role in stopping the demolition of a beloved historic landmark on the North Shore, the federal agency that owns the property said it still plans to move forward with removing the structure for safety and security reasons. environmental concerns.

The drama unfolds at the so-called Pink House on Plum Island, a historic landmark built in 1925 that has been a favorite subject of artists for a century as it sits above a dangerous salt marsh.

The house has been abandoned for years, according to refuge manager Matt Hillman, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife purchased the structure and 11 acres of adjacent salt marsh in 2011 to protect the area from development. Salt marshes are a globally rare ecosystem that is increasingly vulnerable to sea level rise, frequent and damaging storms, and provide critical habitat for rare animal species.

Hillman said the agency wants to protect the Pink House. Local folklore surrounds the landmark and how it was built. Many of the stories suggest that the house’s uninhabitable location was the result of a spiteful divorce: The wife demanded an exact replica of her former home, but could not specify where; According to the information, her ex-husband had built it in a swamp on the outskirts of the city where the brackish water in the pipes had rendered it unusable.

“There are people in this community who value this, we have been working very closely with them for eight years to find a solution… This is not a rushed decision. But it’s a safety concern, it’s an environmental concern, and sea levels are rising. If we want to do what is best for our wildlife and our habitat, the best thing we can do is remove the structure,” Hillman said.

The agency has been trying to find a solution other than demotion since 2016; As the home fell into disrepair, it became unsafe to be near the facility. It was scheduled to drop this week.

The rear roof collapsed last week.

But at the last minute, the governor threw a Hail Mary.

Healey announced Wednesday that he would halt demolition of the Pink House while his office meets with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “to determine the best path forward for the Pink House, the community, and the environment.”

In the press release made by the governor’s office, it was stated that some elected officials celebrated the decision to stop the demolition and talked about the importance of this milestone for the tourism economy and culture of the region.

“Thanks to the relentless efforts of supporters from across the region and beyond, we have the opportunity to achieve a win-win victory that expands the resources of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge AND protects the Pink House. We must work together to ensure the opportunity is not lost,” said Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Gloucester.

But for U.S. Fish and Wildlife, there isn’t much time to think. Hillman said they received a request from Healey’s office Tuesday night to halt the demolition, which was planned for this week. He said they did this out of respect for the governor and his office.

However, we are very concerned about the condition of this property. “We don’t know how long we can last,” he said. “We’re almost into November, storm season has arrived and storms are getting worse and more frequent. It can’t take too long… We’ll see what they have to offer, find out what their concerns are, and listen to them. Then we will take it from there.”