From the Federal perspective (the National Register of Historic Places is part of the National Park Service), a property owner can do whatever they want with their property as long as there are no Federal monies attached to the property.
I think you probably mean the metaphor of piercing eyes, it means someone who has a really intense look in their eyes. Sometimes it could be that the colour of their eyes is quite different, like a really icy blue colour. piercing eyes are eyes that can see straight through a person. SUPP is right.
There is a saying, 'Eyes are the windows to the soul.' It means, mostly, people can see through someone else by eye contact in seven seconds. I have a habit that if I meet someone I don't know, I'd like to look at her or his eyes on purpose. When my eyes lay on them, I can immediately see their true color. Peng Liyuan.