[MassHistPres] color of historic building

[GmaCarol203 at aol.com]

In Needham, the Historical Commission, of which I am chairman, gave  
permission to the First Parish Church to restore/renovate/repair the church  Sunday 
school building , built in 1949,which is attached to the church itself.  This is 
not a National Register building and it is not in an historic  
district............it is one of the buildings on our historic  inventory,  built in 1834 
and now owned by the Unitarian Universalist  congregation. It is the oldest 
religious or public building in Needham, built  partially from parts salvaged from 
the meeting house built in 1774. The belfry  contains a bell cast by Paul 
Revere. The building is the strongest reminder of  the early religious and civic 
life of the community.  The entire building  complex has been white 
clapboard.Now a group at the church wants the religious  education segment to be painted 
yellow , while the Archival Committee of  the church wants it to remain 
painted white  The Commission is agast at the  possibility of painting part of the 
building yellow but do not know if  we  have the authority to dictate a color 
on one of our historic buildings. We have  never been confronted with this 
type of problem. Does the General Law referring  to the exterior of historic 
buildings cover color choices if not in a local  historic district?
Carol Boulris
203 Country Way, Needham, MA  02492
781-444-4028
FAX:  781-444-2256
gmacarol203 at aol.com    `    `    `                                            



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