Ty Gupta, owner and developer of the historic Gershom Hyde House at 29 Greenwood Road has filed suit this week in Middlesex County Court against the City of Newton as well as individual City staff members, Historic Commission members, and the Mayor over their handling of the project.
The developer bought the property in January 2021 and began work with plans for partial demolition and rebuilding that were approved by the Newton Historic Commission and Inspectional Services Department. In February 2021, when the developer removed the gable end of the main houses, the City issued a Stop Work Order and halted the project, saying that the developer had exceeded the scope of what was allowed under the plans.
After some back and forth between the developer and the City, the Stop Work Order was later lifted and work on the project resumed. In April, the City issued another Stop Work Order, shut the project down, and began fining the developer $300 per day for overstepping the allowed plans.
Since April 2021, the project has been in limbo. The developer went before the Historic Commission multiple times over a year and a half in an attempt to draft new construction plans that would be accepted. Last August 2, the commission voted unanimously to deny the developer’s petition for the project.
The lawsuit filed by the developer last week claims that the City engaged in “nothing more or less than gangster tactics incited by city officials — including Mayor Fuller — and a roving angry mob of Newtonites that are hell bent on destroying the plaintiff’s property rights.”
Regarding the suit, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said, “After the unlawful demolition of the landmarked Gershom Hyde House, the members of the Newton Historical Commission followed the appropriate process. We will continue to defend the interests of the City in this matter.”
