Stoneham Board of Appeals Continues 72 Central Street Condo Hearing to October 30

STONEHAM — September 25, 2025 — Stoneham Board of Appeals continues Central Street demolition hearing, pressing developer to explore preservation of a 230-year-old structure. The board voted unanimously at its September 25 meeting to carry the public hearing on Right Whale Development LLC's application to demolish 72 Central Street and build three all-residential townhouse-style condominiums to October 30. Chair Tobin Schulman said he was "a little disappointed that we're here tonight with, you know, first thing we're going to do is knock it down," and raised the possibility of lifting the existing structure and installing a new foundation, potentially offset by approval of an additional unit. Stoneham Historical Commission Chair Dolly Wilson told the board the building is likely the town's fourth oldest, constructed around 1797 by the Bucknam family, and urged the board to find an alternative to demolition, saying the commission "doesn't have a whole lot of tools to change something like this." Contractor and LLC member Nick Noon said colleagues found the fieldstone foundation "a lost cause" after thorough evaluation, and that the numbers do not support a single-family rehabilitation on a lot the applicant estimates would yield roughly $25,000 annually in tax revenue with three condominiums.