Demolition crews tore down a house at 226 Water St. in Hallowell Monday following last week’s decision by the Board of Appeals to allow the lot to be cleared.

The board voted 3-2 to overturn a decision by the Planning Board that prohibited owner Steve Hammond from tearing it down.

Jon Canty, left, and Adam Mealey inspect the second floor of the house at 226 Water St. in Hallowell on Monday. Staff photo by Andy Molloy

Adam Mealey rips off the deck of the house at 226 Water St. in Hallowell during demolition on Monday. Staff photo by Andy Molloy

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Row House Inc., a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve historic Hallowell, had argued since first learning of Hammond’s plan in January that the building did not qualify for demolition under the city’s ordinance because of its historic significance.

Carolyn Manson, who spoke on behalf of Row House at public meetings, said when the property was built, it was in an industrial neighborhood, and the 1880 census showed a laborer living there with his wife and child.

“The building is representative of a different time in Hallowell’s history,” Manson said in February. “We feel it is a contributing structure to that district and is part of that whole era where there were a lot of workers down there working on the waterfront.”

Attorney Walter McKee told members of the Board of Appeals last week that two publications describing historic Hallowell that showed hundreds of homes did not mention 226 Water St. among the historically significant structures in the city.

Hammond has not said publicly what he intends to do with the lot, which is on the Kennebec River next to the boat launch.

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