The house at 37 Hillside Avenue as it was built in 1914 (l), and as it would be rebuilt if the developers are allowed to demolish the structure.
The Bedford Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) held a public hearing on May 4 to determine if the building at 37 Hillside Avenue is to be “preferably preserved.” Developers Suzanne Koller and Nicholas Vercollone presented their rationale for seeking approval to reconstruct the 1911-era home.
At their April meeting, the HPC determined that the property has enough historical significance to be subject to the town’s 18-month demolition delay.
Koller and Vercollone formed a team to purchase the home with the goal of maintaining as much of its original façade as possible while creating a dwelling that meets Bedford’s current building code. In her presentation to the board, Koller stated strongly that she is dedicated to preserving older homes if at all feasible but upon careful structural analysis it was clear the dwelling poses severe problems. Vercollone, who described himself as a builder with considerable experience in renovating older homes, confirmed her argument that there are building code issues such as ceiling and door heights below the minimum. Other challenges include outdated plumbing and electrical systems (knob and tube wiring, in some parts of the home) which would make it economically infeasible to preserve the home.
Koller said that her real estate firm initially listed the home but over several months, at a time when demand for homes in Bedford is high, she realized that the average buyer would not want to take on a large renovation project such as would be required. For this reason, she determined to purchase the property herself and to design a home that would retain the “look” of the 1911 façade but would meet all requirements for a modern building. The design she presented captured the unusual and complicated roofline, the most distinctive feature of the home. A one-story enclosed sun porch, a later addition, would be removed and a two-car garage added.
Since Hillside Avenue is comprised of a variety of architectural styles, Koller argued that her design would be appropriate to the neighborhood. She also commented that the heirs of the family which lived at 37 Hillside for nearly 80 years were “on board” with her proposal.
Several of the HPC members who themselves live in homes that are more than a hundred years old commented that they fully understood the challenges of an older home but expressed some reluctance at summarily taking down a structure that is still “livable.” Member David Goldbaum who has restored several older homes in Bedford acknowledged that the decision to restore or not can be difficult. “Sometimes you walk into a property and it’s obvious – yes, this can be restored, no it can’t be preserved, or a hybrid in-between which will take a little more love.”
The discussion continued until member Don Corey said he would like to tour the property; others agreed and a date of May 14 was set for a walk-through. Chair John Lenz then closed the hearing and continued it until the next meeting date of May 25 at 7 p.m.
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