# Mysterious Building in Weston MA **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 20, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457 "2008-02-20T23:50:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RunSilent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@RunSilent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RunSilent)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/21 "2008-02-22T18:16:45Z")
[QUOTE=Chimera] Check with the county in which it is located. When I worked for Loomis and did pickups at the Property Tax department of Hennepin County (MN), I would entertain myself while waiting by looking through the ‘printed every 5 years’ PID, or Property Identification Document. Listed every property in the county, by city by address. Name of the taxpayer, name of the owner, assessed value, assessed value of just the land, tax amount, last time it was sold and for what amount. For instance, there is a house on Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis that is owned by the Queen of England, but the registered property tax payer is the Canadian Government. I assume it’s a consulate or something like that. Unless it’s some secret hideout for Brit royals just in case the balloon ever goes up… And yeah, now I know when all my friends in that county bought their houses, what they paid for them, and how much they pay in taxes on it (at least, in 2005, the year it was printed). Good entertainment. [/QUOTE] Which house would that be… ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/22 "2008-02-22T18:18:54Z")
[QUOTE=chappachula] How does this work our financially? Is it profitable? Why not sell the property and invest the cash in something that pays interest? Why pay the property taxes for decades, if you have no intention of using the land? Plus the costs of maintainence (fencing, roof leaks, liability insurance)? Or are taxes and costs so low that it is worth keeping the property for 30 years as an investment/speculation to be sold later? [/QUOTE] The only thing the owner did was pay the property taxes every year. He had a very profitable funeral home in south Jersey and didn’t need to make a profit. Jut let the completed building sit there, year after year. Never made any improvements. It is a very structural sound building, as the City was so outraged they made him build it exactly up to Code. Like I posted above, they made us bring it exactly up to Code when we bought it. We kept as much of the original building as we could, because it was cheaper, and it also appealed to my “warped sense of the macabre.” People come in here who know nothing about the building’s background and ask “DId this use to be a funeral home?” ETA: I have access to the tax records for several New Jersey counties. If anyone wants to find out who owns a property, they can go to City Hall and ask for the deed recordings. It’s a pain to find without a lot and block number. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/23 "2008-02-22T19:32:47Z")
[QUOTE=RunSilent] Which house would that be… [/QUOTE] I forget the address, it’s been about a year and a half since I worked that job. North end of the lake, though. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/24 "2008-02-22T22:37:27Z")
I wonder if this building is a Thomas Edison building-around 1900 he had a company that built cast concrete structures. It really is weird-a large garage sitting empty, in a very wealthy town. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/26 "2013-05-19T01:41:05Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > (FTR, I think Impatiens are pretty. So are pansies.) _blushes_ Awww…thanks, hon! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/27 "2013-05-19T02:22:37Z")
If someone dies without a will and has no heirs, a building could just sit forever. I have no heirs; lots of people don’t. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/28 "2013-05-19T03:27:04Z")
This thread was bumped by a spammer. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/29 "2013-05-19T03:41:20Z")
Since this has been bumped up, and Google Maps has been updated since 2008, here’s a new link, which should show the property lines. I think the building in question (barely noticeable in satellite view or street view) is the little spot that’s not like the others. [Google Maps](http://goo.gl/maps/OB8Lv) ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/30 "2013-05-19T03:53:03Z")
A bit of looking at the Weston Assessor’s Office web page leads me to this map: [http://www.weston.govoffice.com/vertical/sites/{264E11B6-4A4A-4EC0-B631-35FE907B479E}/uploads/Assessors\_FY12\_13.pdf](http://www.weston.govoffice.com/vertical/sites/%7B264E11B6-4A4A-4EC0-B631-35FE907B479E%7D/uploads/Assessors_FY12_13.pdf) The parcel in question is down at the bottom right, #129. It’s labeled as being owned by the town. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/31 "2013-05-19T19:22:47Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > This thread was bumped by a spammer. How was he a spammer? All he did was link to pictures that he took. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/32 "2013-05-19T19:32:26Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > How was he a spammer? All he did was link to pictures that he took. There was no proof the pictures were taken in the said building and it added nothing to the topic. Plus, zombie thread revived to link to his own business website. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/33 "2013-05-19T23:14:44Z")
It’s the Barn where Wilbur Whateley’s twin brother lives. (The story says “Dunwich” but that was a cover-up) Don’t open the door. He looks more like his father than Wilbur does. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/34 "2013-05-20T20:08:06Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > Since this has been bumped up, and Google Maps has been updated since 2008, here’s a new link, which should show the property lines. I think the building in question (barely noticeable in satellite view or street view) is the little spot that’s not like the others. [Google Maps](http://goo.gl/maps/OB8Lv) The building with the three arched garage doors on it is a little further south, and on the other side of the road. 153 North Avenue as opposed to 155 North Avenue. There’s a little white mini SUV right in front of it when you get to the point. At least this matches the description in the OP and it’s on the west side of the road, between 117 and the tracks, but the OP said 155 and it’s showing up as 153 for me. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/35 "2013-05-20T22:39:47Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > The building with the three arched garage doors on it is a little further south, and on the other side of the road. 153 North Avenue as opposed to 155 North Avenue. There’s a little white mini SUV right in front of it when you get to the point. > > At least this matches the description in the OP and it’s on the west side of the road, between 117 and the tracks, but the OP said 155 and it’s showing up as 153 for me. Yeah. I got the spot from one of the previous posts and didn’t move the marker. But the map should show the property lines that I was describing. The location the OP is asking about is a notably smaller parcel than the others. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/36 "2013-05-22T04:04:23Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > A bit of looking at the Weston Assessor’s Office web page leads me to this map: [http://www.weston.govoffice.com/vertical/sites/{264E11B6-4A4A-4EC0-B631-35FE907B479E}/uploads/Assessors\_FY12\_13.pdf](http://www.weston.govoffice.com/vertical/sites/%7B264E11B6-4A4A-4EC0-B631-35FE907B479E%7D/uploads/Assessors_FY12_13.pdf) > > The parcel in question is down at the bottom right, #129. It’s labeled as being owned by the town. Well that’s an explanation but it still is weird because when you look a that map the footprint of the building looks like it extend onto the road. And if it is some type of municipal storage garage it really hasn’t been used in a few years. There are decent sized trees growing in front of at least two of those garage type doors. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/37 "2013-05-22T07:12:54Z")
It looks like typical garages built close to the road back in the 20’s? 30’s? I’ve seen many garages like this before but usually built into a hill. puts the car on road level versus having to negotiate a steep driveway. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/38 "2013-05-22T20:29:46Z")
Wow, I got close to the build date. [It was a fire station built in 1908](http://www.westonhistory.org/Documents/20th-century-timeline.pdf). thanks to the person who shared the email info. Cool stuff. This page from the Weston Historical Society ([http://westhistcomm.org/districts-an...eon-hill-area/](http://westhistcomm.org/districts-an...eon-hill-area/)) suggests who the architect is. Quote: Two of the first lots to be sold in the new development were the adjoining lots L and M at the top of the hill, sold to architect Alexander S. Jenney in November, 1897. \ He was the architect of the 1898 Weston Town Library and the fire stations on Boston Post Road (1914) and North Avenue(1908). ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/39 "2013-05-22T20:48:34Z")
Why is the image blurry around the building? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/40 "2013-05-22T20:51:32Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Why is the image blurry around the building? The whole thing is blurry. looks like there’s a basement to it with a door on the side. I would LOVE to look through the building. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457/41 "2013-05-22T21:09:29Z")
the Bing view shows the whole shape of the building to better effect: > **[Bing Maps](https://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2#JnE9LjQyJTI1NDAyMzgyMjY0JTJiLTcxJTI1NDAyMjg0ODQ2JTdlc3N0LjAlN2VwZy4xJmJiPTUyLjQyNTQ5ODY2Mjk1NDglN2UtODQuNDEwNDMwOTA3NSU3ZTEwLjY1NDYwNjY3MTU1OTElN2UtMTUyLjE3NDEwMjc4MjU=)** > > Map multiple locations, get transit/walking/driving directions, view live traffic conditions, plan trips, view satellite, aerial and street side imagery. Do more with Bing Maps. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-building-in-weston-ma/438457.md?page=3)