[MassHistPres] Possible Historic House Purchase in Randolph

[gdimock at aol.com]

Greetings, 

?? This is my first post to this list so hope I am replying correctly. I found a grant on the Grants.gov website called Save America's Treasures that may be appropriate for some of your needs. The funding number is NPS-SAT2009 and the close date is May 22, 2009. It may not help with the outright buying of the property but with the restoration and maintenance part.? Hope this helps.
Gioia Dimock
Bourne Historical Society and Archives


-----Original Message-----
From: Henry Cooke <hcooke4 at verizon.net>
To: Skelly, Christopher @ SEC <Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us>; masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Sent: Mon, 6 Apr 2009 4:44 pm
Subject: [MassHistPres] Possible Historic House Purchase in Randolph


Chris and all,

The Randolph Historical Commission was contacted last week on a bank forclosure sale of the oldest house in Randolph, constructed in 1726. It is a center chimney cape, with original features from the initial construction and two sugsequent additions/renovations in 1778 and c1830. The house was purchased about four years ago by a local builder who balked at the cost of upgrades, and essentially sat on the house, perhaps hoping to have it deteriorate to the point where it would need to be torn down.? It has some condition concerns, like some rot in the north wall that is causing some sidewall buckling and floor support deterioration,? but much could be stabilized with the replacement of the existing shingles? and repairs to parts of the roof that have deteriorated from lack of maintenance.

Realtor handling the sale it trying to work with us to insure it either goes to someone who will restore it or to the Town of Randolph. There is possibility that the bank may write it off to the Town, but we can't assume that will happen. Realtor is an old house buff, who is concerned that the house will be purchased by a builder who will buy it to tear down. Because the realtor is handling the sale for the bank. I would imagine there are limits to what he can do to make sure it goes to the "right" buyer. 

The Commission will be meeting this evening to visit the house and discuss possibility of application for CPA funds to purchase the property.? If the Commission gets the house, we would still have to stabilize it, and restore it, and would have to find funding for that as well.? If all this came to pass, our goal would be to eventually rent the house to a tenant who could maintain the house and carry out part of the restoration work, and open it periodically for historical tours. Unfortunately, the Historical Society does not have deep pockets either. If we were successful in getting CPA funding, could this be used as a match for an MPPF grant application, or National Trust administered grant?

In looking at all our options, are there other resources that are available to commissions without a lengthy application process?? Looking longer term, what other grants are available for restoration besides those offered by National Trust and MHC?? 

We would appreciate any advice or suggestions from those who have been down this path.

Thanks
Henry Cooke
Chairman, 
Randolph Historical Commission 


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