By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — Another chance at rehabilitation has been offered to two Main Street buildings in Claremont.
A potential grant from Invest NH would offer funding to help municipalities accomplish necessary demolition projects. 111 and 119 were two of four buildings discussed at the most recent Historic Commission Special Meeting that took place on August 22, 2022.
Included in the discussion of demolition were 150 Chestnut Street and 263 North Street. The 263 North Street location had been acquired by the city in recent years and had been intended to be put up for auction, but a recent fire deemed suspicious broke out this month, causing potentially irreparable damage.
Claremont property records state that 111 Main Street and 119 Main Street were both built in 1900, and over the years have fallen into disrepair. According to Planning and Development Director Nancy Merrill, they have been vacant for many years, and for good reason.
“Conditions were such that the city deemed them dangerous and removed people from them,” said Merrill at this week’s Historic Commision meeting.
Merrill also stated at the meeting that both buildings had been reviewed by building code officials and fire code officials. The two parties deemed both as buildings that should be demolished. Also, that each of the buildings create public health issues that impact buildings that are in close proximity to the condemned locations. Merrill followed this information by informing the commission that the properties were put out to bid last fall, and due to lack of interest, were taken back off the market.
Historic Commision seat Jonathon Nelson cautioned the board as to the finality of the city’s decision. His concern was that, should these buildings be torn down, then there is a possibility that they can’t ever be built on again. As opposed to the idea that if the buildings are saved, they could be potentially rehabilitated and turn into more housing options, which according to him and others, the city desperately needs.
Merrill pointed out that if those buildings were demolished, they would become green spaces, which could potentially increase the value and desirability of the homes that are still standing in that area. They would also be able to offer more parking to the homes that are currently being lived in, as each of those homes sit nearly flush with the main road and mostly have only one parking spot.
The Historic Commission ultimately decided that before moving to demolish the two structures its best to complete their due diligence and give each building a walk through to determine whether or not they are salvageable. Should the opportunity to acquire the grant money for demolition expire, the Historic Commission hopes that more grant money will be available in the future.
As for the other two properties, the Commision deemed that the property at 150 Chestnut Street held no architectural, historical, or cultural importance, and that it was an irredeemable property and should be set to be demolished. Members of the Commision preferred to receive a letter from the Fire Department deeming the 263 North Street location irredeemable, but that the 1920’s bungalow with fire damage was most likely a lost cause.
City Planner deForest Bearse will be contacting the proper authorities to conduct the upcoming walkthrough and provide any information that the Historic Commision may need while conducting their assessment.
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