HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-04 Historical Commission Minutes North Andover Historical Commission June 41 2025 meeting
Present: Ron Rudis (chair),Jim Wefers, Stan Limpert,Jay Dowd,Anne Lafond
Absent: Anne Ericson
1. Meeting called to order at 6:02 pm.
2. Limpert made a motion, seconded by Dowd to open the public hearing on the demolition permit
application for 169 Chestnut Street. Approved 5-0.
3. The Chair provided context for the public hearing, reading the relevant section of the North Andover
Demolition Dely bylaw and noting that the question before the Commission was whether the
buildings at 169 Chestnut Street should be preferably preserved.
4. Kathy Szyska, 201 Osgood Street, also former chair of the North Andover Historical Commission,
stated that she is 100% in favor of the demolition delay being enforced. Her reasons were that 1) it is
the house of a Revolutionary War hero from North Andover, Colonel James Frye, 2)the house dates
to the 18t"century, 3)the house is one of the most important houses to the history of North
Andover and is the type of property that the demolition delay bylaw was meant to protect,4) a
secondary consideration is that this also was the later home of the Peters sisters who were well
known miniature portrait painters.
5. Joanna Kerr, 660 Great Pond Road, Director of the North Andover Historical Society stated
agreement with Kathy Szyska's comment. She stated support for a demolition delay with
consideration of any opportunity that we would have to repair the relationship or restore or
maintain the relationship with the property owners.
6. Limpert made a motion, seconded by Dowd to close the public hearing. Approved 5-0.
7. The Commission discussed the history of the property and the comments from Kathy and Joanna.
There was general agreement that the property was one of the half dozen most historically
significant structures in the town. Members also stated a preference to preserve the structures
rather than ending up with just a plaque or marker commemorating the site.There was also
discussion around how the town may publicize that the demolition delay is in effect to solicit
preservation solutions.
8. Limpert made a motion, seconded by Dowd to designate the property at 169 Chestnut Street as
preferably preserved. Approved 5-0.
9. Limpert made a motion, seconded by Dowd to approve the May 14 2025 meeting minutes.
Approved 5-0.
10. Limpert made a motion, seconded by Lafond to nominate Ron Rudis as the Historical Commission's
representative to the Community Preservation Committee.Approved 5-0.
11. Meeting adjourned at 6:18 pm
Documents Distributed
Andrew Bauman letter.pdf
DB-Historical Significance of 169 Chestnut Street.pdf
Engineering Study.pdf
House and Col Frye info_1930.jpg
2025-05-14 Historical Commission Meeting Minutes.pdf
2025-05-14 Historical Commission Site Visit Meeting Minutes.pdf