A house o
n Chestnut St (#959?), just up the hill from Route 9, fell down earlier this afternoon … but no one was hurt
I live about a block away from there and was outside talking to my neighbor. I spotted a helicopter circling overhead and said “there must be something going on”. A few minutes later I went inside but then heard a second helicopter. At that point my curiosity got the better of me.
The house that fell was under construction. The house is in the Upper Falls Historic District. The project was to preserve and rehab the original house and then add a new addition in the rear.
The house was gutted maybe a year ago and then the project seem to come to a stand still since well before the pandemic began. The open shell of the building has sparked much talk and speculation in the neighborhood over many months.
I hadn’t noticed but apparently work started up on the site recently. The foundation and framing of the new addition has already been done.
I talked to my neighbor who’s a contractor. He got a good look at the aftermath. He said it appeared that they were replacing the sill of the original house. They had removed quite a large piece of it. He said it looks like what ever temporary support they use to prop up the house must have given way.
Wow!
Whoops. Amazing no one was hurt!
Are you sure it isn’t 999 Chestnut. Looks like it from the photo in the Assessor’s Database 1 1/2 story built in 1830
@Claire – No definitely not #999, that’s on the other side of the hill past Echo Bridge. I do think #959 is correct but not 100% sure.
I’m surprised I didn’t hear the crash when it collapsed since I’m very nearby.
@Jerry and @Claire,
It was 959…
A very good thing no one was injured. Old house renovation can be quite tricky – and apparently perilous.
@Jerry Reilly thanks for being our reporter on the scene. Glad no one was hurt.
Built 1825
Sold $560,000 2/2019
1335 sq ft
4BA/2 BA
Seems like it was a nice affordable/attainable house
I wonder what the plan was for it
Here’s a TV-7 news story about it.
I cycle up that section of Chestnut Street once or twice a week. That 1830s house was very pretty.
Usually there’s an advertisement for the construction company in charge of the project posted at the front of the property… not this time. I’d be interested to know who screwed up this badly.
@Jerry: If a tree falls in the forest and there isn’t anyone around, does it make a sound?
@James Cote – :-)
Smells fishy based on the TV 7 news report!