[MassHistPres] Are there any successful 'demolition by neglect' bylaws?

[SCeccacci at aol.com]

The City of Worcester has a "nuisance" ordinance, which works as a  
demolition by neglect ordinance.  Including daily fines, it was  used successfully 
in a case of a building included on Preservation  Worcester's Most 
Endangered List a couple of years ago.  The owner decided  to sell rather than to 
repair the building, which has  since been restored and sold to a new owner.
 
You may read the ordinance on this link:
 
_http://www.worcesterma.gov/uploads/be/6e/be6ec0e1b2459ab1cd0597c562386186/n
uisance-ordinance.pdf_ 
(http://www.worcesterma.gov/uploads/be/6e/be6ec0e1b2459ab1cd0597c562386186/nuisance-ordinance.pdf) 
 
 
Susan McDaniel Ceccacci
Architectural Historian
Jefferson, Massachusetts
 
 
 
In a message dated 6/1/2011 6:36:48 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
dbibel at verizon.net writes:
 
Here's  the situation:  A private school moved into town.  They have done  
some good things to their property, but one of the buildings they own,  
the Jacob Cushman house, has been neglected and is in poor shape.   The 
Historical Commission has contacted the school, sent  letters,  met with 
one of their Trustees - all in an effort to explain the  historical 
significance of the building.  We've suggested some low  cost options to 
reduce continued damage (cut down the vines creeping up  the walls, 
properly seal the damaged windows) to no apparent  effect.

Some members of our Commission have suggested writing to the  various 
members of their Board of Trustees; others have suggested  informational 
pickets; and one has suggested the development of a  'demolition by 
neglect' bylaw.

(I should mention that the school  successfully restored an adjacent 
property - the William Chenery House,  also an historic building, and has 
rented it out.  We congratulated  the school for their adaptive reuse in 
this case)

I wonder if there  have been successful demo by neglect bylaws or 
statutes -- a concern that  has been raised is dealing with property 
owners who neglect their property  due to financial hardship (the school 
in question here does plead  hardship, although it is  not apparent from 
their buildings and  grounds).

Any examples or case studies (pro or con) would be greatly  appreciated.

Daniel Bibel
Co-chair
Medfield Historical  Commission

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