The saga of 32 Exchange Street continued this past week after repeated complaints from neighbors. The town’s building official gave the property owner an ultimatum: secure the lot or the town will for you … and bill you for it.  By Wednesday (7/14), owner Tim Grenier had fenced the property. 

According to Marinaro, Grenier had been told to secure the long-vacant house several times already. It is set for demolition with an approved plan to build 12 units of new housing there but the property has sat untouched for several months (Grenier, after receiving all the necessary approvals, has put the property up for sale). While parts of the existing building have been boarded up, in the back there were open areas where people could gain entry. Last weekend, a man wearing a Confederate flag t-shirt was pictured on the site with a rifle leaning against a pickup truck and a dog chewing on a branch nearby (see photo below).

“I’ve been getting complaints,” said Marinaro. “I’ve been on Tim Grenier to please take care of this. Monday I gave him 48 hours. I told him, ‘Take care of this or I will for you and I will lien your property for the cost.’ So he took care of it.”

According to Marinaro, the demolition approval from Historic District Commission runs with the land, so whoever takes over the project can demolish the building. 

You can read more about 32 Exchange Street here:

32 Exchange St. 12-Unit Plan Gets Preliminary Approval
Planning Board Weighs Preliminary OK for 32 Exchange St.
Op/Ed: Protect Historic Properties Like 32 Exchange St.
Planning Board Approves Plan for 12-Unit Complex on Exchange St.

People started staying at 32 Exchange Street, including this man, above, because it was vacant and open.

The owner of the property at 32 Exchange St. put up a fence this week after repeated complaints.