Historic Northampton Eligibility Form Aug 2015COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ELIGIBILITY
DETERMINATION FORM
The purpose of this form is to make sure that all project applications applying for Community
Preservation Act funding are eligible for funding. Please refer to Appendix-E in the
Community Preservation Plan when filling out this form. This form must be approved in
order for an application to be accepted.
Project Title: Structural Repairs and Environmental Control
Project Sponsor/Organization: Historic Northampton, Inc.
Contact Name: Nancy Rexford, Acting Director
Property Owner, if applicable:
Mailing Address: 46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060
Daytime phone #: 413-584-6011 Fax #: 413-584-7956
E-mail address: nrexford@historicnorthampton.org
CPA Program Area (check those that apply):
� Open Space � Historic Preservation
� Community Housing � Recreation
Project Purpose (check those that apply):
� Acquisition � Creation � Preservation
� Support � Rehabilitation/Restoration
Project Summary: Please provide a brief description of the project.
We deeply appreciate the support the CPC provided last year, which focused on Parsons
and Shepherd Houses and on windows. We are continuing to work methodically through
our priority list and the focus of this grant request is on Damon House and the Barn.
In Damon House we need to add structural support posts in the front basement as the
center of the main house is sinking. Damon also needs a new roof including the repair of
the decorative balustrade over the front door. To control water entering the two
basements where we store most of our collections, we need to reposition the large
brownstone front step and to replace the entire brick walkway under the veranda. Both
of these are draining water into the foundation walls, endangering the collections stored
just on the other side. Once the flow of water is diverted, both basements will need
water-repellent wall treatments. This means storing collections off-site while the work is
done.
Outside the building, the pedestrian walkway leading from the street to the main door
collects water in a low spot that becomes hazardous in winter when it ices over. The
expensive option is to regrade and rebuild the entire walkway from end to end. The
cheaper option is to install a drain that leads to a dry well.
The long-neglected Shepherd Barn needs extensive structural work. We now believe
that this building may date as early as 1800 (we’d like to have it tree-ring dated), and
now that the tenant is out, we’d like to reopen it to the public. To make that possible,
we will need to replace essentially all sills and floor joists and several posts, add footings
and “critter walls,” repair the doors and damaged sheathing, remove the former tenant’s
stove chimney and repair the roof, and replace the handicap-accessible bathroom and
stairs (necessary because the floor has to be removed to do the structural work).
Because of the extent of the structural work, it makes sense to repaint the entire barn.
We would also like to add enough lighting to make this area useful as a public space,
perhaps for showing summer films. We will need to put the collections now in the barn
into storage during the restoration work.
In Parsons House, which benefited heavily from the last CPA grant (thank you!), we
need to remove the old knob and tube wiring in the living spaces and attic. We removed
all knob and tub wiring accessible from the basement, but the rest is also in dangerous
condition, especially in the attic. We also need to grade the NE corner near the resident’s
porch entrance and to replace the sills and at least one post on the back half of the east
side of the house as well as make some minor repairs to the exterior trim.
For CPC Use Eligible: _____ Not Eligible: _____ Date: __________ Reviewer: ____________________