Plans Call for Early 19th Century Haverhill Home to Return to Residential Use

(Additional photographs below.)

A Haverhill family has plans to return an early 19^th century home to residential use after the building served for many years as commercial offices.

The 1810-era, brick, Federalist-style house at 780 Main St., at the corner of Baltimore Street, most recently served as a real estate office. A developer, known as 424 Main Street, operated by Meenu and Sohan Saini, bought the property a little more than three years ago. The Sainis plan to restore the stately home on a .41-acre lot and convert it into two apartments.

“I’ve already spent a lot of money, hired an architect and engineer and done floor plans,” Sohan Saini told WHAV. He explained he plans a two-bedroom apartment on each of the two floors of the building. The contractor is Costa Construction of Methuen.

The Sainis bought the building from Upper Main Street Trust, headed by Edward R. Mahoney. It was last occupied by Diamond Key Real Estate, now at 25 Kenoza Ave., Haverhill.

Haverhill Building Commissioner Thomas K. Bridgewater said the real estate office was a non-conforming use in what is a high-density residential zone.

“It’s going to go to a conforming use. It should be done by right. It has all the frontage area and all that,” he said.

Bridgewater said the proposal is currently in, what the city calls, “Development Review,” where city department heads weigh in with any concerns. “Everybody made comments that needed to make comments,” he added.

Saini said rents will be lower than average market rates.

The house, called Dustin House, once sported widow’s walk on its hip roof. The address is an intersection known as Dustin Square, named for the Dustin/Duston family, according to the Haverhill Public Library. The most well-known family ancestor was Hannah Duston, who was taken captive with her newborn daughter during the 1697 raid on Haverhill in King Williams War.