[MassHistPres] 1874 house

[Anne Forbes]

This type of thing is also a "spin" issue for the demolition proponent.  I hope the HC will challenge any claims that this building is beyond repair.  I can't think of a more accessible area to work in than an 1870s basement.  

How often have we seen demo. delay requests that are based on "unsafe" or "deteriorated" conditions that would be relatively easy to fix?  So there's rot in the basement posts and beams!  Outside of sending the owner a sympathy card, I hope the HC will point out that replacement of basement timbers is one of the most common repairs in historic buildings.  I would bet that most structures from the 1870s have undergone some, and there may be some good examples in other Mendon buildings.

Anne Forbes,
Acton 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Garrett Laws 
  To: Jane Lowell 
  Cc: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 4:33 PM
  Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] 1874 house


  Jane,


  This quickly turns into a zoning issue... If the zoning allows exponentially more square footage for a new building, then someone looking to make money is going to do everything in their power to get more sq ft!


  - preservation restrictions?

  - National Register listing?


  Open space, lasting materials etc, etc aren't things that realtors put on listing sheets and listing sheets are what developers / flippers use to see where they can make money next!



  Garrett Laws, Pres.

  The Copper & Slate Company, Inc.
  Fine Roofing and Exterior Finish Carpentry
  238B Calvary Street,
  Waltham, MA 02453
  (781) 893-1916

  Work we do:
  http://picasaweb.google.com/copperandslate

  Where we've worked over the years:
  http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=206210316541901083869.00049065ef8543e1ef9c3&ll=42.40115,-71.126862&spn=0.125241,0.289421&t=h&z=12



  On Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 10:57 AM, Jane Lowell <jel42 at comcast.net> wrote:

    The Mendon HC has received a demolition application for a 1874 Italianate house.  The building inspector and the chairman of our HC, Wayne Wagner, inspected the building and found that the cross beams and posts in the cellar were rotted.  We will give the builder the studies on the economics or restoration vs. demolition but would appreciate any other information people have.

                                                                                                                                                                    Jane Lowell

                                                                                                                                                                    Mendon Historical Commission


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