The McArdle building was built in 1957 by John J. McArdle, Jr. and wife Nancy Burns McArdle. The building was designed to be a low profile professional office building that embraces the modern International style of the period, comprised of two buildings, 18 Central Street and 20 Central Street joined by a common open breezeway. One building, 18 Central Street, was used by the McArdle family for their medical office space. The second building, 20 Central Street, was rented to Jacque Pierre Salon of Beauty, and later to a temporary staffing company. In 1985, the property was rented to Bank of Boston, which connected the two buildings and expanded the breezeway. Danvers Savings Bank rented the property from 2001 to 2012 and the Reading Co-Operative Bank now occupies the space. The property remains in the McArdle Family Trust.

This location is the historic site of the former Jonathan Swift house, also known as the Thomas Holt house and later the Henry Newman house. The home was a classic New England Cape "Cod" style home nearly identical to the Rose Cottage on the corner of Chestnut and Central Streets, then the next door neighbor at the time they were built. The structure in the rear yard of the property, in the period photograph, is reported by Josiah Quincy in 1853, to be one of Andover's first Post Office buildings that once stood on the corner of Main & Chestnut Streets in the 1780's. It was later moved to the rear of the Newman lot and used as a carpenter's shop. It also served as a shoemakers shop and painter shop.

The property became the home of Thomas Clark in 1853. Clark took a mortgage from Newman to purchase the property and it was later assigned to the Andover Savings Bank in 1855. Clark could not keep up with the payments and the bank took possession of the property in September 1858. The bank held the property for eight years and then sold it Almena Swift wife of Jonathan Swift in May 1876. The Swifts lived across the street at 23 Central St. at the corner of Brook St. then to 53 Main St. where the TD Bank is located today.

The house was rented out by the Swift family. After the death of Almena her estate was inherited by her two daughters, Elizabeth Florence Swift and Kate Adams Swift. The sisters lived together and never married. With their deaths their estates were then sold off on Oct. 18, 1914.

William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Company purchased the property in October 1914 and in February 1921 placed the property in the Arden Trust. An article in the Andover Townsman March 22, 1912? "Old House Gone" The Mark Newman house on Central street is being demolished by workmen. This is said to be one of the oldest houses in town, nearing two hundred and fifty years. The old boards and inside frame are in wonderful state of preservation, and the nails are had made and very free of rust. The old oven used so many years ago is an object of interest. Its modern history is also interesting, as in this house the Free Church was organized in 1845. The property belongs to William M. Wood, president of the American Woolen Co."

Wood later sold the lot to William J. Burns, a merchant with property on Main Street in Nov. 1924. It would be inherited by his brother David S. Burns and wife Florence S. Burns.

Florence Burns sold the land to her daughter, Nancy Burns McArdle, and Nancy's husband, John J. McArdle, Jr., MD, in 1955.

See #16 Central Street for complete history on the historic house.

See map 4231 - Feb. 1961 - Land taking by Town for Rogers Brook project
Right of Way for Merrimack Valley National Bank - Feb. 26, 1965 - b. 1028 p. 490