Home of jazz icon John Coltrane endangered

The nationally recognized Dix Hills home where jazz legend John Coltrane composed his signature work, "A Love Supreme," has received another distinction -- albeit one that calls attention to its deteriorating condition.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places, has named it among America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2011.

"It's a way to call attention to some really important places that need help and attention fast," said Wendy Nicholas, director of the organization's Northeast office.

Despite being placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 and being a town park and landmark, the home -- which has not been inhabited since the 1990s -- is falling prey to time and nature.

The 3.4-acre estate was saved in 2005 by town officials who bought it, using $975,000 from the Environmental Open Space and Park Fund, from a developer who had plans to demolish it and subdivide it, town officials said.

But supporters say buying the property was just the first step in a long process. They are trying to raise funds to restore the home to the era when Coltrane, his wife Alice and their four children lived there, and to build a museum honoring Coltrane and an educational center. Coltrane lived in the Candlewood Path home between 1964 and 1967, the last three years of his life. His family stayed there until 1971.

The nonprofit Friends of the Coltrane Home, the town-approved foundation in charge of the property, recently received two grants, one from state parks and the other from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, worth $43,000 total to help prepare a report to guide restoration of the site. But first the foundation must raise matching funds before the grants are released. Steve Fulgoni, a foundation board member, said he is hoping news that the home needs renovation will spur people to pull out their checkbooks.

"We'd like to get the money in the next six months so we can get the report and get things moving," said Fulgoni, who identified the house as Coltrane's in 2003 and initially alerted town officials it was in danger of being razed and lobbied for its preservation.

During a tour Wednesday of the home led by Ravi Coltrane, John Coltrane's second son, he reminisced about playing in the yard, eating in the kitchen and a sleepover with cousins. He noted the upstairs spare bedroom where his father wrote his iconic composition and his basement rehearsal studio.

"I have simple, simple great memories of this place," Coltrane said. "The potential of what this home could be, it's really cool to think about that."

Town board member Susan Berland, who co-sponsored the resolution to purchase the home, was on hand Wednesday to remind those who lobbied to save it from the bulldozer that there is still work to be done.

"I call upon the people who have contacted me over the last few years, who wanted to get involved and contribute, to put their money where their mouth is and send money to the foundation," she said.