[MassHistPres] 1857 House in Historic District Slated for Demolition

[Dennis De Witt]

Presumably the engineer was hired by the owner?

Brookline had such a case.  The building inspector looked at it, disagreed with the owner's engineer, and told the owner to secure the building.

I'm not sure you want to go there and antagonize the BoS but was the "workshop" not a duly noticed meeting?

 
On Dec 3, 2009, at 10:43 AM, Suzanne W Pelton wrote:

> I hope someone has a last minute effort to suggest for this unexpected development:
> 
> A month ago the Lenox HDC denied a permit for demolition for an 1857 house in the Historic District and we breathed a sign of relief. Now, all of a sudden today, chairs of the HDC and HC were advised of a "workshop" (off-camera, no minutes) the Select Board held last night before their regularly scheduled meeting, to "discuss" the house. The owner refuses to make repairs. An independent engineer reported the house was unsafe and it has been boarded up. Now the building inspector says the house must be demolished--probably within 24 hours. I've been given til a brief respite to see if there is anything we are missing to prevent its demolition. Lenox does not have a Minimum Maintenance Ordinance or a Demolition Delay Bylaw but it seems we're also not to be given any time to see if anyone would like to dismantle or move the house.
> 
> When I asked how it was unsafe, I was told no one could live in it. Agreed but that's not the issue, I said. When I asked if it was in danger of falling on anyone, all I got was "it's unsafe."
> 
> Any ideas you can give us will be most welcome.
> 
> Suzanne Pelton
> Lenox Historical Commission
> 
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