Commission to Vote on Whether to (or Not) Landmark Kenton Road House
By David Ertischek on May 30, 2025
The owners of a Kenton Road house were notified by the Boston Landmarks Commission that they need to treat the house as a landmarked site until the commission votes on whether the house from the 1850s should be given official landmark status.
The property owners were told in writing on May 20, that they must treat the property as a landmark status until the hearing. This was important because a demolition delay period was to expire on May 26. During this interim period, ISD is not allowed to issue a demolition permit.
Built around 1858, the house at 19 Kenton Road, “…features a significant number of original, classic Italianate details: overhanging gables, eave brackets, hood moldings, projecting bays, and arched windows. 19 Kenton contributes significantly to the design quality and historical character of the entirety of Kenton Rd, a short, narrow, tree-lined street that has only 15 houses, featuring a mix of historic architectural styles: Italianate, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, and Second Empire, with the most recently built house dating to 1905,” says a letter sent to elected representatives encouraging them to support the house to gain landmark status from the Boston Landmark Commission.
The owner-developer recently purchased the double-lot property and wants to build something bigger across both lots. Neighbors petitioned for the house to be granted landmark status, and then the new owner would have to save/renovate the house, not demolish it, but could still add a new second building next to it to achieve the same number of units being proposed.
