[MassHistPres] Cost-Conscious Historical Renovations?

[slater at alum.rpi.edu]

>Could you create a flyer or a press release to tell owners how to save
money by
>using storms? New windows are a top deterrent to anyone wanting an
historic
>house. Look at, among others, the National Trust's web site, the
Springfield and
>Cambridge Historical Commission sites for detailed guidance. 

This doesn't directly answer the original question, since that town has
no historic districts, but it might be beneficial to know what we did in
Springfield.

We were faced with a lot of middle-of-the-night window replacements in
Springfield. One of our districts probably had 30-40% of its windows
replaced without permission. 

After a SHC reorganization, we starting taking the position that we
would not allow replacement of original windows except under significant
hardship. However, since we did not have any guidelines for window
replacement, we were faced with dozens of requests, under hardship, for
window replacement. And when we said "no", we were faced with dozens of
angry homeowners. Political pressure started to mount, with complaints
to city councilors.

We then developed a set of guidelines outlining our criteria for
appropriate replacement. The guidelines focused on appearance rather
than originality or even materials. The guidelines also made it clear
how we were reading the hardship clause of MGL 40C -- that a property
had to have a problem *specific* to it, not a problem affecting the
district in general. In other words, "energy efficiency" is not a
condition for hardship.

Since publishing those guidelines, we have seen most proposals come in
under the "appropriateness" category, with windows that meet the
guidelines -- which are basically exterior grids, historically
appropriate color for materials not designed to be painted (i.e. powder
coat aluminum), and -- this is important -- a lower sash that sits on a
lower sill as opposed to sitting in a storm-window-like track. This last
criteria is what knocks out vinyl windows, which are not solid enough to
be free-standing.

We have had very few "hardship" applications, but when they come in,
they often *almost* meet appropriateness criteria -- for example, people
have been proposing brown vinyl. We recently granted a hardship for an
apartment building with 450 windows that needed renovation and although
vinyl, they agreed to go with tan, and the effect is pretty good -- far
better than bright white.

Our next phase of attack really has to be to get the word out that
replacing original windows is just not worth it -- even when the
replacements are visually appropriate. I know there is great desire for
thermal glass, but it's mostly due to marketing rather than fact. People
truly don't know that a window that needs paint and reglazing is not in
such bad shape that it must be replaced. 

In other words, we have to change the perception of "old window" to mean
something good, rather than something bad -- just as historic districts
changed the perception of "old house" from something bad to something
good.

I think that Globe article should be copied, laminated, and handed out
to every applicant who wants to change windows. 33 years is a horrible
payback. The window salespeople we see claim payback in 3 years -- but
of course, will never, ever guarantee that number.

Ralph Slate
Springfield, MA 
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