[MassHistPres] Local Preservation Update E-Newsletter-December 20, 2010

[Skelly, Christopher @ SEC]

LOCAL PRESERVATION UPDATE E-NEWSLETTER

Published by the Massachusetts Historical Commission

December 20, 2010

 

NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD

The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester has received a
2010 Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A
popular entertainment venue during the early 20th Century, the ornate
1904 theatre was altered to a cinema complex during the 1960s.  When the
cinema closed, the building sat vacant for a decade during the 1990s.  A
restoration effort began in 2002 culminating in a grand reopening in
2008.  Already more than 350,000 patrons have attended events and
performances.  Additionally, the theatre was recently approved by the
State Review Board for listing in the National Register of Historic
Places.  The final step in listing the theatre is approval by the
National Park Service.  For more information on the award, visit
http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/awards/2010-national-prese
rvation-awards/
<http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/awards/2010-national-pres
ervation-awards/> 

 

NEW LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS PROPOSED IN WELLESLEY

The town of Wellesley has submitted a local historic district study
report to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for the establishment
of two single property local historic districts.  The two proposed
districts are residential homes.  One is a former Methodist Meeting
House.  The second is a Colonial Revival residence constructed in 1930.
In both cases, the property owners requested the establishment of the
district in order to protect the buildings into the future.  

 

LOCAL PRESERVATION EFFORTS IN THE NEWS-ATTLEBORO

The turn of the century Frank Tappan House in Attleboro is threatened
with demolition.  Found individually eligible for the National Register
of Historic Places by the Massachusetts Historical Commission in 2002,
the building is significant for both its associations with jewelry
manufacturing in Attleboro as well as its architecture.  The Attleboro
Historical Commission, utilizing their demolition delay bylaw, has
determined that the building should not be demolished. However, the town
of Attleboro has only a 45 day demolition delay bylaw.  Although local
advocacy efforts saved this building from demolition eight years ago by
convincing the owner to not demolish, it is unclear if advocacy alone
will be able to save the building this time around.  

 

LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS - ENFORCEMENT EXAMPLES

At the request of several historic district commissions, MHC staff is
compiling sample material on enforcement within local historic
districts.   Does your local historic district commission have a
particularly effective process for enforcement of violations within your
local historic district?  Do you have enforcement examples that might be
useful for other local historic district commissions around the state?
If so, please contact Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us
<mailto:Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us> .  

 

NEW LISTINGS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

Dudley, Black Tavern (boundary increase)

 

Architectural Plans Workshop at the Massachusetts Archives

The Massachusetts Archives will be offering an Architectural Plans
Workshop on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 9:00 AM.  The workshop will
cover the depth and breadth of the Archives collection of over 60,000
architectural plans. Archives staff will discuss the types of plans
researchers are likely to find in the Archives, the kinds of information
available from the plans, as well as why the Archives has these plans.
Archives staff will also cover all aspects of requesting to view the
records and having them sent out for reproduction. A variety of plans
will be pulled from the vault and looked at during the workshop.
Pre-registration is required.  The workshop is limited to 10 people.
Please note that the workshop scheduled for February 8th is already
fully booked. For more information, contact Autumn Haag at
AHaag at sec.state.ma.us

 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND DATES TO REMEMBER

January 24, 2011

Introduction to Historic Preservation Planning, Braintree.  7pm.  For
more information, contact Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us
<mailto:Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us> 

February 11, 2011

Preservation Workshop at Mount Auburn Cemetery.  The workshop will
include challenges facing the care of monuments and buildings as well as
a demonstration of monument conservation materials and techniques.
1:30pm.  For more information, visit http://www.mountauburn.org/
<http://www.mountauburn.org/> 

February 15, 2011

Architectural Plans Workshop.  Massachusetts Archives.  For more
information, contact Autumn Haag at AHaag at sec.state.ma.us

 

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Please forward this newsletter on to others that may be interested.  If
you are receiving this as a forwarded message and would like to receive
it directly, please contact the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
The Massachusetts Historical Commission also has a listserve, known as
masshistpres, specifically for historic preservation.  You can join this
listserve by visiting
http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
<http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres> .  This
newsletter is posted on masshistpres directly and sent to local
commission members.  We welcome your thoughts on what you would like to
see in this newsletter.  The website for the Massachusetts Historical
Commission is http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcidx.htm
<http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcidx.htm> 

 

 

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