talbot house AAB.pdf
Brona Simon, Executive Director
Massachusetts Historic Commission
220 Morrissey Blvd
Boston, MA 02125
RE: Talbot House MAAB Variance Review, 25 Prospect Street
Dear Ms. Simon:
The Northampton Historical Commission unanimously voted at its May 22, 2023 meeting to
support the Architectural Access Board variance requested by Smith College for an accessible
ramp on the west entrance of the structure. The Commission agreed that an architecturally
appropriate ramp work planned would be cost prohibitive, and that the low cost, conventional
ramp proposed as an alternative will not have a detrimental impact on the existing building
Thank you for your consideration-
Sarah LaValley
Staff to the Northampton Historical Commission
CandHArchitects.com 49 S. Pleasant Street, Suite 301 Amherst, MA 01002 413.549.3616
C&H Architects
To: Sarah LaValley, AICP
City of Northampton
From: Thomas RC Hartman, AIA
Date: 26 May 2023
Cc: Martha Lyon, Chair of Northampton Historic Commission
Javier Campos, Smith College
Re: Talbot House MAAB Variance, 25 Prospect Street
I’d like to thank the Historical Commission for taking time to review the proposed project at Talbot House
earlier this week. The purpose of this memorandum is to summarize our discussion and to ask for an
opinion letter to the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC). This letter will be included in our
Project Notification Form (PNF) and ADA consultation process with the MHC.
At the meeting last week, I presented the context of the variance process required by the Massachusetts
Architectural Access Board (MAAB), and we specifically discussed the options for a ramp on the west
entrance on Talbot. This entrance has been granted a variance by the MAAB to not install a ramp, but
ordered that we complete MHC ADA review process. Our case docket is V23-054.
Our variance application proposed that the cost of providing an architecturally appropriate ramp was
between $250-$350k, and was determined to meet the threshold of impracticability as defined by the
MAAB.
At our meeting, I presented a range of options, and asked the Northampton Historic Commission to offer
an opinion of whether the low cost, conventional ramp would have a detrimental impact on the existing
building. Drawings of that ramp are attached, as well as an example letter from a similar process in
another jurisdiction.
Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. I’d like to be able to submit the PNF to
MHC at the end of June.
Thank you,
-Tom
Talbot House
26 May 2023 C&H Architects Page 2 of 5
35'-9"11'-8"WEST
OVERBUILD ENTIREPORCH TO MAKEPORCH FLOORFLUSH WITHBUILDING FIRSTFLOOR
FIRST FLOOR LEVEL0'-0"
PORCH FLOOR LEVEL0'-0"NEW LANDING LEVEL-1'-7"
NEW MAABCOMPLIANT RAMP
EXISTING WOODGUARD RAILS TOREMAIN NEW 42" GUARD RAIL
NEW MAABCOMPLIANTHANDRAILS ATEXISTING STAIR
EXISTING GRADE LEVEL-3'-9"
EXISTING FRONT ENTRY DOOR
RAMP SLOPES DOWN @ 8% (1:12)
RAMP SLOPES DOWN @ 8% (1:12)
EXISTINGWALKWAY
EXISTINGSIDEWALK
EXISTINGROAD
NEWCONCRETELANDINGAT GRADE
10'-0" SETBAC
K
L
I
N
E
EXISTING TREE
EXISTINGTREE
NEW UPPERLANDING
N34678
1/4" = 1'-0"
1001259
PROPOSED PORCH & RAMP PLAN
Talbot House
26 May 2023 C&H Architects Page 3 of 5
3 4 6 7 8
1/4" = 1'-0"
1001259
PROPOSED RAMP AT FRONT (WEST) ELEVATION
Talbot House
26 May 2023 C&H Architects Page 4 of 5
PROPOSED RAMP AT FRONT RENDERING
Talbot House
26 May 2023 C&H Architects Page 5 of 5
MEMORANDUM
TO: Thomas Hopkins, Director, Massachusetts Architectural Access Board
FROM: Amherst Historical Commission
RE: Access Improvements to College Hall (AMH 354)
DATE: May, 22, 2013
At the Historical Commission meeting on May 14, 2013 the Commission heard a presentation
from Thomas RC Hartman, AIA of Coldham & Hartman Architects regarding the access
improvements to College Hall (AMH 354) on the Amherst College Campus. The presentation
included a description of the interior improvements, including the installation of an elevator and
sprinkler system, and an overview of the exterior changes. The most notable exterior changes
will be the design of the West entrance as a main entrance with a canopy, a dedicated HP parking
space, and an accessible walkway that curves around the north side of the building that brings
pedestrians from the street to this new West entrance.
Mr. Hartman also described the variance request to the Massachusetts Architectural Access
Board to leave the historic east entrance unchanged. The Amherst Historical Commission
unanimously supported (a vote of 6-0) this request, noting that College Hall is a landmark
building in the community and that the plans and access improvements show a great sensitivity
to the historic character of the building while including modern updates. The Commission noted
that the design and citing of College Hall on a prominent overlook was a common strategy at the
time of construction, however, it makes it difficult to meet current standards and regulations,
particularly accessibility. With regard to accessibility, the Commission was in agreement that
adding a lift or ramp on this historic façade would have a significant detrimental impact,
compromising the integrity of the structure and its placement within the landscape.
Thank you for your consideration of this letter of support for the project.
Michael Hanke,
Chair
AMHERST
Massachusetts
Town of
TOWN HALL
4 Boltwood Avenue
Amherst, MA 01002-2351
HISTORICAL COMMISSION
(413) 259-3040
(413) 259-2410 [Fax]
planning@amherstma.gov