Attleboro's Historic Tappan for Sale, Again

offered the Tappan House for sale in 2002 for $1 to anyone who would be willing and able to move it. This time the city of Attleboro will place the house for sale, next week.

Cited by the Massachusetts Historical Commission as one of the “grandest colonial revival structures in Attleboro,” the 110-year-old  goes on the real estate market next week for the second time.

Mayor Kevin Dumas and City Solicitor Robert Mangiaratti are in the process of completing the purchase and sale document for the sale of the house.

This legal document, to be released next week, will include the house’s specifications such as the house’s square footage, rooms, windows, floors etc. as well as the preservation conditions being placed on the house, such as a condition of sale is that the house cannot be torn down.

The purchase and sales agreement will also include the cost of moving the house and the cost of the lot in which the house will be relocated. These costs are not finalized as of yet, therefore not available for publication until next week.

“We need a certain dollar amount to pay for the assessed costs of moving the house as well as the cost of the property in which it will be placed on,” Dumas said.“After all the work, for all involved, I am hoping people who are interested in historic homes and their preservation will come out and participate."

Spreading the Word

Dumas has asked the community to spread the word. 

"If we don’t receive the dollar amount to complete the project, we will not be able to move forward,” he said.

Marian Wrighington, chairperson of the Attleboro Historical Commission, successfully to preserve the Tappan House in November of 2010, when its owner Sturdy Memorial Hospital scheduled the 110-year-old Tappan House for demolition in or around January of 2011.

The outcome of that movement to preserve the house was to actually move the structure to a new location.

When asked about the house being put on the real estate market and future move of the house, Wrightington said, “I’m elated to hear that the project is moving forward in the direction of saving it. I understand that it takes a long time for a project like this to come together.”

“I hope all works out in a way to make all parties happy, Sturdy Hospital and all of the historic preservationists who came forward to help,” she added.

Expenses

While Dumas said the project needs a specific dollar amount to move it forward, some have questioned the cost spent by the City on Tappan. 

Back in May, Attleboro City Councilor Duff White pointed out the 22 hours and $4,000 that were billed to the City (as of April 2011) for Mangiaratti's legal work on the Tappan House. 

Mangiaratti defended the cost at that time saying the deal involves many moving pieces including the owner of the Tappan, a moving company, owner of the land to which the house would be moved and public utilities affected by the move. 

Still, White said, "that's $4,000 for a free house."