The town passed an article authorizing the purchase of a historic-preservation restriction for the Kimball property at 618 Main St. last week during the annual fall Town Meeting at Lynnfield Middle School. After a brief question-and-answer session, the town voted to approve the article with 355 votes.
The Kimball property at 618 Main St. was built in 1839 and is one of the oldest properties in Lynnfield. By passing the article, residents have allowed the town to purchase the front part of the building for $300,000 for historic preservation.
The property is located at a central location in Lynnfield, surrounded by the library, the Congregational Church, Center Farm, and the meeting house — all of which are white buildings.
“We feared that if somebody bought the house, tore it down, and built a brick building, it would not fit,” Select Board Chair Joe Connell said. “So we committed $300,000 to that project for perpetuity to ensure the preservation of the front part of the house.”
The town agreed that the Kimball House must be preserved in its current state, with the front half remaining intact, while the back part can be renovated.
“If somebody buys the house, they cannot change the face of the house,” Connell said. “They could tear the whole house down, but the front of the house would have to remain in place.”
