THREAT
If the site is not preserved as an intact historic property, Val Verde
potentially could be redesigned as an "estate subdivision" for
a very privileged market. Even if the site's ownership is not subdivided,
it is feared that a new residential owner, even the most conservative
preservationist, might make changes to Val Verde that would constitute
a significant historic loss to a nationally-shared cultural history. The
potential for public access to the site also could be lost. At Val Verde,
rare and exotic trees were transplanted from the world's rain forests
during the period of the Great Plant Hunters (1890-1924) and over time
these have changed the scale of some vistas. Given the careful management
this landscape requires, private ownership may not be a realistic avenue
for the preservation of this venerable Golden Age garden estate that still
contains the visions of its previous owners and designers.
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