[MassHistPres] What constitutes demolition?

[SCeccacci at aol.com]

Another possibility for keeping the chimney is to provide support for the  
portion of the existing chimney that rises above the space that will be 
provided  by removal of the lower portion.  I have seen this done in a house in  
Worcester.
 
Susan McDaniel Ceccacci
Jefferson, MA
 
 
In a message dated 3/19/2015 1:30:24 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
jworden at swwalaw.com writes:

 
In  Arlington – speaking for the historic district commissions, not the 
historical  commission which has jurisdiction over demolition delays – if the 
chimney in  question were the only one on the house, or a significant 
architectural  feature, we would require the installation of a false chimney 
(presumably made  of wood with brick facing) that would only exist above the  
roofline. 
John  Worden 
Arlington  HDC 
 
 
From:  masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu 
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On  Behalf Of David Temple
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2015 9:26  PM
To: Mass HistPres
Subject: [MassHistPres] What  constitutes demolition?

 
 
In  Medfield we handle 5 - 10 demolition permit applications each year 
under our  demolition delay bylaw, which was first enacted in 1993. Most cases 
involve  proposed demolition of entire structures or large portions thereof, 
but some  are very small, such as removing a window or clapboards when the 
owner wants  to put on a small addition. 
 

 
Each  time a little one comes up, we wonder, is this really demolition? and 
do we  really need to hold a hearing?  We don't want to abridge our right 
to  review and hold hearings on applications, but where and how do you draw 
the  line? 
 

 
Today,  for example, a local person called. She wants to remove a chimney 
in a  restored 1880 Italianate house so she can make the attic space more 
useful as  a bedroom. She would fill in and shingle over the ensuing hole in 
the roof,  slightly altering the external appearance of the building. (Her new 
heating  system vents out the side of the building on the first floor.)  
Would  this call for an historic demolition hearing in your  city?
 

 
I'm  interested in what other commissions do, and I'll share the results 
with the  group. 
 

 
 
In  your reply, please include my original message. 

David  Temple 
David F. Temple, Inc. 
300 South Street 
Medfield, MA 02052  
508-359-2915 





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