[MassHistPres] Release of Request for Proposals - MA DCR Historic Curatorship Program

[Allen, Kevin (DCR)]

Hopefully this isn't too long to post...

 

DCR SEEKING PROPOSALS TO REHABILITATE, OPERATE, 

AND MAINTAIN BASCOM LODGE
Historic Curatorship Program accepting proposals to rehabilitate the
Mount Greylock lodge 

in exchange for a long-term lease

 

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is issuing a Request
for Proposals for the rehabilitation, management, and maintenance of
Bascom Lodge in Mount Greylock State Reservation in the Berkshires.
Through DCR's Historic Curatorship Program, outside parties rehabilitate
and maintain a historic property in return for credit toward a long-term
lease.

 

The RFP for Bascom Lodge is expected to be followed soon by RFPs for
four more DCR properties: the Coachman's House Complex in Maudslay State
Park in Newburyport; Harlow Farmhouse in Ellisville Harbor State Park in
Plymouth; Smith Farmhouse in Borderland State Park in North Easton; and
Lamson House in Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield.

 

"The Historic Curatorship Program demonstrates an innovative and
entrepreneurial approach to preserving the history and culture of our
park system," said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr.  "Once
rehabilitated, these properties are maintained and operated by the
tenant, with public access to the grounds provided at various times
during the year."

Established in 1994, the Historic Curatorship Program matches some of
the Commonwealth's significant historic buildings with people interested
in rehabilitating and maintaining the building in exchange for a
long-term lease. Since the program's inception, more than $5 million in
private funds has been leveraged toward these restorations.

 

So far, nine properties have been rehabilitated under the program, from
the mountains of Berkshire County to the urban streets of Dorchester,
from the banks of the Merrimack River in Lowell to the forests of
Foxboro. Current uses for the properties include single-family homes,
artist lofts, a nonprofit group, and a for-profit events and overnight
facility. 

 

In 1898, the state Legislature established Mt. Greylock as the
Commonwealth's first State Reservation.  The Mt. Greylock Reservation
Commission improved access to the summit and upgraded recreational
facilities, and work began on Bascom Lodge in 1932. The Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) designed the lodge, and its low profile,
integration into the summit's contours, and the use of native materials
typified the CCC design theory that shaped the identity of the country's
national and state park systems. Bascom Lodge has served day and
overnight visitors to Mt. Greylock for 70 years, including
through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. 

 

DCR's Historic Curatorship Program is one of only a handful in the
country and is among the most successful.  The program requires that the
reuses of these properties be compatible with the surrounding community,
while enhancing the visitor's experience of the public park. Curators
are chosen based on a number of criteria, including the overall quality
of their proposal, their experience in restoration and historic
preservation, their financial resources, and the public benefits and
environmentally sustainable building practices they will incorporate.
They must provide regular public access to the property. 

 

The Request for Proposals describes the submission requirements and
provides detailed information on the property, including an assessment
of its current condition and required improvements. Interested parties
can submit a proposal for review by DCR. Successful proposals outline a
viable reuse concept, public benefit, rehabilitation approach, and
implementation schedule, and demonstrate relevant experience and sound
financial qualifications for tenancy. 

 

Responses to the RFP are due on September 25, 2008, by 5 p.m. Call
617-626-1361 or send an email to HCP.Requests at state.ma.us.

 

For electronic copies of the Request for Proposals, as well as more
details on the Historic Curatorship Program, visit DCR's website:
mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/curator/index.htm.  

For hard copies of the documents or more information on the program,
send an e-mail to HCP.Requests at state.ma.us
<mailto:kevin.allen at state.ma.us> , call 617-626-1361, or write to
Historic Curatorship Program, Department of Conservation and Recreation,
7th floor, 251 Causeway