Historical Commission imposes one-year demolition delay on 1892 Kettle House

WESTON -- June 23, 2020, Weston Historical Commission unanimously delays demolition of 1892 Lorenzo Kettle House for one year. The seven-member commission, meeting June 23 by Zoom, voted 7-0 to block demolition of the Samuel Mead-designed colonial revival at 770 Boston Post Road and separately committed up to $2,000 to retain Structures North for a drone-assisted condition survey. Owner Bill Salkowitz, who said he paid roughly $2.5 million for the property in 2006-07 and would sell today for $4 million, told the commission the roof has caved in and the interior is unsafe. Member Henry S. Stone, Jr., a builder, said the house "was totally salvageable when you bought it in 2006." Member Alfred Aydelott, an architect, called continued deterioration since a 2015 six-month delay a question of "demolition by neglect." The commission also approved $1,700 to document the barn at 255 Merriam Street and up to $1,500 for consultant Eric Dray to draft a preservation restriction at 316 Wellesley Street.