My preliminary thoughts regarding house construction
on Nantucket are as follows:

1) We should be able to build a relatively simple but finished house
for $100/sq ft, i.e. with a budget of $200K we should be able
to build a 2000 sq ft house, which is about as large as the
lower to floors of 174 School St, or 1.6 times as large as
178 School Street. For a smaller house, the cost would be
proportionately less, but not linearly so, since the expenses
for the septic tank and the well, for example, are independent
of the size of the house.

2) Our strategy should depend on the type of house we want to build:

Potential building falls into three categories:

a) That which is likely to win easy Historical District Commission
   (HDC) approval.
b) That which is likely to win HDC approval after negotiation
c) That which may not win HDC approval even after hard bargaining or
   litigation

a) That which is likely to win easy HDC approval:
   i) a single story quadrangular structure, gable roofed,
      with conservative fenestration
  ii) a 1 1/2 story quadrangular structure with small dormers
      and conservative fenestration. Acceptably large windows
      in the south end of a north-south oriented building,
      where the second story floor is 9 ft above grade, might
      give some view of the distant ocean.
      
b) That which is likely to win HDC approval after negotiation:
   i) a single story quadrangular structure, gable roofed,
      with unconventional fenestration, with large windows
      in the basement (foundation) walls and large first
      floor windows. The first floor would be  about 4 feet
      above ground and might give limited view of the distant
      ocean. This would be an upside-down house with three bedrooms
      and two baths in the fully finished basement.
  ii) a 1 1/2 story quadrangular structure with shed dormers
      and unconventional fenestration. The shed dormers and the
      large windows in the south end of a north-south oriented
      building, where the second story floor is 9 ft above grade,
      might give some view of the distant ocean.
      
c) That which may not win HDC approval even after hard bargaining or
   litigation:
   i) a 2 story quadrangular structure with full 2 story sides.
      The windows of the second story whose floor is 9 ft above grade,
      might give some view of the distant ocean.
      This would be an upside-down house with three bedrooms
      and two baths on the first floor, livingroom and kitchen
      on the second floor.
  ii) A second story deck or a roof walk attached to any of
      the foregoing structures.

3.  Building strategies:
a) for projects likely to win easy Historical District Commission
   (HDC) approval.
    i) draft reasonably detailed floor plans, elevations, cross sections,
       septic tank, well, electrical and plumbing specifications. Calculate
       estimated cost from independent sources.
   ii) Obtain estimates from septic tank installers, well diggers,
       manufactured house vendors, local carpenters, electricians,
       and plumbers.
  iii) draft blue prints for submission to HDC, building inspector,
       (contractor) and subcontractors.
   iv) Obtain HDC approval
    v) Obtain building permit
   vi) Hire contractor or subcontractors
  vii) Begin construction  

b) for projects likely to win HDC approval after negotiation.
    i) enter into telephone and possibly face to face negotiations
       with HDC, and reach preliminary, informal agreement about
       structure to be built. Be prepared to compromise, specifically
       on size of windows and on height of basement wall 
   ii) draft reasonably detailed floor plans, elevations, cross sections,
       septic tank, well, electrical and plumbing specifications. Calculate
       estimated cost from independent sources.
  iii) Obtain estimates from septic tank installers, well diggers,
       manufactured house vendors, local carpenters, electricians,
       and plumbers.
   iv) draft blue prints for submission to HDC, building inspector,
       (contractor) and subcontractors.
    v) Obtain HDC approval
   vi) Obtain building permit
  vii) Hire contractor or subcontractors
 viii) Begin construction  

c) for projects that may win HDC approval only after hard bargaining or
   litigation
    i) review HDC permits such as might be available for public
       inspection
   ii) review building permits such as might be available for public
       inspection
  iii) create legal record of refusal to divulge previously approved
       HDC building permits and plans
   iv) catalogue recent construction on the island
    v) enter into face to face negotiations with HDC to identify
       the rationale of the expected opposition and try to
       rebut or circumvent it by obtaining suitable evidence
       or by suitable modification of plans.
   vi) draft reasonably detailed floor plans, elevations, cross sections,
       septic tank, well, electrical and plumbing specifications. Calculate
       estimated cost from independent sources.
  vii) Obtain estimates from septic tank installers, well diggers,
       manufactured house vendors, local carpenters, electricians,
       and plumbers.
 viii) draft blue prints for submission to HDC, building inspector,
       (contractor) and subcontractors.
   ix) Try to obtain HDC approval
    x) Appeal HDC refusal to Board of Selectmen
   xi) Appeal Board of Selectmen refusal to Federal Court (Boston)
       on grounds of diversity jurisdiction
       If unsuccessful, follow strategy #2.
  xii) Obtain building permit
 xiii) Hire contractor or subcontractors
  xiv) Begin construction