Harwich Historic Commission Approves Six Cases, Clears Shore Road Demolition

HARWICH — January 21, 2026 — Harwich Historic District and Historical Commission cleared six demolition delay cases in a single January 21 session, including a full demolition approval for a Shore Road coastal property. Attorney Michael Donovan of Corlan and Donovan Law argued that a circa-1920 accessory structure at 75 Shore Road had been so thoroughly renovated in 1999 — with modern Anderson windows, a fiberglass door, PVC trim, and skylights — that it retained no historic character, and the commission agreed, finding the building "not historically significant" and imposing no delay for owners William and Nancy Dohy. The other five approvals covered a flat roof replacement at Pilgrim Congregational Church on Route 28, a kitchen addition at a Bank Street captain's house, re-roofing at a Main Street property, a HardiePlank siding and PVC trim replacement at 16 South Street (approved with conditions requiring painted trim and puttied nail holes), and solar panels on a converted barn at 21 Homer Road. The commission also voted unanimously to approve four sets of pending minutes and directed staff to research available funds for a Revolutionary War veterans pamphlet, with bronze plaques estimated at $700 to $800 each and a granite memorial dedication targeted for fall 2026.