The Harwich Historic District and Historical Commission has placed a temporary hold on the proposed demolition of a century-old structure at 611 Depot Street, citing the building’s colorful, if unverified, local folklore. The property, owned by the Cape Cod Bible Church, was the subject of a tense public hearing Wednesday where residents and board members weighed the building's structural instability against its place in Harwich history. Alex Provos, representing the church, told the board that the building has become a liability with a significant lean. Provos noted, It's got a maybe a 30-degree list to it. It's kind of leaning to one side and for us, we would just prefer to get rid of it. He added that while the church has no immediate development plans, the house is currently pretty well beat up and infested with pests.

Despite the structural concerns, board members unearthed a deep local history associated with the site. Member Bob Doane shared a legend that the house was half of a larger structure originally located at 57 Queen Anne Road, moved after a dispute between two brothers. The previous owner of 57 Queen Anne swears that that was part of the house, B. Doane said. There were two brothers who owned it; they had a fight and so one brother took half the house and moved it away to settle a fight. Member Lynn Aldrich added another layer to the narrative, noting that according to former residents, the building was also a leper house.

Public opposition was led by resident Matt Sman, who criticized the board for what he described as a trend of approving demolitions. Sman suggested the building should be saved to address the town’s ongoing housing crisis. This is an opportunity not to disrupt anything. Simply to jack a building up, get it square, make it into a small studio for a fireman, policeman, anyone certainly, and end up being a credit to your community for having preserved something, Sman argued. He urged the commission to impose the maximum 18-month delay recently adopted by the town to allow for a preservation solution to emerge.

The board ultimately opted for a shorter four-month window but added a specific mandate requiring the church to actively seek a buyer willing to move the building. Paul Doane emphasized that the church must take an overt act rather than simply waiting out the clock. If we haven't heard from this good gentleman that they've done anything—even made one phone call—our motion doesn't accomplish anything, P. Doane said. Chair Mary Mazlowski agreed, stating, I think the condition is that the church notifies the public through its normal communication... to inform the general public and its membership that the home is available for purchase for the cost of moving the property. Motion Made by B. Lowney to impose a four-month demolition delay expiring April 17, 2026, with the condition that within 30 days the applicant notify the general public and its membership that the building is available and that the applicant notify the board of the actions it took to make such information known before April 16, 2026. Motion Passed (4-0-0).

In other financial and preservation news, the commission received an update on the ambitious $667,500 Community Preservation Committee (CPC) bid for the West Harwich Baptist Church restoration. The project, led by John Kerry, aims to save the landmark on "Captain’s Row" by focusing on window and exterior work. Mazlowski noted she had questioned the initial budget for the windows, but Kerry clarified that the original units were likely removed and replaced in the last 20 years, making them easier to restore than expected. Kerry has reportedly committed to funding further restoration costs personally. To ensure the commission maintains its voice in these funding decisions, the board appointed a new representative to the CPC. Motion Made by P. Doane to appoint Lynn Aldrich as the representative to fill the unexpired term for Bob Doane. Motion Passed (4-0-0).

The commission also addressed administrative hurdles that have plagued several Harwich regulatory boards recently. Paul Doane, who also serves on the Charter Commission, suggested that the town should officially reduce the Historical Commission’s membership from seven to five. This move aligns with a broader town effort to professionalize governance and ensure quorums are met more easily. I would strongly urge us to request that the charter commission do change that number from 7 to five. I wouldn't mind seeing five with one or two alternates if possible, P. Doane remarked. Brendan Lowney expressed support for the 4-month delay as a reasonable window to find a preservationist.

Finally, the board moved forward with a new Historic Preservation Award Program to recognize residents who maintain the town’s aesthetic character. The program will collect nominations through the winter with plans to present awards at the May Town Meeting. Motion Made by P. Doane to approve the preservation award program together with the nomination checklist and packet as presented. Motion Passed (4-0-0). The board also continued its review of Revolutionary War-era houses for commemorative plaques, though they decided to exclude the Captain David Clark house due to its poor physical condition.