Clark House Owner, Armenian Church In Talks

CLARK HOUSE OWNER, ARMENIAN CHURCH IN TALKS
By Franklin Tucker

Patch.com
Nov 20 2012
Belmont, MA

Supporters of the pre-Revolutionary house seeks year extension of
license to allow negotiations to continue to find a permanent home
for 250 year old structure.

The owner and supporters of the Thomas Clark House, the
pre-Revolutionary War house saved from the wreaking ball earlier
this year announced that they were in negotiations with the board of
directors of the First Armenian Church of Belmont on Concord Avenue
to provide the historic house a permanent home next to the church in
a proposed land swap with the town.

“It is not a done deal, but we are earnestly in discussion with them,”
said Chairman of the Belmont Historic District Commission Michael
Smith at a meeting of the Belmont Board of Selectmen Monday, adding
that the final word on any possible deal will require the approval
of the church’s congregation.

“Our goal is to keep the house in Belmont,” Smith said, noting that he
has been working with the Belmont Conservation Commission on working
within wetlands regulations which applies to the possible property.

After the meeting, Smith told Belmont Patch that a possible development
team working with Belmont architect Erik Rhodin would either transform
the house – which would be located between the church and the Belmont
Public Library – into a residential property or commercial office
space.

The land is currently zoned for residential purposes and would require
a zoning change for a commercial use.

Sean McDonnell, whose organization, the Architectural Heritage
Commission, is the legal owner of the house and Smith came before the
Selectmen Nov. 19, to request a one-year extension of the license
that allows the church to remain at its temporary location across
from the Underwood Pool on Concord Avenue.

The Selectmen unanimously agreed to the extension with Town
Administrator David Kale reiterating the town’s position that expenses
from a second move will not come from town coffers.

If talks with the church are successful, the house built in the 1760s
which was moved with much fanfare in mid-February from its original
location on lower Common Street to its present resting place next
to the White Field House on Concord Avenue will be once again be
on a town street but this time only for a few hundred yards to land
between the church and the library.

Yet Smith would not give a possible time frame on when a deal could
be hammered out and the relocation take place.

“We needed a year (extension of the license) because it will take
time for the congregation to vote and then all the legal issues to
be resolved,” said Smith after the meeting.

“Like I told the (Selectmen), I don’t like using the word “likely”
because we are still in negotiations but I am quite hopeful

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress