[MassHistPres] Local Preservation Update E-Newsletter-March 24, 2014

[Skelly, Christopher (SEC)]

LOCAL PRESERVATION UPDATE E-NEWSLETTER
Published by the Massachusetts Historical Commission
March 24, 2014

SAVING A THREATENED BUILDING WHEN IT IS NOT IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT
Of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, over 120 now have a local historic district.  By having a local historic district, these communities through their historic district commission can deny an application for demolition, thereby protecting the historic resource from destruction.  While the number of local historic districts continues to grow, it still means that today many cities and towns have no local historic district in place.  If your community is one them and a significant building is proposed for demolition with no local protections, your options for saving the building from demolition are certainly more limited, but they are not zero. Advocacy remains as an essential and, often effective, historic preservation strategy.  When a significant building is threatened with demolition, the local historical commission should meet, discuss and take a formal position on the potential loss of the resource as soon as possible.  The position of the commission should then be publicized to the city council/select board, to other local boards and commissions and to the property owner, seeking opportunities for open communication.  Sometimes, it is useful to publicize commission concerns more broadly by contacting the local newspaper, neighborhood organizations or through community-related social media.  If such outlets build a constituency of concerned residents, the advocacy opportunities will likewise build.  An advocacy approach that includes educating, encouraging, persuading, listening, compromising and collaborating will have the best chance of success.  It is important to remember that even if an advocacy campaign does not result in saving a building, the loss itself can often be a catalyst for better communication, community-wide historic preservation planning, passing a demolition delay bylaw, making necessary zoning changes or even establishing a local historic district.  This is especially true when the event was part of a collaborative effort of the local historical commission, residents and local officials. A recent example of advocacy occurred in North Adams when a chain drug store declined to demolish a national register listed building following substantial vocal concerns.  http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_25252923/cvs-cancels-plan-buy-former-st-francis-church.  If you have a local advocacy success story you'd like to share with other local historical commissions, please contact Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us<mailto:Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us>.  Additional examples will be included in upcoming newsletters.  While advocacy offers no guarantees for saving a threatened resource, when it is the only option, it is the best option.

PRESERVATION MONTH IS COMING UP IN MAY
During the month of May, events celebrating our significant historic resources are held throughout the nation.  Many cities and towns in Massachusetts are holding events during this month such as preservation awards, walking tours, house tours, lectures and exhibits. Do you have any events planned in your community?   Ideas for preservation month activities can be found at  http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/preservation-month-2014-embark-inspire-engage.html<http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/preservation-month/>.  The MHC will include a list of local events in our next e-newsletter.

NEW LISTINGS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Six properties were listed in the National Register recently under the context "Mid 20th Century Modern Residential Architecture on Outer Cape Cod, 1929-1979."  Minimalist in form, functional in design, and built of simple materials, these houses reflect a new approach to architecture as well as broader societal changes, particularly in the years after World War II.  The context lays the groundwork for listing additional modernist residences in the outer Cape communities of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.  For more information, please contact MHC's National Register staff.  The recent listings include:
Hatch House, Wellfleet
Kugel House, Wellfleet
Kuhn House, Wellfleet
Sirna Studio, Wellfleet
Tesza House, Wellfleet
Weidlinger House, Wellfleet

Other recent listings in Massachusetts include:

Beverly, Beverly Depot-Odell Park Historic District

Leverett, East Leverett Historic District

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE NEWS
Braintree
Call for demolition rules renewed in Braintree - The demolition of a two-century-old house has renewed calls for an ordinance governing the demolition of historical buildings.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20140306/News/140307863

CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND DATES TO REMEMBER
March 29, 2014
Directions in Twenty-First Century Preservation Symposium.  For more information, visit  http://www.historicnewengland.org/events-programs/directions-in-twenty-first-century-preservation-1/directions-in-twenty-first-century-preservation
April 15, 2014
Nominations due for National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Excellence Awards.  For more information, visit http://napc.uga.edu/commission-excellence-awards/#.UzBBrs5qS_0
April 17, 2014
Cape Cod Annual Historic Preservation Workshop.  For more information, visit http://www.capecodcommission.org/departments/planning/historic/workshops.

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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.  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

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