[MassHistPres] Help Save Tappan House

Thu Dec 9 11:30:51 EST 2010

Dennis and Anne -

Thank you for your feedback.  I am relatively new to Massachusetts and
Attleboro, and am not very familiar with the detailed history of the house.
The information on the house was provided by the Attleboro Historical
Commission, and I am helping them with electronic communications (it has
also been referred to as Victorian!).  I understand that it was built in
1901 by Charles Tappan, a local jewelery manufacturer.  Not sure if his
family might have come from Brookline, but will give this information to the
Historical Commission and see if they have or can come up with more history
on the family.

The house is in relatively good condition with minimal alterations over
time.  I will try to add some current photos to the petition site.

Thank You.

Scott

>
> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Help Save Tappan House (Scott A. Winkler, AIA)
>   2. Re: Authority of Historical Commission/HDC under  Chapter 40C
>      (Chris Skelly)
>   3. Re: Help Save Tappan House (Dennis De Witt)
>   4. Re: Help Save Tappan House (Anne Forbes)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 09:46:41 -0500
> From: "Scott A. Winkler, AIA" <swinkler.architect at gmail.com>
> Subject: [MassHistPres] Help Save Tappan House
> To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
> Message-ID:
>        <AANLkTi=EPPRtao0vUWYCeoZODc3Jo8wNnMbfLzg=YpDA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Please show your support for the preservation of the historic Tappan House
> in Attleboro, MA by signing the online petition.  More information is
> available on the petition site.
>
> http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-tappan-house/
>
> Thank you.
>
> Scott Winkler
> On behalf of The Attleboro Historical Commission
>
> --
> Scott A. Winkler, AIA, LEED AP
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 09:48:18 -0500
> From: "Chris Skelly" <skelly-mhc at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Authority of Historical Commission/HDC
>        under   Chapter 40C
> To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <011701cb97b0$203fee10$60bfca30$@net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Betty, I think you mean Chapter 40C, Section 7 where it states:
>
> The commission shall not make any recommendation or requirement except for
> the purpose of preventing developments incongruous to the historic aspects
> or the architectural characteristics of the surroundings and of the
> historic
> district.
>
> The previous part of Section 7 states:
>
> In passing upon matters before it the commission shall consider, among
> other
> things, the historic and architectural value and significance of the site,
> building or structure, the general design, arrangement, texture, material
> and color of the features involved, and the relation of such features to
> similar features of buildings and structures in the surrounding area. In
> the
> case of new construction or additions to existing buildings or structures
> the commission shall consider the appropriateness of the size and shape of
> the building or structure both in relation to the land area upon which the
> building or structure is situated and to buildings and structures in the
> vicinity, and the commission may in appropriate cases impose dimensional
> and
> set-back requirements in addition to those required by applicable ordinance
> or by-law.
>
> The Section 2-Purpose of MGL Chapter 40C states:
>
> The purpose of this chapter is to promote the educational, cultural,
> economic and general welfare of the public through the preservation and
> protection of the distinctive characteristics of buildings and places
> significant in the history of the commonwealth and its cities and towns or
> their architecture, and through the maintenance and improvement of settings
> for such buildings and places and the encouragement of design compatible
> therewith.
>
>
>
> I don't see a distinction between incongruous and inappropriate.  So, if
> the
> commission considers Chapter 40C in its entirety, you are performing your
> duty by denying applications that are determined inappropriate or
> incongruous to the district.
>
>
>
> I think you would be in hot water if you were making any requirements on
> the
> applicant for reasons OTHER than preventing incongruous developments.
>
>
>
> Christopher C. Skelly
>
> Director of Local Government Programs
>
> Massachusetts Historical Commission
>
> 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125
>
> Ph: (617) 727-8470 / Fax: (617) 727-5128
>
>  <mailto:Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us
>
>  <http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcidx.htm>
> http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcidx.htm
>
> *******Stay Informed on Historic Preservation Topics by joining the
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> information. ******Contact MHC for more information on regional training
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>
>
>
> From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
> [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Dcolebslade at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 10:02 AM
> To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
> Subject: [MassHistPres] Authority of Historical Commission/HDC under
> Chapter
> 40C
>
>
>
> An applicant, a lawyer, applied for a certificate of appropriateness for an
> addition to a very small building sited very close to the Main Road.  She
> also wanted to put clad windows and artificial materials on the new
> addition.  The commission believed it was not an appropriate addition and
> did not approve of  the artificial materials.  The published guidelines so
> state.  The applicant had two preliminary reviews where it was clearly
> stated that the size of addition she was contemplating was not appropriate.
>
>
>
> At the first preliminary review before presenting her plans she noted she
> was a lawyer, that the courts did not favor historical commissions/HDCs and
> so on.  She suggested that if the historical commission/HDC did not approve
> her plans she could take the commission to court.  However she did come
> back
> with a smaller addition in the second preliminary and then a different, but
> similar size addition for the public hearing.  Her application has been
> denied.
>
>
>
> Her argument was that the legislature had added the lines of Article 7,
> 19-22, to curtail or limit the authority of the historical commission in
> their considerations which are described in Article 7, lines 1-18.  She
> argued her plans were not incongruous because there were so many different
> "styles" in the historic district and that in the past, former commissions
> had  allowed larger additions behind buildings. She seemed to be stating
> that the word "incongruous" outweighs "appropriateness".
>
>
>
> I would very much appreciate hearing from the MHC and from you your
> opinions
> on if, and if so, how much, the authority of the Historical Commission/HDCs
> can be interpreted to be "limited" by Article 7, 19-22.
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
>
>
> Betty Slade
>
> Westport
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:18:51 -0500
> From: Dennis De Witt <djd184 at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Help Save Tappan House
> To: MHC MHC listserve <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <DD0B97C6-FE80-42EE-A225-365167BA0DA6 at verizon.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Scott
>
> Do you know if that is the same family that built the substantial ca. 1820
> Tappan-Philbrick house in Brookline?  They were important abolitionist
> merchants.  One branch moved to NYC where Lewis Tappan lead the Amistad
> appeal to the Supreme Court.  Benjamin Tappan moved to Ohio and became a
> senator.  The wonderful central square of Oberlin O is named after him.
>
> But how did that spectacular Jocobethan house get tagged "colonial
> revival"?
>
> Dennis De Witt
>
>
> On Dec 9, 2010, at 9:46 AM, Scott A. Winkler, AIA wrote:
>
> > Please show your support for the preservation of the historic Tappan
> House in Attleboro, MA by signing the online petition.  More information is
> available on the petition site.
> >
> > http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-tappan-house/
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Scott Winkler
> > On behalf of The Attleboro Historical Commission
> >
> > --
> > Scott A. Winkler, AIA, LEED AP
> > ******************************
> > For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly.  PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
> WHOLE LIST.
> > MassHistPres mailing list
> > MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:55:21 -0500
> From: "Anne Forbes" <anneforbes at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Help Save Tappan House
> To: "'Dennis De Witt'" <djd184 at verizon.net>,    "'MHC MHC listserve'"
>        <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <0LD600LTR48FSSB8 at vms173017.mailsrvcs.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Dennis introduces an important point.  The more the case can be made for
> the
> building's architectural importance - its rarity, its place in a regional
> context, the name of the architect, etc. - the better.  That won't happen
> if
> even its style is misunderstood.
>
> I also wonder about the photograph, which looks like a historical one,
> perhaps taken shortly after it was built.  It's impressive, but it tells
> the
> reader/observer nothing about how much the building may have been altered
> over time, which is another important piece of information in assessing any
> demolition proposal.
>
> Anne Forbes,
> Acton
>
>  _____
>
> From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
> [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Dennis De Witt
> Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 10:19 AM
> To: MHC MHC listserve
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Help Save Tappan House
>
>
> Scott
>
> Do you know if that is the same family that built the substantial ca. 1820
> Tappan-Philbrick house in Brookline?  They were important abolitionist
> merchants.  One branch moved to NYC where Lewis Tappan lead the Amistad
> appeal to the Supreme Court.  Benjamin Tappan moved to Ohio and became a
> senator.  The wonderful central square of Oberlin O is named after him.
>
> But how did that spectacular Jocobethan house get tagged "colonial
> revival"?
>
>
> Dennis De Witt
>
>
> On Dec 9, 2010, at 9:46 AM, Scott A. Winkler, AIA wrote:
>
>
> Please show your support for the preservation of the historic Tappan House
> in Attleboro, MA by signing the online petition.  More information is
> available on the petition site.
>
> http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-tappan-house/
>
> Thank you.
>
> Scott Winkler
> On behalf of The Attleboro Historical Commission
>
> --
> Scott A. Winkler, AIA, LEED AP
> ******************************
> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly.  PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
> WHOLE
> LIST.
> MassHistPres mailing list
> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
> ********************************
>
>
>
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> End of MassHistPres Digest, Vol 58, Issue 4
> *******************************************
>

-- 
Scott A. Winkler, AIA, LEED AP
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