Politics & Government

Gallivan House Receives Preservation Money for Roof Replacement from Braintree Council

The Gallivan House was built in 1931 and is in the town's Historic District.

The earlier this week approved $38,000 in Community Preservation Act Funds to replace the roof of the Gallivan House, constructed in 1931 and once home to a physician active throughout Braintree.

Dr. John J. Gallivan and his wife Dorothy, both Braintree natives, built the house for $7,500 and the family occupied it until the 1960s, according to the Braintree Historical Society. It is situated at 766 Washington St. in between the Braintree Fire Department Headquarters and the rest of the historical's society's property across from .

The Community Preservation Committee unanimously approved the funding at its meeting in June. Mayor Joseph Sullivan, in a letter to Town Council President Charles Kokoros, said the building is within Braintree's Historic District and "is of historic significance because of the location, age, construction type and original owner..."

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Sullivan also said that the Historical Commission has been working with the Massachusetts Historical Commission to add the property to the Historic District.

The roof project will be put under the director of the Community Preservation Committee and the Director of Planning and Community Development. The property's deed would also be tied to a historical preservation restriction.

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The vote – with councilors Henry Joyce and Charles Ryan absent – was 6-1. Ronald DeNapoli was the sole dissenter. He has recently argued against using CPA funds for projects like the Gallivan House, and said on Aug. 14, "We should change the name of the Community Preservation Committee to the re-roofing committee."

Dr. Gallivan graduated from Boston College and Tufts Medical School after attending , according to the historical society. After serving during World War I, he worked at and St. Elizabeth's in Brighton, delivering thousands of babies. Dr. Gallivan was a member of the Braintree Rotary Club and Knights of Columbus, and also served on the World War II draft board in Braintree.


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