For historic house, a doughnut break seen

A Dorchester house built by a Revolutionary War-era veteran may get a second life as a Dunkin' Donuts shop.

The owner of the house near the Boston-Milton line said he bought it last spring for about $525,000, intending to tear it down and build shops and apartments on the site. But after learning of the house's history -- and after the Boston Landmarks Commission placed a 90-day demolition delay order on the house Tuesday night -- he has agreed to try to preserve the historic portions of the building.

"If they gave me permission to tear this down tomorrow, I wouldn't do it," Gregg Donovan said by phone yesterday. "There's work to do, and there are some concerns, but we'll have to work through those to see if we can find an agreement that's financially feasible for me and acceptable to the [Dorchester] Historical Society and the community."

Community leaders in Lower Mills enlisted the help of the Landmarks Commission when they learned the house might be in danger. The 90-day delay gives them time to work out a deal with Donovan for the house's future.

"We're trying to maintain the integrity of the historic village," said Richard O'Mara, vice president of the Lower Mills Civic Association, standing on a Dorchester street corner ringed by buildings dating to the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, all adapted for modern use. "We all think that buildings can be converted to more typical use and be economically viable while maintaining their historical integrity. We don't want to lose this house."

The house was built about 1795 by John Bussey, who moved from Milton to Dorchester after serving as a soldier, said Earl Taylor, president of the Dorchester Historical Society. It was bought in the late 1800s by Henry L. Pierce, owner of Dorchester's Walter Baker Chocolate Co., who added a storefront reading room to the house, Taylor said.

Many nearby structures have been renovated while maintaining their original appearance. Across the street, a towering red-brick mill that once belonged to the chocolate company now houses dozens of apartment units, while an old rubber plant up the street serves as an assisted-living complex for senior citizens.

The sprawling house at 1205 Adams Street, however, has seen better days.

Its decades-old gray paint is peeling, revealing weather-beaten wood siding. Rolls of dark green and pale yellow carpet are stacked among the weeds near its dilapidated attached garage. The house's storefront is empty except for a used microwave and two dishwashers, offered to passersby for $45 to $60.

"I looked at the house, and it was in deplorable condition," said Donovan, recalling his first impression of the house. "When I purchased it, I was just saying to myself, 'It's a great piece of land.' "

A Dunkin' Donuts spokeswoman said yesterday that the company does not have any formal plans for Donovan's property.

Donovan said he had spoken with the company about his proposal. The house would replace a Dunkin' Donuts store a few hundred feet away, he said.

Ryan Haggerty can be reached at rhaggerty@globe.com.