The controversial 112 Federal St. property in Milton, which drew criticism from residents who didn’t support the use of town funds for its purchase, finally has new owners.
Milton Mayor Ted Kanakos announced the sale of the house at a council meeting Sept. 12, an announcement he said many residents have been waiting to hear for years.
“Closing was today, so that is another thing that we have accomplished,” he said. “This is a red-letter day.”
The two-story house sat on the market for nearly a year before it was purchased this month by Harbeson-based Dutch Brothers Inc. for $150,000. The closing marks a nearly break-even sale for the town, which purchased the nearly half-acre property for a little more than $150,000 in December 2013 and paid nominal amounts for utilities and maintenance as it sat unused.
But the town had no money to repair the building or make it handicap-accessible, limiting future use of the building and prompting elected officials to put it on the market in August 2015. Original plans to demolish the house and turn it into a parking lot were thwarted by its location within a historic district.
Dutch Brothers plans to renovate the house for use as its new office space, a move the third-generation construction company has been looking to make for years, said Office Manager Liz Dittmar.
“We absolutely love Milton,” Dittmar said. Dutch Brothers chose the property because of its easy accessibility and historic feel, she said. “We're eager to work with the people of Milton.”
The 1890s-era building needs a bit of work: An inspection report from the town's initial purchase of the property shows the four-bedroom home has electrical problems, wood rot, foundation problems, signs of deterioration around the chimney and other structural issues.
“We love the old history of it and want to preserve it,” said Dutch Brothers co-owner Brian Van Drunen. “We're a small, family business, and it's a big step for us to take this on. We're excited, and it's a challenge. There's a lot of work.”
Van Drunen said they closed on the property Sept. 12. Their first steps are securing town permits and approval from the town's historical preservation commission for needed work, which Dittmar and Van Drunen said will maintain the integrity of the historical structure. They said the company also plans to renovate the second floor of the building as an apartment.
“The house looks so proud,” Van Drunen said. “We like it almost exactly the way it is. We're going to focus on the inside. It's a good fit for us.”