Restoration to the exterior of the Revolutionary War-era Wellington House off Trapelo Road could be completed by the end of the month.
Over the last few years, the Waltham Historical Commission has received some $367,000 from various sources to renovate the historic house, said Archie Bennett, the commission's program director.
"It's expensive work, but well worth it," said Bennett, who called the Georgian house an "architectural gem" for the city.
Built in the 1770s, the Wellington House is the former home of William Wellington, a patriot and community leader.
"The Wellingtons were basically one of the founding families of Waltham," Bennett said.
Bennett said the house stayed in two families until somewhere around 1930 when the property was acquired partly through purchase and partly through eminent domain to build Middlesex County Hospital.
The house was later occupied by the hospital's superintendent but has been abandoned for more than 20 years, Bennett said.
The needed renovations include putting on a new cedar-shingle roof - the same type that was on the home when it was originally built - and repairs to the post-and-beam framework. Of the money that was used for the renovations, $100,000 comes from the city's Community Preservation Act fund.
The Community Preservation Committee in January approved $100,000 a year over a total of four years for renovations.
While this year's allotment was approved by the City Council, Bennett said the council would have to OK the preservation act money separately each year.
In 2005, developer Pulte Homes donated the house along with about $115,000 for its renovations after the company bought the former Middlesex County Hospital property for its 268-unit condominium project, Wellington Crossing. Also in 2005, the Davis Companies in Boston donated $100,000 to the city for historical preservation, which was used for the Wellington House. Another $52,000 was given by the Massachusetts Preservation Project Fund.
Bennett said the city owns roughly 12 acres next to the Wellington House, which could be turned into a park.
"The thinking is that (the Wellington House) could be sort of a head house for some type of passive recreation area," Bennett said.
Richard Conn can be contacted at 781-398-8004 or rconn@cnc.com.
