HOPKINTON — With the Dunkin' Donuts moving to its own location, the owner of the Mobil gas station on West Main Street wants to tear down an antique home to expand and open a more upscale cafe and convenience store.
The plan calls for demolishing 86 West Main, the last remaining home, built about 1890, on the major commercial stretch of town. The home is owned by Planning Board member Cliff Kistner and his wife, Nancy. The couple signed a purchase and sale agreement with Alliance Energy LLC of Waltham to buy both the home and adjacent lot, according to state records.
Cliff Kistner said Thursday afternoon he cannot comment on the deal.
The town's Historical Commission determined not to impose a year-long demolition delay on the home, according to Chairman Michael Roughan.
The company is seeking a special permit to change a nonconforming structure and variances for setbacks from the Board of Appeals. The first hearing is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Hopkinton High School Library, 90 Hayden Rowe St.
The store will be relocated and re-branded as Alltown Cafe & Market with pumps on both sides of the building. The cafe will include a counter with 12 stools and outdoor tables with 24 seats.
"There is no proposal to provide service to the counter seats or outside area, and the food sales are accessory to the principal use of the site for a filling station," the application reads.
The company proposes to increase the two service islands to four. Besides West Main, the proposal also calls for two entrances on Elm Street.
Roughan said the home did not meet the criteria of the town's demolition delay bylaw, which are character of structure, relevance to the neighborhood and historical legacy. The neighborhood has long been transformed into a commercial zone, he said.
"The area no longer has any historical character in the vicinity," Roughan said.
The project will also require Conservation Commission and Planning Board approval. Alltown did not respond to a request for comment.
The closing date between the Kistners and Alliance is set for Sept. 25.
Jonathan Phelps can be reached at 508-626-4338 or jphelps@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JPhelps_MW.