Demolition delay ruling sought to protect historic buildings.
The Harvard planning board is considering the creation of a demolition delay bylaw to provide communities time to review their options when a historic building is facing the wrecking ball. This follows a request from local history aficionado Jonathan Feist, who said the bylaw can provide anywhere from six months to two years to save a historically significant building, whether it be by preservation, restoration or relocation.
Feist said more than 100 communities in the state currently have the bylaw, saying it’s usually passed after communities lose a beloved building, and that he didn’t want that to be the case in Harvard.
“Say a developer comes in and offers $2 million for the Hildreth House, demolishes the building and puts in skyscraper,” he said. “I think that’s typically what we’re trying to prevent — developers coming in, making quick decisions, and flipping stuff to make a quick profit.”
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