Community Corner

What Should Be Done With The Dutton House?

You know that yellow house next to the library? Well, it's going to be gone soon. The only question is how. 

Last week at the Board of Selectmen meeting, it was announced that there will be a delayed demolition order on the home, which will occur one year from now if it is not moved from its current property. 

The house, which was built in 1896, became property of the town approximately 20 years ago along with another historic home that was moved to Ann's Way.

Originally the plan was to move the house to the soon-to-be vacant fire station on North Road, which is young enough of a building to be demolished without a comparable delay, and become the new home of the Chelmsford Affordable Housing Authority.

However, during last week's meeting Town Manager Paul Cohen said that the Affordable Housing Authority had grown to the point where the house would no longer suit its needs.

Even though North Road may not work as a location, the Library Trustees, who own the land where the house sits, want to place their a storage shed on the property, which is currently only being used as a storage facility for items used in the library's annual book sale.

While neither members of the Library Trustees or anyone in town government wants to demolish the house, the demolition delay request was still made to garner attention over the need to move the building, which is slowly becoming dilapidated.

Currently the town is offering to sell the house for $1 provided that the buyer move it, and according to the In-Town Report, there's already an offer.

Today, we want to ask you: What do you think should be done with the Dutton House, and if you could, would you buy it? 


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