Architect Anne (last name spelled in the record as Raudt) and the project team presented plans to preserve the main historic body of the Daniel Kingsbury House at 1427 Great Plain Avenue while removing and rebuilding later side additions and adding a family room with an attached garage.

The Needham Historical Commission voted two linked actions on July 21: first, it found the 1794 Daniel Kingsbury House at 1427 Great Plain Avenue to be "preferably preserved." Second, the commission found the plans presented by owner Jeff Heller and his team to be a "suitable alternative to demolition" and agreed to return the application to the Building Department, waiving the six-month demolition delay. The roll-call votes recorded five yes votes, zero no votes; the meeting record notes one recusal (Commissioner Jeff Heller) and one absence.

Why it matters: the Kingsbury House is documented locally, at the state level, and on the National Register as one of the town's older extant houses. The commission's finding both affirms the building's historic significance and allows the owner to proceed with a design that keeps the original five‑bay, 2½‑story central block while replacing non‑historic side additions with new construction sized and detailed to read subordinate to the historic core.

Design and preservation details: the architect summarized that the main historic block — described in the Massachusetts Historical Commission inventory as a five‑bay, center‑entrance Colonial with later Georgian/Greek Revival details — will be preserved: "We're preserving the main five‑bay 2½‑story structure including applied molding, window surrounds, and the pedimented dormers," the architect said. The project will demolish two later east‑side additions that are not described in the historic record, rebuild that footprint with taller, code‑compliant spaces for a kitchen and bedroom, and add a family room over an attached garage located largely on the existing driveway. The design team said new windows will use true or simulated divided lights to match historic profiles.

Neighbor concerns and stormwater: adjacent residents raised questions about tree removal, changes in impermeable surface, and potential backyard flooding. Project manager Heather (last name not provided) told the commission the site currently lacks formal stormwater drainage and that the project will include engineered stormwater measures and gutters directed to an on‑lot drainage system as required by the Building Department: "Currently, there is no stormwater drainage set up on the property. So that is something that we will be adding," she said. The project team said they expect grading and an engineered drainage plan to be required at permit stage and that the addition will be sited largely on the existing driveway footprint.

Commission response and conditions: commissioners praised the documentation and the plan's focus on retaining the historic core while making the house usable for contemporary occupancy. The commission resolved to transmit the finding and the determination that the presented plan is a suitable alternative to demolition to the Building Commissioner and the Town Clerk; that transmission will allow the building permit process to proceed without the six‑month hold unless the project returns with substantial changes that affect the historic fabric.

Ending: The commission recorded the motions and votes, including the recusal of Commissioner Jeff Heller on the 1427 Great Plain matter, and concluded that the proposed work — as presented on July 21, 2025 — provides an acceptable path to preserve the house's historic core while allowing necessary updates.