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2003 Historical Commission minutesNORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01060 CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: January 27, 2003 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1.) Announcements 2.) State Hospital/ Comment Letter per Draft EIR 3.) Fundraising Spring Auction 4.) Updates Memorial Bench Pomeroy Terrace 5.) New Business 6.) Adjourn Peg- Keller Date U NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes January 27, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Susan Well, Valerie Lavender, Tris Metcalfe, Barbara Blumenthal, Norman Winston, Jennifer Hayes, Kim Howes. Call to Order/ Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Mr. Winston made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Ms. Blumenthal. The vote was unanimous in favor. Announcements Ms. Well reported on a program to be held March 16 at the Academy for the 350 Birthday celebration and an Appraisal Fair /Silent Auction to be held by the Rotary on April 2 She also said that someone (Lois Ahrens) had expressed a desire to have signage created for historic properties for the celebration. Ms. Lavender agreed that signage would be a good project for the Commission. Mr. Kennedy said in Springfield the Commission sells the signage after doing the research. Ms. Well said that people are coming together to pursue this and asked that Ms. Ahrens be contacted. Ms. Lavender agreed to do so. Preservation Awards Ms. Lavender distributed a time line. The steps that need to take place were reviewed. Preliminary public relations need to occur in January. Hotel Bridge Mr. Howes gave Peg Keller photographs he has taken of the bridge in Leeds. Neighbors had come to a meeting last fall asking that the Commission assist them with putting the bridge on the National Register in order to avoid inappropriate repairs. Mr. Howes had offered to take some photographs. Mr. Kennedy will contact Sue Carbin to see if the neighbors have made any progress on doing research to accompany the nomination. Northampton State Hospital Peg Keller reviewed the highlights of the preliminary environmental impact report. It was agreed that Peg would draft a response letter and email it to the 1 members for comment. Possible distribution of the comments to Mass. Historical, the Developer, the Lt. Governor and area legislators was discussed. Mr. Metcalfe made a motion to send a letter to the developer that in a concise way expressed the opinion that the hope for the future is to reconsider the justification for the demolition of so many buildings on the campus. The motion was seconded by Ms. Blumenthal, the vote in favor was unanimous. Pomeroy Terrace Mr. Kennedy reported that he has tried to solicit assistance from the students at UMass. He has not made a connection with the photographer (Rodney Kunath) or the neighbor who volunteered to help with the writing (Faye Wolf). Peg K. suggested we approach a bank or business in the area to assist with project costs. Memorial Bench Ms. Lavender reported that Smith College has contributed mahogany wood to be used for the bench. Smith Vocational School students will build the bench. She has met with Gloria McPherson in the Planning Department about doing a landscape design for the area. Pat Goggins has paid for the plaques and fittings. C ) Ms. Lavender offered to write up a short history and project description for the students at Smith Voc, so they understand the context for the bench and purpose of the effort. Ms. Lavender said that Rebecca McCauley offered to find assistance among former patients and families to maintain the pathways, etc. Ms. Hayes said a thank you letter should be sent to Mr. Goggins. Ms. Lavender said she would get the information to Chair Kennedy, so an acknowledgement could be sent. Fundraising Members discussed the fact that the rotary was planning an auction very close to the April date the Commission had planned to hold a similar event. It was decided that efforts could focus possibly on a house tour, which is more unique and could potentially raise more funds. It was agreed to discuss this further at the next meeting. Adjourn The meeting concluded at 9:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted /revised, Peg Keller 2 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS .01060 CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: February 24, 2003 TIME: 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18. 210 Main Street Northampton MA AGENDA 1.) Announcements 2.) Updates - Local Awards Program - Hotel Bridge - Fundraising/ House Tour - Memorial-Bench MEPA Response/ State Hospital 3.) Other Business 4.) Adjourn Peg Kellcf> Date NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes February 24, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Norman Winston, Louise Bloomberg, Valerie Lavender, Tris Metcalfe, Susan Well, Kim Howes, Barbara Blumenthal, Jennifer Hayes. Also present, Jim Parsons, local historian, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order/ Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Howes made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting. Ms. Lavender asked for revisions to remove the monetary amount of the Smith College donation to the Memorial Bench and to add that she had offered to contact Lois Ahrens about historical signs. With those amendments, Mr. Winston seconded the motion, and the vote to approve the minutes was unanimous in favor. Hotel Bridge Chair Kennedy acknowledged the presence of Mr. Parsons, from the Leeds Civic Association. Mr. Parsons reported that he had reviewed the National Register 1 nomination form and did not find it that relevant to bridges. He said he does �J have background information about the bridge. He wondered how much work the Commission had done to further the nomination. Chair Kennedy said that based on the initial request from Sue Carbin, Member Howes had taken some photographs and analyzed the current condition of the bridge. Chair Kennedy agreed to research the appropriate form for a bridge nomination. Mr. Howes added that after the cursory inspection for integrity, he concluded the bridge is not in need of immediate repair. He said no additional material should be added to the existing asphalt surface. He said that most of his photos were taken with color film, as opposed to the required black and white. Mr. Parsons recapped some of the history of the area. Ms. Well said the information she had on the project was forwarded to Chair Kennedy. She added that the nomination is a two step process and that the bridge was already declared eligible earlier. Chair Kennedy agreed to look for the old files and contact MHC. Mr. Parsons agreed to fill out the forms with the appropriate historical information. All will continue communicating to move this project forward. 1 Local Awards Nominations were reviewed and assigned to Commission members for further research. The following were determined to not be complete: the Sojourner Truth Statue, the Elks building on Center Street, the old Fire Station on Masonic Street, the Lilly Library, Forbes Library, Academy of Music, Bay State Hotel, Teapot 2. Progress will be checked next month on the Fine Arts Center (Valerie), the Lyman Plant House (Norman). Those already under consideration include 345 Elm Street (Valerie), 38 Union Street (Tris), Sylvesters (Barbara), Twin Cleaners (Susan), the Cafe Casablanca (Jennifer), patio /garden on Franklin Street (Louise), the Sugar Maple Inn bed and breakfast on Chestnut Street (Chris), the Florence Civic Center (Kim) and the Yacuzzo property on North Elm Street (Kim). Final selections will be made next month. Ms. Lavender said she would put a pre - event notice in the paper. Memorial Bench Project Ms. Lavender reported that the bench is being built now and will be installed when the ground thaws. Three letters will be sent out: Smith College, Pat Goggins and family and Smith Vocational school, when project is completed. Gloria McPherson of the Planning Department is creating a landscape plan. Ms. Well noted that she was contacted by the Department of Mental Health about the project. Dedication is planned for spring /summer. State Hospital EIR Response Members discussed what they wanted to have included in the letter to the State and developer about the project. Mr. Metcalfe maintained that the City leadership should have told the developer to save the buildings, and the developers would have, given those instructions in the beginning. He said the City chose to focus on the property as valuable real estate as opposed to preserving the history and architecture. Members agreed there would be no point in laying blame, but wanted their profound disappointment to be communicated. Member Hayes said that when the buildings come down, people will want to know why the local historic commission did not protect them. Some reference to the mission statement should be included and the failure of the Memorandum of Agreement to accomplish any significant preservation. The comment period has not yet begun. Peg K. will circulate a draft of the letter to be sent. 2 Pomeroy Terrace Chair Kennedy reported that he,has not been able to interest the UMass program, so the project is at a standstill. Fundraising Chair Kennedy reported that Ms. Hayes is creating a press release to offer his appraisal skills to the community as a way to generate funds for the Commission. Mass. Preservation Projects Fund Peg K. noted that this source is once again soliciting proposals. An application for City hall could be submitted. Chair Kennedy said he saw an allocation of City funds for exterior repairs in a City budget. Peg investigated and found that $40,000 has been set aside in the Capital Improvement budget for repair of exterior cracks and painting. Members asked for a work scope breakdown. Citizen Planner Awards Peg reported that Louise Bloomberg and Stan Sherer were recently given Citizen Planner Awards for the creation of the photo exhibit. This is the 2 nd annual round of the program, initiated by the Planning Department to honor local volunteers who contribute "above and beyond" in their realm of community service. The awards were televised at the City Council meeting on Feb. 20 . Each recipient received a standing ovation and handshake from the Councilors. Both Stan and Louise were there to receive their awards. Thanks again to the both of them for such a wonderful gift to the City! 48 Old South Street Chair Kennedy alerted members of an information request that came to Historic Northampton regarding an interest in dismantling and moving this house to New Hampshire. It is currently owned by 3 people in Longmeadow and the potential buyer is a house restorer. The buyer has looked at the house and is evaluating its condition. He has not yet decided whether or not to buy it and is aware that the City does not have a demolition by -law. Peg K. offered to work on a draft by -law. Adjourn Ms. Lavender made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Howes. The meeting concluded at 9:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 3 NORTHAMPTON P T'ON HISTORICAL COMMISSION CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAN' ` - - - -- Peg Keller Planning & Development CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Architect, 1849 Meeting Notice DATE: March 31, 2003 TIME: 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1.) Announcements O 2.) Awards Ceremony ➢ Finalize Nominees ➢ Identify location /refreshments/ public relations 3.) Memorial Bench Project Update 4.) Pomeroy Terrace ➢ Volunteer / need for sub - committee 5.) Fundraising ➢ Fall House Tour/ need for sub - committee ➢ Spring Auction 200.4 o Other Ideas 6.) Updates ➢ Leeds /Water Street Bridge ➢ Parsons House/ 48 Old South Street ➢ Pratt Cottage/ 337 Bridge Street 7.) New Business 8.) Adjourn urn �� Peg Kelm Date NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION MINUTES March 31, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair; Valerie Lavender, Vice - Chair; Norman Winston, Kim Howes, Susan Well, Jennifer Hayes and Barbara Blumenthal. Also present, Michael Owens, staff. Call to Order: Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at approximately 7:00 p.m. and asked for acceptance of the minutes from the previous meeting. Valerie requested a change to the minutes as presented and there was a discussion of that process. Announcements: There were no announcements, however attention was called to the article in the newspaper regarding antique appraisal services offered by the Chair as a fund raiser for the Commission. Bench Update: The bench - refurbishing project is 90% complete. A landscape plan has been completed and Smith Voc students will complete the landscaping free of charge. Valerie gave a quick run down of the landscape plan and asked if thank you letters had been sent out to folks who assisted with this project. Most contributors have been sent a thank you note, the remainder will be sent out shortly. First Churches: Work proposed for the area in front of First Churches was briefly discussed. The plan calls for removal of the mature trees. There was a discussion regarding the drafting of a letter to the First Churches from the Commission expressing interest in an important public space that has significant history. Pomeroy Terrace Update: Chris had two items to report. Jacquie Scott, a recent Harvard graduate in architecture, will lend technical assistance support to this effort by taking pictures of subject properties. Also, MHC reports that the sixteen (16) missing form B's may not be a factor; the Commission may not need every form B for Pomeroy Terrace. There will be a meeting scheduled soon to discuss the next steps in the process. The Chair noted that the Commission should begin developing a Pomeroy Terrace subcommittee; there will be further discussion at the next meeting. Fundraising: Members discussed possible fundraising events such as the following: • A fall house tour modeled somewhat on the Forbes Garden tour • A tour of homes in the proposed Pomeroy Terrace Historic District • Sponsoring a book on Northampton History ■ An auction, tag sale or raffle Water Street Bridge: Kim reports that as of today's date the City has no funds to repair the bridge. He expects the annual inspection by the State to take place sometime soon. Mass Historic Commission reports that the bridge is eligible for the State historic register. Parsons House 48 Old South Street: Apparently an individual from New Hampshire is looking into the purchase and dismantling of the Parsons House for relocation to NH. The owner may want to see the building go away because it is in such bad shape. Members felt that this was not a good situation and that efforts should be made to fund a place where the house could be moved here in Northampton, unfortunately the owner is probably going to look for some type of payment for the structure. There is also the question of having a parcel of property to move the house onto. Members will continue to strategize regarding possible scenarios to save this building. Pratt Cottage 337 Bridge Street: Commission members will continue their efforts to find a location where this home could be moved as the owner has made the decision to remove the house and undertake new construction on the property. Demolition Delay Bylaw: Recent developments concerning the above referenced properties have caused Commission members to consider advocating for a demolition delay bylaw. Members requested that Peg Keller provide updated information regarding successful demolition delay bylaws in other Massachusetts communities. Award Ceremony Nominees: Members discussed and finalized the list of nominees for the annual Historic Commission preservation awards. Peg Keller will prepare letters to the successful nominees. Members will e- mail each other regarding a location for the ceremony. The Lyman Plant House may be a good location as it is also a nominee. Details will be finalized at the April 2003 meeting. Next Meeting: The next scheduled meeting of the Commission is April 28th. Respectfully submitted, Michael T. Owens NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION � CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01060 � I V ti S UP %1 l , CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 DATE: TIME: PLACE NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION OFFICIAL MEETING NOTICE Monday, April 28, 2003 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. City Hall, Hearing Room #18 210 Main Street, Northampton A enda 1) Announcements 2) Awards Ceremonies - Letters to winners -Press Release for ceremonies - Discuss property descriptions 3) Demolition Delay Bylaw 4) Fandraising 5) Revisit,proposal by Verizon for cell tower (minor revision) 6) Updates - Memorial Bench - Hospital Burial Grounds - Bridge Street /Pratt House -Leeds Water Street Bridge 7) New Business 8) Adj ourn Peg Ke ler Housing & Community Development Planner r NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes April 28, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair; Valerie Lavender, Vice - Chair; Kimball Howes, Norman Winston, Susan Well, Tris Metcalfe, Jennifer Hayes, Barbara Blumenthal. Also present, Sue Carbin, Leeds Civic Association and Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order/ Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Staff had not yet generated minutes from the last meeting. Announcements/ 1.) Chair Kennedy reported that the application for antenna installation at the Arts and Industries building at 221 Pine Street has been revised. It appears that they need to raise the height by 10 feet. Mass. Historical had sent a letter approving the project, but the applicant will now have to reapply based on this height revision. The Commission concluded they have no objections to this revision. Chair Kennedy will forward those comments to the applicant, once Member Howes has made an on -site inspection. Leeds Bridge Update Chair Kennedy acknowledged Ms. Carbin and gave an update on the project. Ms. Carbin agreed that she had received materials from Ms. Well that she will now forward to Mr. Parsons. Chair Kennedy read a letter he received from Mass. Historic confirming the eligibility of the bridge for nomination to the National Register. Next steps were outlined. Chair Kennedy agreed to work on the application. Member Well offered to edit the text. Ms. Carbin said that the Leeds Civic Association could cover some minimal expenses. All agreed to stay in touch in order to move the application ahead. Pratt House /337 Bridge Street Chair Kennedy reported that the prior Tuesday evening, interested citizens had gone to the house to take pictures. In attendance were Mr. Kennedy, Ms. Hayes, Mr. Metcalfe, Jacquie Scott, (Commission volunteer working on the Pomeroy Terrace nomination), and Greg Farmer, Historic Preservation consultant. He said that they are doing their best to document the structure, although it will not U meet the National Park HABS Standards. He said that the owners have agreed to allow the house to be moved, if a location and purchaser can be found. Chair Kennedy said he had contacted the Fairgrounds Association who agreed to ask their board to store the structure temporarily, however flood plain regulations prohibit a permanent installation. Later, the Building Inspector said even a temporary installation could not be allowed, as structural supports, etc. would be required and are prohibited in the flood plain. Mr. Kennedy described some land parcels that were being examined. Work will continue to try to pull resources and people together to prevent the building from being lost completely. Burial Grounds Update Member Hayes discussed the archeological report that had been compiled for the burial grounds. She read the section that suggested that the soil not be disturbed if at all possible. Ms. Hayes expressed her concern that the plans for the seating area and gravel paths were becoming more complicated than the report recommended. She said that much of the information we had been spent time discussing, such as how the vegetation should be addressed, was very clearly stipulated in the report. Chair Kennedy suggested that the remainder of the project be pursued in accordance with the report recommendations. Ms. Lavender noted that the bench has been constructed and she will have a landscaping plan for Commission review after May 5 She agreed to review the plan with the Commission prior to making any decisions on her own. Ms. Hayes noted that the land is actually owned by the Department of Food and Agriculture; they have entered into a 99 -year lease with the City, who in turn leases the fields to Smith Vocational for haying. It was acknowledged that the Historical Commission cannot make decisions about activities on the site without permission from these other entities. Awards Ceremony Discussion followed about the logistics of the ceremony that will take place May 14 at the Lyman Plant House on Smith College Campus. Peg will send out the official letters, members agreed to submit their property descriptions to Vice - Chair Lavender for the press coverage, brochure and archives. Ms. Hayes offered to assist with the assembling of the photographs. J `J 2 Demolition Delay Ordinance Chair Kennedy reported on the results of the meeting he had with the Mayor about the possibility of instituting such an ordinance. She had asked that any proposal wait until the fall due to current preoccupation with the budget. Chair Kennedy noted that it will be important to use that time to make contact with individual councilors and to review current boilerplate documents. Adjourn The meeting concluded at 9:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller i % l 3 q PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CITE' OF NORTHAMPTON CitvV xall • 21 o Main Street, Room i.i • Northampton AlA of o6o -3198 (413) 587 -ia66 • Fax: 587 -1264 Wayne Feiden, Director • emai(:p fanning @city.northampton.rm.us internet :wwwnorthamptonplanning.org NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE May 19, 2003 TIME: 7:00 p.m.-to 9:00 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chambers Behind City Hall 210 Main Street . NOTE LOCATION CHANGE AGENDA 1.) Announcements 2.) Review of DEIR Comment Letter/ State Hospital 3.) Demolition Delay Ordinance 4.) Fundraising - Suggestions for Donors - Events/ Fall House Spring Auction 5.) Awards Ceremony - Follow -up for Press Coverage - Categories and Definitions - Location 2004 6.) Memorial Bench 7.) Updates Pratt House/ Bridge Street - Leeds. Water Street Bridge 8.) New Business 9.) Adjourn planning board • conservation commission • zoning board o of appeals • housing partnership • redevelopment authority • northampton GIs economic development communitgdevelopment • historic district commission • historical commission • central business architecture original printed on recycled paper NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes May 19, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Kim Howes, Valerie Lavender, Norman Winston, Barbara Blumenthal. Also present, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order/ Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. 1. Comment Letter to State Hospital/ Draft Environmental Impact Report A draft response letter based on previous discussions was circulated for comment. Member Howes noted that.it was important to reflect that these sentiments are unanimously felt by a consensus of the Commission. Member Blumenthal discussed the North Infirmary building, the fact that the 2. Prince Street houses were recently renovated prior to the campus closing. She felt they could be included in the plan for the assisted living complex, as an example of creative thinking. O Members wanted to copy the letter to the Mayor. Some revisions were suggested. They will be incorporated and the letter will be ready for signatures by the end of the week. 2. Minutes Member Howes made a motion, seconded by Ms. Lavender, to approve the set from the March meeting. The vote was unanimous in favor. Member Howes made a motion, seconded by Member Winston, to approve the set from the April meeting. The vote was unanimous in favor. 3. Announcements - Chair Kennedy said that the Florence Civic Association had invited the Commission to hold a meeting in their community room. Logistics of a joint meeting were discussed. This will be considered for the July meeting. - Member Winston reported that he had attended the open house at the Slough Hill School on Hatfield Street. The couple that purchased the former school from the City opened their new residence for viewing by the public. Member Winston said they have done a wonderful renovating the �` structure and even retained a portion of one of the chalkboards. He said they should be on the list of Historic Preservation Award winners for next year! 4. Demolition Delay Ordinance Chair Kennedy reported on his discussion with the Mayor regarding the political process. Strategies were discussed with regard to how and when to approach councilors. Work will commence over the summer. S. Fundraising Chair Kennedy thanked Member Blumenthal for her family's contribution to the Commission and asked other members to submit names of potential contributors. The Fall House Tour was discussed. It was decided that Susan Well should be asked to see if such an event would conflict with any activities planned by the 350 Celebration Committee. It was noted that the Drakes, Craig Della Penna and Member Blumenthal could serve on a sub - committee. Chair Kennedy reported that he had conducted between 10 and 15 appraisals, funds for which have all been donated to the Commission. (Congratulations to Chris for such an innovative idea, and for his time and expertise!) 6. Evaluation of the Awards Ceremony Chair Kennedy noted that the owners of Sylvester's have offered to host the Awards ceremony next year. Members discussed the need for more detailed categories for selection of award winners . Chair Kennedy, and Members Blumenthal and Hayes agreed to pursue this further. 7. Memorial Bench Project Member Lavender reported that wood mulch is slated to be installed at the bench site and will be maintained by Rebecca McCauley. Peg K. stated that the Commission can not make decisions about the property without permission from the owners. Ms. Lavender agreed to contact the Dept. of Food and Agriculture and get confirmation of the permission she has been given in writing, which she will fax to the Planning Department. Member Lavender expressed concern that the work be done before Smith Vocational School closes for the year. 8. Adjourn/ There being no further business to discuss, the meeting concluded at 9:11 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller J PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - CITE' OF NORTHAMPTON CitN Hall • 2i o Main Street, Room ii • Northampton, MA of o60 -3198 - (413)587-x266 • Fax: 587 -1264 waNneRiden,Director • emai[:p fanning @citN.northampton.ma.us - internet :wwwnorthamptonptanning.org NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: June 30, 2003 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 P.M. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1.) Announcements ➢ July Meeting/ Florence Civic Association 2.) Updates ➢ Leeds /Water Street Bridge ➢ Parsons House/ 48 Old South Street ➢ Pratt Cottage/ 337 Bridge Street 3.) Fundraising Fall House Tour/ Report from Sub - committee/ B. Blumenthal 4.) Awards Ceremony ➢ Report from Sub - Committee on Selection Categories/ B. Blumenthal 5.) Pomeroy Terrace ➢ Progress Update/ J. Hayes 6.) Memorial Bench Project Update ➢ Report on Meeting with G. McPherson 7.) New Business ➢ Request for National Register Nomination - Fruit Street 8.) Adjourn Peg Kel Q Date planning board • conservation commission • zoning board o of appeals • housing partnership -redevelopment authorito • nortyampton GIS economic develop men • commu nits development • historicdistrictcommission - yistoricaIcommission - centraIbusinessarchitecture o rig inaI printed on recNctedpaper NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes June 30, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Barbara Blumenthal, Susan Well, Norman Winston. Absent, Valerie Lavender, Jennifer Hayes, Louise Bloomberg, Kim Howes, Tris Metcalfe. Also present, Peg Keller, staff and David Drake, interested party. Call to Order/ Minutes Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Ms. Well made a motion to approve the minutes with edits offered in absentia by Vice -Chair Lavender, seconded by Ms. Blumenthal. The vote was in favor of approval. Chair Kennedy read the comments submitted by Ms. Lavender and Mr. Metcalfe on a variety of topics related to the agenda. He also alerted those present that he has heard the Old South Street house is indeed going to be dismantled and moved to New Hampshire. He said he has a call in to John Dunne regarding 337 Bridge Street, but has not had a return call. Peg agreed to check in with the Building Inspector to see if the demo permit has been pulled. It was noted that the July meeting will be held in Florence at the Civic Association. The time will be 6:30 p.m. This is a way to outreach to the community and hopefully we can get someone to update us on the Florence History Project. House Tour Mr. Drake was then introduced as someone interested in helping the Commission conduct a house tour. Ms. Blumenthal contacted him, after we all met him as an Historic Preservation Award winner 2 years ago. He has agreed to assist Barbara (and other interested members) with putting together the effort for sometime in the fall. Ms. Blumenthal has already made some calls and will hold a meeting in the near future to plan the logistics, theme, etc. Peg K. will give her a list of past award winners. Mr. Drake was thanked for his willingness to assist with this fundraising activity for the Commission. Award Criteria Discussion Ms. Blumenthal has agreed to put together the various documents that have been created in the past regarding selection criteria. She expressed her thoughts that more time should be taken deliberating the nominees and that they should reflect a category or set of standards. She will work on fleshing this out to assist with the process in the future. Chair Kennedy agreed to help. Leeds/ Water Street Bridge Chair Kennedy reported that a check has been received from the Leeds Civic Association to cover some costs that may be associated with putting a National Register nomination together. He said he would take the additional photos that may be required. Pomeroy Terrace Chair Kennedy reported that the photographs have been taken by ]acquie Scott and although she now has a job in Hartford, she has agreed to work on the text. Memorial Bench Members reported on the meeting with Gloria McPherson that concluded with the decision to have all members meet on site during the summer. At this visit, consensus would be achieved on site development and Gloria would develop a plan accordingly. Smith Voc will be informed that no work should be done prior to the end of this school year, with the exception of the bench repair. State Hospital Design Review Guidelines Peg K. distributed copies of the draft design guidelines that will govern new construction at the campus. These standards were cited in the Memorandum of Agreement with DCAM and the Mass. Historical Commission and the local Commission was to have input into their formation. There is another public hearing before the Planning Board for input, should the Commission wish to provide some. New Business /Chair Kennedy noted that the marquee at the Academy of Music is slated for removal and he encouraged the Commission to state a strong preference for its reinstallation, if at all possible. Member Blumenthal agreed to help the Chair draft Thank you letters to be used for donations. 1 Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 8:55 p.m. Submitted by Peg Keller PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - CITY OF NORTHAMPTON City Half • sio Main Street, Room iz • Northampton,MAozo6o -3198 • 14 1 3)5 8 7 -1266 - Fax :587 -1264 WaNne Feiden, Director • emai[:p fanning @city.northampton.ma.us • internet :www.northamptonplanning.org 1PTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: July 28, 2003 TIME: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. PLACE: Florence Civic Association NOTE LOCATION & TIME CHANGE N. Main Street Florence AGENDA 1.) Announcements 2.) Demolition Activity - 48 Old South Street - 337 Bridge Street 3.) Community Updates - Academy of Music Marquee 4.) National Register Nomination Activity - Leeds/ Hotel Bridge - Pomeroy Terrace 5.) Fundraising - Individual Solicitations - House Tour - Appraisal Service/ Total raised, new round? 6.) Awards Ceremony Follow -up - Gazette Coverage - Criteria Review 7.) Project Review - Set date for Memorial Bench Site Visit - State Hospital Design Guidelines 8.) Other Business 9.) Adjourn Peg Kel Date p[anning board • conservation commission • zoning board of appeals • housing partnership • redevelopment authoritN • northampton GIs economic development • communiti development • historic district commission • historical commission • central business architecture original printed on recycled paper NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes July 28, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Norman Winston, Louise Bloomberg, Tris Metcalfe, Susan Well, Jennifer Hayes, Barbara Blumenthal, Kim Howes. Also present, Peg Keller, staff, Steve Strimer, Florence History Project, Joanne Montgomery and Deb Jacobs, interested Citizens- Tree Ordinance. Call to Order/ Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. The meeting was held at the Florence Civic Association, at their invitation. Members were happy to have Mr. Strimer in attendance to update them about current activities being undertaken relative to researching the history of Florence. Member Well made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Member Hayes. The vote was unanimous in favor. Florence History Project Mr. Strimer has identified the need for Form B's to be created for the Charles Burley House at 85 N. Main Street and for the Henry Anthony house. He is working on the form for the Sojourner Truth house. He also noted that Craig Della Penna is working on a web site for the Florence History Project. He reported that the Project has held several neighborhood meetings where lots of interest has been expressed. Two projects, the Park Street cemetery fence and the Lilly Library renovation, should be of interest to the Commission. He said he found a similar style fencing on the web. He then went on to detail recent information found on area homes and underground railroad activity. He invited Members to a tour of Pratt buildings to be held August 25, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. He was thanked for his attendance and information. Tree Ordinance Chair Kennedy then recognized Joanne Montgomery and Deb Jacobs who described a proposal they have submitted to the City Council. The guests said they were looking for endorsements from the Conservation Commission, the Broadbrook Coalition, the Planning Board and the Historical Commission. The thrust was that the health and number of trees in the community is declining and , there are no City funds to care for them. The Ordinance proposes to create a Commission that will fundraise, conduct an inventory and do rublic outreach. The Council approved the ordinance at a first reading on July 8 . The work previously done by volunteers will be formalized. They noted that landscape preservation dovetails with historic preservation and they would like the support of the Commission. Discussion followed. Member Blumenthal noted that the developers are producing a specimen tree study for the State Hospital. Ms. Montgomery concluded by saying that it is possible that the City could produce a map overlay through the geographic information system that would show the location of all significant trees and to integrate that information into the overall planning process. They were thanked for their presentation. They departed, at which point Member Hayes made a motion to support the Ordinance with a formal endorsement, seconded by Member Howes; the vote in favor was unanimous. Chair Kennedy will send a letter to that effect. 48 Old South Street/ Member Hayes said she met with the new building owner and had Rodney Kunath take some photos of the structure, prior to deconstruction. She said this activity strongly points to the need for a demolition delay ordinance. Peg agreed to present a draft at the next meeting to begin the discussion. Member Hayes agreed to draft a "Frequently Asked Questions" sheet O to have ready for the public outreach and education component of this effort. Chair Kennedy agreed to call Councilors to ask for their feedback on such an idea. 337 Bridge Street/ No news on the proposed demolition. Academy.of Music/ Members discussed the removal of the marquee. It was reported that a determination has been made that it cannot be reinstalled and that a Committee will be formed to evaluate future actions. Gail Yacuzzo will be the new Trustees President after the first of the year, so Chair Kennedy agreed to contact her about having a Commission member serve on that committee. Leeds /Hotel Bridge/ Chair Kennedy agreed to call Mr. Parsons to see if he has made any headway on the National Register narrative. He will also give the photograph requirements to Member Howes in order to complete the photos for submission. Pomeroy Terrace/ Member Hayes offered to contact Jacquie Scott to check in with her relative to the text for this nomination. Thank You Letters/ Member Hayes agreed to assist Chair Kennedy with this ( —� task. 2 House Tour/ Member Blumenthal has received some information regarding the logistics of the Forbes Garden Tour and will continue working on the organization of this fundraiser. Local Awards/ Coverage was included in the HOME Section of the Gazette published on July 10 A house on State Street was noted as a potential nominee for next year. 48 Fruit Street/ Members agreed that the history of the property is probably not significant enough to merit a National Register award nomination, but they would assist the owner if he wanted to pursue it himself. Chair Kennedy offered that Laurel Park might be a candidate for a district nomination sometime in the future. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 9:07 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller (�1 3 CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL, COMMISSION CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01060 August 13, 2003 Honorable Mayor Mary Clare Higgins Members of the City Council Dear Mayor and Councilors; This letter is to communicate the support of the Northampton Historical Commission for the proposed Tree Ordinance that you are currently considering. At our regularly scheduled meeting held July 28, 2003 a presentation was made by Joann Montgomery and Deb Jacobs. The proposed ordinance was described. Our members had an opportunity to ask questions and make comments. At the conclusion of that discussion, the Commission members present voted unanimously to endorse the proposal and communicate that action to you. We thank Ms. Montgomery and Ms. Jacobs for bringing the proposal to our attention and we ask that you look favorably upon this. request. If you have any questions or require additional information, I can be reached at 584 -6804. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Respectfully, (put) Christopher Kennedy, Chair Northampton Historical Commission Cc/ Ms. Joanne Montgomery Ms. Deb Jacobs E NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL, C®MMISSION CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01060 CITY HALL . William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: August 25, 2003 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9 :00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1.) Announcements 2.) Project Updates/ • House Tour/ reschedule O v Memorial Bench/ Site Tour August 28 noon ■ Pomeroy Terrace ■ Thank You letters ■ Tree Ordinance 3.) Demolition Delay Ordinance/ Draft 4.) New Business/ Pratt building- State Hospital 5.) Membership Update 6.) Other Business 7.) Adjourn Peg EVRELMA NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes August 25, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Louise Bloomberg, Susan Well, Norman Winston, Jennifer Hayes, Barbara Blumenthal. Call to Order/ Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Member Blumenthal made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Member Bloomberg. The vote was unanimous in favor. Announcements Membership/ Chair Kennedy reported that Vice -Chair Lavender had submitted a letter of resignation asking the Mayor not to reappoint her. (Discussion occurred later in the meeting relative to this matter). Project Updates ■ Tree Ordinance Support Letter/ Chair Kennedy read a letter he had submitted to City Council on behalf of the Commission supporting the proposed Tree Committee Ordinance. A copy was sent to Joann Montgomery and Deb Jacobs, the two interested citizens that had made the presentation to the Commission. Academy of Music Marquee/ The Chair reported that Member Howes has volunteered to be a member of the Sign Committee being discussed by the Academy Trustees. Because Member Howes serves on the Academy's Building Committee already, this assignment is logical. When the invitation for membership on the sub - committee by the Trustees is received, Mr. Howes' name will be suggested to them. House Tour/ Member Blumenthal reported that in order to conduct a house tour this fall, more planning is required than time allows. She would like to plan the event for sometime next spring. Members agreed. There may be a possibility of combining it with the Forbes Library Garden Tour. Ms. Blumenthal will continue communicating with the people associated with that event. ■ Memorial Bench/ A site tour is planned for August 28 at noon. Members should meet at the site to determine the final plan for the area memorialization. u ■ Pomeroy Terrace Nomination/ Member Hayes spoke with Jacquie Scott. Ms. Scott is still interested in moving the nomination forward. A meeting will be set up to identify the next steps. Member Bloomberg offered her assistance with this effort. Thank You letters/ Member Hayes has written the thank you letters to all donors. Her efforts are appreciated. ■ Pratt Building/ Steve Strimer called Chair Kennedy to report that one of the buildings slated for demolition at the State Hospital was designed by William Fenno Pratt. It was agreed that a letter would be sent to the CAC and the Developer with a copy to Mass. Historic. Membership/ Valerie Lavender's letter requesting not to be reappointed was discussed. Member Winston asked for reconsideration. The Chair noted that the letter referenced other time commitments and felt it was not in the Commission's purview to ask Ms. Lavender to revisit her decision. It was also noted that it is ultimately the Mayor's decision to accept or reject the request. Canal Project/ Chair Kennedy reported that he had attended a meeting to discuss the nomination of the Canal to the Historic Register. He said that the project had received $25,000 and was moving ahead. He will try to continue to C attend the regional meetings. State Hospital Support Letter/ Peg reported that The Community Builders has asked the Commission to write a letter of support to accompany their application for State funds for Phase 2 of the residential construction. Peg showed the Commission the drawings for the new townhouses. The members felt that they could not write such a letter as the proposed designs do not reflect any character of the surrounding campus and vinyl siding is proposed. Further, members felt that because of the failure to save more of the significant buildings on the campus, they have difficulty supporting the new construction planned. It was decided that when permits are applied for, comments would be made to the Citizen's Advisory Committee and the Planning Board about the proposed designs and materials. Demo Delay Ordinance/ It was agreed that Chair Kennedy would follow up with his plan to contact the City Councilors, the members would read Mass. Historic's draft and come prepared with comments at the next meeting. Member Hayes will continue to work on the information packet. Chris Skelly will be invited to attend the September meeting in order to learn more about successful ordinance adoption efforts elsewhere in the State. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 9:10 p.m./ Submitted by Peg Keller 9 -e,4- ©� Peg Keller NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: September 29, 2003 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall 2nd Floor Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1.) Announcements 2.) Guest/ Christopher Skelly Massachusetts Historical Commission 3.) Other Project Updates 4.) Other Business 5.) Adjourn PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - CITY Of NORTHAMPTON City Hall • 2i o Main Street, Room ii • Northampton, MA or o60 -3198 • (413) . 587 -1266 • Fax: 587 -1264 war�neRiden,Director • emaiI:p fanning @city.northampton.ma.us -in ternet:www.noytbamptonplanning.org Date planning board -conservation commission • zoning board o appeals • housing partnership • redevelopment authoritN • northampton GIS economic development -Comm RnitN development • historic district commission • historicaIcommission• central businessarchitecture original pri recocled paper NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes September 29, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Kim Howes, Louise Bloomberg, Susan Well, Jennifer Hayes and Barbara Blumenthal. Also present, David Drake (House Tour Sub - Committee), Tom Douglas (State Hospital Citizen's Advisory Committee), Chris Skelly from the Massachusetts Historical Commission and Peg Keller, staff. AGENDA Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Member Well made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Member Bloomberg. The vote was unanimous in favor. Members then introduced themselves to Mr. Skelly. He began by saying that he has been at MHC for 6 years, focusing on technical assistance to local historic commissions. He mentioned an upcoming application process for western Mass. communities to provide resources to create local preservation plans. No matching funds will be required; the process will be competitive. Discussion of Demolition Delay Ordinance Members discussed possible time periods for inventory inclusion, 50 or 75 years. Mr. Skelly said of the 90 demo delay bylaws /ordinances that exist across the state, all differ in some respect. He said that with a street list methodology, the City identifies all properties for inclusion. It can be included in the legislation approved by the City Council that the Commission is able to add to the list by conducting a public hearing process. The legislation would refer to the existence of a list, but not name all properties in it. The property owner does not have to agree to being included. This is not the method Mr. Skelly suggests for Northampton. He noted that the standards for inclusion are often properties on the National Register, properties that have a form B or properties on the State Register. He recommended an age based inventory for us, 75 years, or prior to 1920. As far as strategy, he said it was important to identify what Councilors concerns might be and address them. It would be helpful to know the number of demolition permits issued in a year, to gauge the scale of the impact. 01 1 Mr. Skelly agreed to provide some samples of criteria used by other communities -- to classify a property as Preferably Preserved. He said Amherst has such criteria. Mr. Drake asked about eminent domain as a process to prevent demolition, and what would be done in the case of structures having newer portions vs. original. Members asked about accurately identifying the age of a structure. The form B's and architectural style are usually helpful. It was noted that the building permit application used by the City should be reviewed to see if partial demolition is addressed. Member Hayes asked about the role of the Building Inspector's office and all agreed this process needs to be straight forward and not produce additional work for them. Mr. Skelly said there are examples of successes, which Mr. Drake noted would be helpful for our community education and support process. Mr. Skelly was thanked for his assistance and agreed to be available for additional questions. State Hospital Mr. Douglas asked the Commission for public support around the State Hospital historic preservation issues, primarily Old Main. He wondered about the charge of an entity that has not come forward and asked for assistance in keeping the discussion at the forefront of public concern. Members filled him in on some of the background and Chair Kennedy asked Mr. Douglas to keep the Commission informed of particular tasks they could consider. Membership Chair Kennedy asked Mr. Drake if he would consider becoming an Associate Member of the Commission, he agreed. Peg will send him a form he can submit to the Mayor. Member Bloomberg will submit her letter to the Mayor asking to be moved from a Permanent Member to Associate status ( her request ). This would leave a permanent slot open, in addition to the one vacated by Ms. Lavender. Member Hayes and Member Blumenthal would be appointed to the Permanent slot, Members Bloomberg and Drake would hold the Associate slots. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 9:20 p.m. after additional discussion with Mr. Douglas and Mr. Skelly relative to the State Hospital and the Commission's role. Respectfullly submitted, Peg Keller 2 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT • CITY OF NORTHAMPTON City Hall • 2i o Main Street, Room ii - Northampton, MA of o60 -3198 • (4 587 -1266 • Fax: 587 -i264. Wayne Feiden, Director • email:p fanning @citN.northampton.ma.us • internet :www.northamptonplanning.org NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: October 27, 2003 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room - 18. 210 Main Street Northampton MA 1.) Announcements 2.) State Hospital Update Final Environmental Review Letter to MEPA - Letters to the Editor/ Other efforts 3.) Project Updates - Demolition Delay Ordinance - Canal - Pomeroy Terrace National Register Nomination Memorial Bench Leeds/ Hotel Bridge - . House Tour 4.) Other Business - Membership Update 5.) Adjourn. planning board • conservation commission • zoning board o of appeals • housing partnership • redevelopment authority northampton GIS economic development • community development • historic district commission • historicaI commission • centraIbusinessarchitecture original printed on recgcledpaper NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes October 27, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Kim Howes, Louise Bloomberg, Norman Winston, Susan Well, Jennifer Hayes. Also present, David Drake, interested citizen, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order/ Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. Mr. Howes made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Ms. Well. The vote was unanimous in favor. Northampton State Hospital Members discussed the content of the letter to be sent from the Commission in response to the Final Environmental Impact report for the State Hospital redevelopment project. Peg K. offered to draft it and send it around to members for comment. A second communication was discussed. This would be in the form of an op /ed piece for the Gazette describing the Commission's efforts over the years relative to attempts to protect the historic properties. Mr. Howes asked members what they wanted to accomplish with each letter. Ms. Well made a motion stating that the FEIR letter should be short, re- emphasizing the major points depicted in the Draft EIR comment letter. Mr. Howes seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous in favor. Mr. Drake added that tracking the evolution of the process and the Commission's role in it would be a relevant undertaking. It was suggested that the public statement to the local community summarizing the NHC's role in the redevelopment process, should be a letter written by the members. Discussion identified the Memorandum of Agreement between the City, MHC and DCAM as a point where pressure should have been made for local input. Ms. Hayes circulated a book entitled "'Abandoned Asylums of New England ", a photo collection of exterior and interior architecture of State hospitals across the Commonwealth, which was impressive. Ms. Hayes made a motion to begin the public statement, then to pass along to Mr. Drake to include his thoughts, with Ms. Well contributing the part about the MOA. Ms. Hayes will start it off and circulate it through email. Chair Kennedy J agreed to pull it together and get it to the Gazette to run next week. Members also discussed the referendum questions. Demolition Deli Ordinance Peg K. agreed to get prior demolition activity information from the Building Inspector's office, as well as a copy of the permit itself. Members discussed the need to make implementation easy for that department. Time was spent going through the draft information packet Ms. Hayes had assembled. Hortense Clapp Pollard Homestead As a follow -up to articles that have been in the paper relative to neighbors concerns that Historic Northampton, who was bequeathed Ms. Pollards homestead last year, was considering selling the adjacent land up the hill from the house, Mr. Howes said that when he interviewed Ms. Pollard for her Historic Preservation Award, she made it clear to him that she did not want the lot on Dewey Court developed in the future. Members then discussed whether or not to send a letter to Historic Northampton expressing that view. It was agreed that further discussion on this item would be continued to the next meeting. Academy of Music Me. Howes reported that the Academy Building Committee charged with overseeing the renovation project, has been dismantled. However, there will still ' be representation of the Historic Commission on the Academy's Board. Adjourn The meeting concluded at 9:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT o C ITY OF NORM 11AMPI'ON � \ l CitN Hall • 2i o Main Street, Room ii • NOrtl ampton� MA o i o60 - 3198 • (4 • Fax: S 87 -12 WaNne Feiden, Director www.NortbamptonMa.gov NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Special Session DATE: November. 13, 2006 TIME: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 ^; 2 Floor 210• Main Street Local Historian Focus Group Purpose: To access information relative to the social and cultural significance of buildings in Northampton to complete the inventory of properties to protect through the Demolition Delay Ordinance. Invited guests: Dr. George Snook, Allison Lockwood, Steve Strimer, Kerry Buckley, Robert Rundquist. Peg Keller 587 -1288 pkeller @northamptonma.gov planning board • conservation commission • zoning board of appeals • housing partherst ip • redevelopment authority • nortyampton GIS economic develop - Comm unit clevelo meet • historic district commission • historical commission • central business arcbitecture - oripinalpriiltet (mnirecgdedpaper . rv>cc, l eC I I o-'D i I. 17 o3 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT • CITY OF NORTHAMPTON OtN Hall • zi o Main Street, Room ii • Northampton, MA of o 60 - 3 1 9 8 ' (4 S -1266 • Fax: S waNneFeiden,Director • email: pfanning@citS.northampton.ma.us • internet :wwwnorthamptonplanning.org NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: November 24, 2003 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton TMA 1.) Public Comment Period 2.) Minutes Approval 3.) Announcements 4.) Demolition Delay Ordinance 5.) Clapp Pollard Residence /Historic Northampton 6.) 2004 Local Awards Ceremony/ g / Event Planning _ Selection Cat Deif Mons 7.) Northampton State Hospital 8.) Other Business 9.) Adjourn Peg Kel MIMM planning board • conservation commission • zoning board of appeals • housing partnersyip • redevelopment autyoritS • nortyampton GIS economic development • communitodevelopment • historic district commission • historicaI commission • central businessarchitecture original printedon recodedpaper Northampton Historical Commission — Minutes -- November 24, 2003 Members Present: Chris Kennedy, Chair, Tris Metcalfe, Susan Well, Norman Winston, Jennifer Hayes, Barbara Blumenthal, David Drake. Also present, Mark Roessler from Save Old Main and Peg Keller, staff. Agenda Chair Kennedy called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Ms. Hayes made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Ms. Well. The vote was unanimous in favor. Mark Roessler, member of Save Old Main, was acknowledged. He said he came to see what the Commission's position was relative to saving the buildings at the State Hospital Campus and to see how the Commission could help the effort. Chair Kennedy explained that the Commission has no formal leverage but has been making comments regularly through the MEPA process. Mr. Roessler informed the group that Save Old Main is assembling a marketing ^1 package, in the form of a book. This would be used to encourage development �J interest in the preservation of the structure(s). Having come to this community 5 years ago, he said he is surprised that people do not seem to appreciate the potential economic value preservation of the building can have. He would like to emphasize the social and economic values of historic preservation in the book. He is fearful that the SOM group is losing its energy. Member Metcalfe described one developer who has expressed interest. He said the number of buildings required to be rehabilitated in order to secure the 20% Federal tax credit is still an unanswered question. He talked about the list of possible tenants, should the buildings take on a physical and mental health theme. Mr. Roessler was thanked for his attendance. Announcements 1.) An informational package from HAP was circulated to members. The Commission was copied on a correspondence to MHC asking permission to demolish 2 cottages on the Housing Authority property in order to construct Paradise Pond Apartments. 2.) Members were updated on the status of a grant application to Mass. Historic for preservation planning assistance. We have been preliminarily selected and a meeting is scheduled to discuss the work scope. 2004 Awards Criteria Member Blumenthal had emailed draft criteria prior to the meeting. Members Metcalfe, Hayes, Drake and Kennedy agreed to meet to discuss them further. Chair Kennedy suggested members start driving around to identify potential nominees. It was agreed that Ms. Blumenthal would be the "keeper" of the list, Ms. Hayes would do the press releases; Bishop's (former Bay State Hotel) has offered to host the event. Preliminary nominees include Sissman's /Strong Ave., the Bay State, 161 State Street, Bridge Street and Pomeroy Terrace. Clapp Pollard House Member Metcalfe recapped efforts to relocate the Pratt Cottage to the adjacent Pollard parcel. Members discussed the obligations of Historic Northampton relative to the estate and the definition of "premises ". He said that Hortense's will did not specifically address the other lot. He said that were the lot to be sold, it could contain design covenants to control the aesthetics. He thought that the neighbors might be in agreement with moving an historic building to the lot. Member Winston reiterated his position that he did not feel the Historic Commission should get involved. Ms. Well offered that the NHC could defer action for one month to see if any arrangement comes together. She stated that this is the only development the Commission should support on the site. Chair Kennedy said he would relay verbally (not in writing) to Historic Northampton that the NHC would support a single lot sale for the placement of the Pratt Cottage with preservation restrictions. Demolition Delay Ordinance Members reviewed the letter to the City Councilors, drafted by the Chair. The information package was also reviewed. Other Items ■ It was agreed that a letter of thanks should be sent to former member Valerie Lavender. The Community Preservation Act is being investigated as a way to generate local funds for open space acquisition, affordable housing and historic preservation. Chair Kennedy will attend meetings and keep the Commission apprised. Member Drake described his plan to research the Arts and Crafts movement locally. His desire is to bring more attention to this undervalued period. Members applauded his efforts and agree that it is a worthwhile endeavor!! Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 4