An architect representing the owners of the storied property at 10 Melville Ave. earlier this summer detailed extensive plans for renovations on the inside and outside of the property to create a two-family home.

On July 26, the renovations were detailed during a Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) meeting. The plans with suggested changes were approved by an 8-0 vote of the BLC on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Additionally, the property could end up becoming a Boston landmark, due to the ownership of the Fields family, which Fields Corner is named after, and perhaps more noteworthy, the later ownership by the Knight family, of New Kids on the Block fame.

The property changed hands from the Salvation Army Jubilee House earlier this year to a private owner who is about to undertake the extensive renovations.

The home was built in 1880 by the leather merchant John Fields of Fields Corner, and designed by George Meacham, the architect behind the Boston Public Garden. The home has a twin in Newton, known as the Haskell House.

The detailed plans for 10 Melville brought relief to a cadre of neighbors in Melville Park who have been paying close attention what’s going on at the property, with some having expressed worries that a developer might try to raze the home to build a larger structure on the massive lot.

Derek Bloom of Bloom Architects appeared before the BLC on July 26 to for the first discussion of exterior modifications, which are few, and to note that the owner will be turning the home into a two-family building.

The second unit would be on the third floor and consist of an attic apartment accessed through an existing stairway on the left side of the home, which would be wrapped with wood slats, and a new spiral fire escape staircase on the right side of the property that would connect to a new door added in an existing third-floor window.

“Most of the house is intact,” said Bloom. “There was a water leak when the previous owner vacated and caused bad damage to the rear. There are no ceilings and floors in back because of water damage.”

The Salvation Army’s commercial kitchen will be removed, and a traditional kitchen would be added with new glass-style doors leading to the back. Though not part of the current application, Bloom shared that the owners do intend to rebuild the carriage house behind the home – which has partially collapsed.

“They have added some bracing inside, which are temporary measures to keep it from fully collapsing,” he said. “There are plans being developed to create a new foundation. That will be subject to separate permits and separate historical review when the time comes.”

For the most part, members of the BLC had no qualms with the outside modifications. However, they did raise concerns about a new third-floor door and spiral fire escape. Bloom agreed to have the owner choose a door that had more glass and mimicked a window and move the spiral stairs further back from the street. Those changes were included in new drawings presented at Tuesday’s meeting.

BLC member Bradford Walker talked about the color scheme and the borrowing of too many elements from other places for the new additions. “To me, that is just trying too hard,” he said. “It looks like some kid that got into his mother’s closet and is trying on too many clothes.”

Bloom noted at this week’s meeting they had made modifications to the new stair addition, making a simpler element on the outdoor stairway.