Sweetser House may be torn down
Published on January 26th, 2000
STONEHAM, MA -The Sweetser House may be destroyed if the town does not grant variances to Richard Johnson, the Arlington builder who owns the historic home.
Johnson accepted the property as a gift from the Bloomberg family this summer, agreeing to pay to move the home from a Cunningham Construction work site on Main Street to property Johnson owns at 50 and 60 Franklin St. Johnson wants to refurbish the old home. He has experience renovating homes in Arlington and Cambridge.
"This is not for the profit, it's his hobby," said Johnson's attorney, Steven Cicatelli of Cicatelli & Cicatelli in Stoneham.
According to Cicatelli, Johnson has spent $50,000 to relocate the 19th century Greek Revival house. Johnson estimates renovation would run $200,000 to $300,000.
But abutters, including the Fuller House (another historic home functioning as a state regulated rest home), do not want the large home placed smack in front of their property. Abutters told the Board of Appeals that they did not want a new building squeezed in overlooking their backyards.
"It is just too close to the Fuller House and the other homes," said Elaine Moore, a member of the Fuller House Board of Directors.
Under town zoning bylaws two residential structures cannot be placed on one lot, and one apartment building already sits on each of Johnson's two Franklin Street lots.
Cicatelli went before the Board of Appeals on Thursday, Jan. 20, to request the necessary variances. The board would not grant the variances Thursday night and asked Cicatelli to return on Feb. 17 with a revised plan addressing the concerns of abutters.
"The neighbors are concerned and we take their concerns seriously," said Board of Appeals member Chuck DeCoste.
"Ten to 11 variances is too much," Moore said. "We have bylaws for a reason."
Cicatelli said Johnson is working with architects and engineers to design a plan which will attempt to assuage the concerns of neighbors.
"This is the last chance for the Sweetser House," Cicatelli said. "If we cannot put it there (Franklin Street lots), we'll have to tear it down and get rid of it."
"I wish we could save the Sweetser House, but it just doesn't make sense to put it there," Moore said.
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