EASTHAMPTON — The Williston Northampton School intends to demolish a 19th century home on 2 Payson Lane this fall after receiving the go-ahead from the city’s Historical Commission last week.
Michael Czerwiec, the commission’s chair, said that the historic house appears to have been built in 1880, and that it had been relocated from another location to Payson Lane — a short, one-way street connecting Park and Main streets.
The private school had originally planned to renovate the house, but Williston spokeswoman Ann Hallock said that because of structural issues, renovations were not a good use of time or money.
Ultimately, the city’s Historical Commission agreed with that assessment.
“It’s never an easy decision,” Czerwiec said of approving a demolition. But he also said that the condition of the house was a bit much for “even Williston” to make livable.
Czerwiec attended a site visit to the property, and he said that structural damage to the house includes damage to its carrying beams.
The private boarding and day school purchased the home about two years ago for $250,000, and the house and its 0.15 acre lot is contiguous with its campus.
“It just became an incredibly costly project to take on,” Chuck McCullagh, the chief financial officer of Williston, said at the commission’s meeting.
McCullagh said that the plan had originally been to turn the house into faculty housing.
Commission Member Beverly Wodicka said at the meeting that she’s been on the commission for many years, and that she trusts Williston’s judgment on the matter.
“They’ve done wonderful things with other buildings in town,” Wodicka said. “I’m sorry you couldn’t save this one, but I can see the reasons why after having gone through it.”
There are currently no plans to build a replacement structure on the lot. Hallock said that the school is looking to demolish the house sometime this fall.
“There are costs to just maintaining a building that you’re not using,” she said.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.