By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Better late than never.
After several years in the making, the Meeting House’s kitchen is going to get a long overdue makeover next month. The project is being funded by a $50,000 grant that was included in the fiscal year 2023 state budget.
Historical Commission member Steve Todisco, who works as an architect and has designed a number of restaurants including several Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouses, is working closely with DPW Director John Tomasz on the project.
“We are going to gut the entire kitchen,” said Todisco in an interview with the Villager after last week’s meeting. “We are going to take out the floors, walls and everything else out. We are going to install a new tile floor, tile walls and we are getting rid of all of the cabinets.”
Todisco said the renovated kitchen will have a new stone countertop installed.
“We are going to have open shelving,” said Todisco. “It costs between $7,000 and $8,000 to buy new cabinets. We don’t need to spend that kind of money when the cabinets are not going to get a ton of usage.”
Todisco said a new under-the-counter refrigerator will be installed as well.
“We are also going to have a warming cabinet, which will be used to keep catered food warm,” said Todisco. “We had an oven in the kitchen for years, but we never really used it. The warming cabinet will be much more functional.”
Todisco said the renovated facility will be “more of a service station” than a traditional kitchen.
“It will be able to facilitate the different functions held in the Meeting House,” said Todisco. “There will be a sink and possibly an induction burner if people need to warm up something.”
While Todisco said the project still has to go out to bid, he anticipates the Meeting House kitchen renovation project will begin the week after New Year’s Day.
“The project should only take two to three weeks to complete, but there might be a delay if there are any issues with ordering equipment,” said Todisco.
Todisco said he has enjoyed working with DPW Director John Tomasz on the Meeting House kitchen renovation project.
In response to a question from Historical Commission Chairman Kirk Mansfield during the meeting, Todisco said the Building Department will be issuing a permit to the project’s general contractor.
Select Board Chairman Phil Crawford said he is looking forward to seeing the renovated kitchen in the Meeting House.
“I am thrilled that the Meeting House’s kitchen is finally being renovated,” said Crawford in an interview with the Villager. “This project should have been done years ago.”
Crawford thanked House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading) and State Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) for getting the $50,000 grant in the fiscal year 2023 state budget to fund the project.
“I would like to thank House Minority Leader Brad Jones and State Sen. Brendan Crighton for securing the funding for this important project,” said Crawford. “I would also like to thank the Historical Commission and the newly formed Historic Lynnfield, Inc. for working incredibly hard this year to preserve the Meeting House.”
Mansfield noted during last week’s Historical Commission meeting that Meeting House rentals generated $8,925 in revenue for the town over the course of 2022.
Historical Commission member Abby Kilgore was thrilled that almost $9,000 was raised from Meeting House rentals.
“That’s wonderful,” said Kilgore.
Kilgore also noted that the town did not charge community groups to rent the Meeting House.
“It’s very positive,” she said.
The Meeting House was built in 1714, and is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Massachusetts State Register of Historic Places. The Meeting House is the third oldest Puritan meetinghouse in New England still standing on its original green, and is the second oldest active meetinghouse in New England.