City Asks Forest Hills Cemetery to Find ‘Alternative Designs’ to Razing Long Vacant House

The Cemetery plans to raze the buildings and then fill the foundation with clean fill/gravel and then grass seed, according to the Cemetery’s filing with the city’s Office of Historic Preservation.

Knocking down a building in Boston automatically triggers and Article 85 demolition delay, which results in the Boston Landmarks Commission review of the demolition plan. The demolition delay was on the agenda for the Commission’s Sept. 22 meeting, but that meeting was canceled due to a lack of quorum, so the application will be heard at a later date, which has yet to be determined.

On the demolition delay application, the Commission noted that it is “awaiting alternatives to demolition.”

“Typically alternate designs include integrating the existing structure into the plans for the property, without demolition. It’s unclear what the plans will be here considering the applicant wishes to leave the property vacant. We will know more once we receive updates from the applicant when the application is rescheduled,” said Nichols Armata, senior preservation planner for the city’s Office of Historic Preservation.

An Article 85 allows the Commission to delay demolition for up to 90 days. After that period expires, the property may be demolished, or the Landmarks Commission could decide

to block the demolition permanently or extend a hold beyond 90 days is for the building to be successfully pursued as a local Boston Landmark or be integrated into a Landmark District.

Public comments on the demo application are welcome, and can be submitted here.