[MassHistPres] Demo review procedures

[Dennis De Witt]

Speaking of the Old Kings Highway, I have been shocked driving down  
6A to see the wholesale replacement of historic windows (and with bad  
-- "muntins" between the glass -- replacements) in what is supposed  
to be a tightly controlled HD.  I haven't tried to figure out if it  
is in some towns or all.

Dennis De Witt


On Mar 6, 2008, at 8:54 AM, James Hadley wrote:

> In Orleans, here on Cape Cod (where we have far too many  
> demolitions) our
> ordinance allows only for  review of total demolitions. The  
> definition of
> demolition reads, in part: "The act or process of pulling down,  
> destroying,
> removing or razing a building, or any portion that results in a  
> change in
> footprint..." The operable phrase is "change in footprint."  The  
> ordinance
> contains a definition of Significant Building also - we only review  
> and pass
> on buildings in that category, and have an excellent survey done a  
> number of
> years ago by Tremont Preservation Services as our guide. I would  
> welcome the
> opportunity to gain control over removal and replacement of detail  
> on our
> buildings here, but fear a reaction from the libertarians. The Old  
> Kings
> Highway Historic District in Town does have total esthetic control,  
> but it
> is only a small portion of the Town.
> James W. Hadley AIA, Chair, Orleans Historical Commission
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <BLever3043 at aol.com>
> To: <mdstarkey at crocker.com>; <Anne.Louro at newbedford-ma.gov>;
> <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 8:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Demo review procedures
>
>
>> Perhaps I am not being clear.  What I am looking for are examples  
>> of  how
>> other commissions operate their demolition review.  It is a   
>> procedural
>> question.
>> In particular how is the determination made with  regards to  
>> subjecting a
>> building to a delay.  Is the entire building  determined to be  
>> significant
>> and
>> subjected to delay or only portions  (example: if no one can see  
>> the rear
>> of a
>> historic building as it is  located away from a street surrounded  
>> by trees
>> would a commission determine it  not significant because you can't  
>> see it
>> or find
>> it significant as it is part of  an overall building considered
>> significant).
>> Obviously portions  of a building contribute to the whole, I am not
>> arguing
>> that, I am trying to  find out how other commissions operate.  A  
>> member of
>> the
>> Brookline  commission responded to me that they find the entire  
>> building
>> as
>> significant or  not.  How do others do it?
>>
>> Again thanks for the help,
>>
>> Brian Lever
>>
>>
>>
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