Developer Agrees To Preserve Historic Beverly Building

BEVERLY, MA —Beverly Crossing President Chris Koeplin said Friday his company will change the plan for the proposed Depot II development to preserve a historic building that had originally been slated for demolition. The proposal for a six-story, 115-unit apartment building on Rantoul Street had drawn criticism for its plan to demolish the historic Casa de Lucca building. A continuation of the planning board's public hearing on Depot II is scheduled for Tuesday.

According to the Salem News, which first reported this story, Koepling wrote in a letter ""We believe renovating Casa is an opportunity to create a development that is truly unique to Beverly, a city that we have invested deeply in and have always loved." The project still calls for demolishing two other historic structures and residents have objected to the number of proposed housing units.

Previously on Patch: Beverly Planning Board Continues Depot 2 Project Hearing