French Victorian “Cenacle” Property Listed for Sale in Norwood-August 19, 1977

Zoning and Cost Hurdles Loom

The stately, century-old French Victorian property known as the Cenacle, situated on a four-acre parcel at Walpole and Fisher Streets, is officially on the open market with an asking price of $135,000. Complete with 22 rooms, broad lawns, and a garage, the property is owned by the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity. However, according to real estate broker Edward Runci, finding a buyer has proven difficult due to strict single-residence zoning and the prohibitive costs associated with maintaining or redeveloping the estate.

Runci reported receiving numerous inquiries since the “For Sale” sign went up, but prospective buyers have frequently hit roadblocks. One interested party sought to subdivide the house into three or four apartments, but was blocked by the property’s single-family residential zoning. Furthermore, following the wishes of an effective neighborhood lobby, town meeting voters overwhelmingly defeated a rezoning article in June that would have cleared the path for a small medical office development.

While Runci noted that another religious order previously expressed vague interest, buyers looking to demolish the historic structures to build single-family lots would face immense financial hurdles. Runci estimated that clearing the site, building compliant roadways, and running utility lines would push new home prices to between $75,000 and $100,000—a figure too high for the busy state highway location along Walpole Street. Despite vacancy and recent minor vandalism, Runci emphasized that the home remains structurally sound: “It is built like a fort and is still a gorgeous structure.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger

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