[MassHistPres] Assessment UMass Historic Bldgs

Fri Jul 25 11:34:23 EDT 2008

Joseph,

One quick thought - 

"Most of UMass' buildings will not be subject to Fixler's historic review. Officials estimate 68 percent of the campus' building stock was constructed in the 1960s and 70s. This wave of construction yielded a trove of buildings designed by world renowned architects including: the Campus Center by Marcel Breuer; the W.E.B. Du Bois Library by Edward D. Stone; and the Fine Arts Center by Kevin Roche."

So, does this mean that those buildings are still going to be slated for demolition?  I thought one of the goals was to review recent past buildings - and not just those over 50 yrs.

Aaron

--------
http://www.marcavitch.com

--- On Fri, 7/25/08, Joseph S. Larson <larson at tei.umass.edu> wrote:

> From: Joseph S. Larson <larson at tei.umass.edu>
> Subject: [MassHistPres] Assessment UMass Historic Bldgs
> To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu, "Erin Kelly" <ekelly at preservationmass.org>, "James Igoe" <jigoe at preservationmass.org>
> Date: Friday, July 25, 2008, 9:41 AM
> It is now public and official. After more than a year, the
> administration of the UMass Amherst campus has agreed to
> Preserve UMass's request for an independent
> professional assessment of the historic assessment of the
> campus buildings. We will continue to ask that a hold be
> put on all demolition plans until the assessment has been
> completed, that buildings that qualify be nominated for
> inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, and
> that the Amherst campus and the UMass Building Authority
> both adopt internal procedures to ensure that all future
> construction projects comply with the state's
> environmental and historic statutes.
> 
> Joseph S. Larson
> Corresponding Secretary
> Preserve UMass
> 27 Arnold Road
> Pelham, Mass 01002-9757Daily Hampshire Gazette  July 18,
> 2008
> UMass buildings to undergo historic review soon 
> by Kristin Palpini 
> AMHERST - A review that will help direct the fate of the
> University of Massachusetts' over 100 old buildings is
> underway.
> 
> The study began this month and is being conducted by
> outside firm Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture &
> Engineering PC (EYP). The firm's representative, David
> Fixler, will be researching UMass' buildings to
> identify and document the architectural and historical
> significance of the buildings and their condition.
> 
> UMass intends to use this study, which should be completed
> by the end of the year, to make decisions about
> preservation, renovation/maintenance and demolition as the
> campus continues construction of a $790 million capital
> plan.
> 
> "With the completion of this survey we will be able to
> integrate in detail the specifics of these buildings into
> our long term planning," said Edward F. Blaguszewski,
> director of news and infor mation at UMass.
> 
> "It's important to have them (the firm) here to
> show the university values its history and its historical
> assets," Blaguszewski said.
> 
> EYP was hired in June for $175,000. The firm also agreed to
> be the university's on-call consultant for five-years.
> EYP will be paid per case for a fee not to exceed $1
> million. Fixler will be on-hand to conduct at least two
> public presentations of his review to groups such as the
> campus community, the town of Amherst and the state's
> historical commission.
> 
> UMass-Amherst has over 350 buildings situated on more than
> 1,400 acres. Of the campus's buildings, 140 of them are
> used for academic, research, administrative or service
> purposes.
> 
> There are 25 UMass buildings listed in the Massachusetts
> Cultural Resource Information System, a list that provides
> status, but not protection. All of these buildings will be
> reviewed by Fixler. The town of Amherst has 906 buildings
> on this list.
> 
> In October, UMass-Amherst was named one of the Bay
> State's "10 Most Endangered Historic
> Resources." The list is compiled each year by
> Preservation Massachusetts, a statewide nonprofit
> organization dedicated to preserving the commonwealth's
> historic and cultural heritage. 
> 
> Buildings on a list of 113 UMass edifices over the age of
> 50 to be reviewed by Fixler include: the Student Union
> (built in 1957), Worcester Dining Hall (1953),
> Chancellor's House (1884), the Chapel (1885), the Horse
> Barn (1894) and Memorial Hall (1920).
> 
> "They've done the right thing in hiring a firm
> that is highly respected," said Joseph S. Larson,
> secretary for Preserve UMass, a group of current and former
> UMass faculty and preservationists interested in seeing the
> university's significant buildings maintained. UMass
> "should be patted on the back for that."
> 
> Preserve UMass has been trying to encourage UMass
> administrators to hire an outside firm to evaluate the
> significance of the university's buildings and to mark
> the most historically valuable ones for preservation since
> spring.
> 
> UMass conducted its own in-house building survey that was
> completed in May. The survey documented the physical status
> of buildings and put a price tag on repairs. However, the
> focus was not on historical significance.
> 
> The UMass study recommended the demolition of 16 buildings,
> including the Student Union, and the preservation of only
> one historic structure, the flagship's iconic Old
> Chapel. It would require $10 million in renovations to keep
> this building open, the report states. 
> 
> Most of UMass' buildings will not be subject to
> Fixler's historic review. Officials estimate 68 percent
> of the campus' building stock was constructed in the
> 1960s and 70s. This wave of construction yielded a trove of
> buildings designed by world renowned architects including:
> the Campus Center by Marcel Breuer; the W.E.B. Du Bois
> Library by Edward D. Stone; and the Fine Arts Center by
> Kevin Roche.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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