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5 April 2001 <br />fOVIN Reading Historical Commission Hearing READING, MASS. <br />Attending: Virginia Adams <br />Louise Sandberg 2001 APR 25 A Or ISO <br />Clay Jones <br />Mark Cardono <br />Col. Wilbar Hoxie <br />Roberta Sullivan <br />Mike Henessy, Developer <br />Denise Moynahan, Attorney (Carter and Coleman) <br />Mr. and Mrs.Robert Angelo <br />Mrs. Diane Schneider <br />Rocco Scippa, contractor <br />Anne Krieg, Town Planner <br />Amy Senior, RC reporter <br />1. Called to order 7:35. <br />2. Clay introduced himself to the assembled. He read the notice: "This is to serve <br />notice the Reading Historical, under the authority and requirements of Section 5.13 <br />Demolition of Structures of Potential Historical Significance of the General By-Laws <br />for the Town of Reading, Massachusetts, shall hold a public hearing on the demolition <br />of the potentially significant structure, as defined in Section 5.13.2.4, at 1375 Main <br />Street. Under the requirements of Section 5.13.3.3, a positive initial determination <br />was made as to significance by the Historical Commission. The public hearing will be <br />held on April 5, 2001 at 7:30 PM, in the Conference Room at Reading Town Hall, 16 <br />Lowell Street. Please direct public inquiry to Anne Krieg, Town Planner in the <br />Community Development Office. Clayton Jones, Chairman, Reading Historical <br />Commission" <br />3. Commission members and everyone attending introduced themselves. The <br />developer, Mike Hennessey, said that he intends to demolish the structure and <br />replace it with 8 units of housing. He feels the house is not salvageable. The barn <br />and the shed are not an issue. The cost to repair the house would be in the order of <br />$500,000. The lot cost nearly $300,000. This does not allow the contractor to create <br />any affordable housing. Virginia stated that the house was inventoried in 1980. It is <br />on both the local and state registers of historic properties. Sumner Cheney was the <br />original builder. Cheney kept green houses on the property. His wife, Selena, was a <br />member of the Reading Female Anti-Slavery Society. The house was prominent in <br />those early years appearing on the border of the 1854 map. Clay told those present <br />about the architecture of the house. It is a Greek revival, the first new style in America <br />since the Revolution. This house is a very early house of this style. Mr. and Mrs. <br />Angelo agreed that the house should come down. Diane Schneider felt that the <br />house should be saved. Mr. Scippa believes strongly that the house cannot be <br />saved. The purchase price of the property was $280,000. Mr. Scippa expressed <br />wonder what good it does to leave the house with no work done to it. The present <br />owner would be willing to sell it right now. Virginia showed the work done on 89 Main <br />St. that utilized the original house as well as building new units. Mr. Scippa will <br />entertain our ideas. Anne Krieg felt that the developer have issues with both an <br />