[MassHistPres] industrial type smokestacks

[Dennis De Witt]

The immediate question is less about the money (altho obviously that matters a lot) but rather trying to understand best preservation practice for an extremely tall 110 year old utilitarian masonry structure that was intended to be kept warm all winter and is now subject to internal and external freezing combined with asymmetrical solar heating etc, etc.

The cell antenna idea has also come up.  There are obviously philosophical
questions associated with that -- altho a brick smokestack is significantly different than a church steeple.  Given the extremely high cost of upkeep of the object itself, that idea cannot be dismissed out of hand without careful consideration.  After half a century of demolitions, with no new examples being built, tall smokestacks are becoming quite rare and need to be preserved.  

Dennis


On Dec 17, 2009, at 11:16 AM, Tucker, Jonathan wrote:

> I don't know about publications, but the usual approach to preserving a
> functionally vestigial structure is to give it a new purpose that has
> social or economic viability.
> 
> Make it into a community landmark through public art that highlights its
> history and the community's identity.  Make it a feature for all
> celebrations.  Light it up for the holidays (topped with a lighted
> tree).  Run the lights up to the top at midnight for New Year's Eve.
> Use it as a launching stage for Fourth of July fireworks.  Rent it out
> for cell tower use.
> 
> Amend your charter to require that, before they can be sworn in, every
> mayor or member of the select board must to climb up to the top using
> the rusting steel rings, write their name on a surface provided for the
> purpose, and then bungee down to the bottom, where their robes would be
> donned and they would promptly be sworn in by the Clerk, amid
> appropriate fanfare (a pipe band is always good).
> 
> I jest (a wee bit), but once the tower has a viable use and a place in
> the life of the community, the money for its restoration and
> preservation will follow.
> 
> Jonathan Tucker
> Planning Director
> Amherst Planning Department
> 4 Boltwood Avenue, Town Hall
> Amherst, MA  01002
> (413) 259-3040
> tuckerj at amherstma.gov    
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
> [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Marcia Starkey
> Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 10:13 AM
> To: Dennis De Witt; MHC MHC listserve
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] industrial type smokestacks
> 
> This would also be welcome information in Greenfield.
> Marcia Starkey
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dennis De Witt" <djd184 at verizon.net>
> To: "MHC MHC listserve" <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 8:19 PM
> Subject: [MassHistPres] industrial type smokestacks
> 
> 
>> Does anyone know of any publication or guidelines having to do with
> the 
>> preservation of major industrial type smokestacks no longer in use?
>> 
>> Best regards,
>> 
>> Dennis J De Witt, President
>> Metropolitan WaterWorks Museum, Inc.
>> Chestnut Hill, Boston, Massachusetts
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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