Photo: Carl Stevens (WBZ)
SWAMPSCOTT, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The home of Swampscott town founder Samuel Cloon Pitman could soon be torn down after plans to move the house fell through Tuesday.
The Pitman House at 35 Pitman Rd. sits on the future site of the Elm Place affordable housing development. Rather than see the home get demolished, the Swampscott Historical Society and Habitat for Humanity wanted to move the historic house to a vacant lot on nearby Hillside Avenue.
In order to move the home, the Affordable Housing Trust brought forth a zoning variance petition to a meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals last Tuesday night. The proposal faced strong opposition, including a petition signed by 70 people. A handful of objectors also spoke out against the move at last Tuesday's meeting.
"Not a good thing," one Hillside Avenue resident told WBZ NewsRadio Thursday. "I don’t think I’ve heard one person in the neighborhood be for it. So that’s just the general vibe of the neighborhood."
"Well, I just think it’s not good for the neighborhood in general," said another Hillside neighbor opposing the move. "There’s a lot of traffic on the street now. If they put more housing on, it’s only going to get worse."
At this week's ZBA meeting on Tuesday, the Affordable Housing Trust withdrew its petition, setting the stage for the Pitman House's demolition if nothing else is done.
WBZ's Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App | TikTok