[MassHistPres] Demo review procedures

[Marcia Starkey]

Isn't a historic building the sum of its parts = integrity..adding up to its ability to convey information as a historical document? As a basic I use the NPS online and MHC guidebooks. The question is what can it afford to lose without losing its integrity. Its like "when is a --- not a ----"   

Marcia Starkey, Greenfield     
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: blever3043 at aol.com 
  To: mdstarkey at crocker.com ; Anne.Louro at newbedford-ma.gov ; masshistpres at cs.umb.edu 
  Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 11:30 AM
  Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Demo review procedures


  For the purposes of discussion we can assume that it is.  My conceptual dilemma is that if you are trying to preserve a building and find parts of it subject to demo delay and others not, you could end up with a very strange looking building.  Whereas if the entire building is found to be preserved, you are more likely to preserve it intact, than being concerned with specific sections.  Does removal of a dentil cornice on a Greek Revival constitute demolition and if so would your commission subject only the cornice to a demo delay?  This is not in a district.  In my mind the determination of whether or not a building should be preserved is based upon the entire building, though some parts might be more significant than others.  I don't think demo delays were design to save pieces of buildings.  Another hypothetical would be if a right facade of a building was found not preferably preserved (not subject to delay) but the front facade was found to be preserved (subject to delay) what happens.  Altering one side will likely impact the other.  Do changes on the right side have to be invisible from the front?  Does anybody work their ordinances like this and if so do you find it beneficial?  

  Thanks for all the help,

  Brian Lever


  -----Original Message-----
  From: Marcia Starkey <mdstarkey at crocker.com>
  To: BLever3043 at aol.com; Anne.Louro at newbedford-ma.gov; masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
  Sent: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 9:53 am
  Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Demo review procedures


  Is the porch minus the rest of the building historic? 
  Marcia Starkey 
  ----- Original Message ----- From: <BLever3043 at aol.com> 
  To: <Anne.Louro at newbedford-ma.gov>; <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> 
  Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 6:02 PM 
  Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Demo review procedures 
   
  > 
  > Thanks, Newton does consider partial demos, but what I am looking for is > how 
  > others work their ordinances, I am well familiar with Newton's. In 
  > particular I am trying to find out if other communities find portions of a > building 
  > or specific architectural features "preferably preserved" as in > instituting a 
  > delay based upon their removal or alteration. For instance: in Newton if > a 
  > porch was found to be important to a significant home and was up for 
  > demolition, the determination would be made that the porch should be > preserved not the 
  > whole building, as that is what is being altered. As I understand it in 
  > most communities the entire building would be found to be preferably > preserved, 
  > a judgement based upon the building's significance not a porch, window, > or 
  > shingle. I am concerned about the prospect of creating different legal 
  > statuses for different portions of a building. Would you find one wall > significant 
  > and not another or have 1/2 of a house subject to a delay and not > another? 
  > This is in regards to a city wide demo review not a local district. > Thanks 
  > for the input. 
  > 
  > Brian 
  > 
  > 
  > 
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