The Martha’s Vineyard Commission decided this week to move forward with a public hearing on the proposed demolition of the Denniston House in Oak Bluffs regardless of the timetable for other town committees.

The project is currently under the oversight of three boards including the MVC. The Oak Bluffs historical commission halted demolition of the structure for six months by designating it for preferable preservation in December. And in March the Cottage City historic district commission will hold a public hearing to consider adding the property to its district.

The demolition request is under review by the commission as a modification to a development of regional impact (DRI).

Island Affordable Housing Fund executive director Ewell Hopkins claims regulatory confusion has stymied his efforts to establish a clear price for the Masonic avenue property. The property is now on the market as the financially troubled nonprofit housing fund scrambles to pay off a $750,000 mortgage on it. Plans to develop the property, known as Bradley Square, into a mixed-use, affordable housing complex, ended in September when it became clear the fund was out of money and had no means to complete the project. Mr. Hopkins is now seeking a permit to demolish the building.

On Monday the commission land use planning subcommittee met with Mr. Hopkins in a prepublic hearing review on the demolition request.

The Denniston House was built in 1895 as a mission to help Portuguese immigrants assimilate into American society. In the 1920s the building became the Bradley Memorial Church, the first African American church on the Island. The property has been unused for many years.

There was a good deal of procedural discussion, but the central issue on Monday was whether the commission should move ahead with its own review or wait until the Cottage City historic district holds its hearing on March 9 to consider expanding the boundaries of the district. Commission member Douglas Sederholm said the commission should move ahead.

“Personally I don’t think there’s a need to defer to March 9; I think that’s a completely independent track,” he said. “We would be shirking our duty if we deferred just to see if someone’s going to grab it. It’s going to come back to us anyway,” he said.

MVC executive director Mark London cast doubt on the likelihood that the commission would allow the demolition, based on discussions he had with the Cape Cod Commission executive director.

“I asked whether Cape Cod could think of any examples of a demolition just to clear a site and they just laughed and said there’s no way the commission would approve that application,” Mr. London said.