[MassHistPres] Input from fire chief on demolition delay

[Tristram Metcalfe 3]

Ralph et al

This practice of building inspectors claiming buildings unsafe when they remain still reasonably safe is appalling to historic preservation. I believe it most often is simply their ignorance covering their feared liability.

I have seen many absurd situations in my 48 years of architectural practice. One of the first very absurd examples was the local inspector condemning his own family mausoleum building covered in rose marble with heavy ornamentation in a very prominent location in town. It was simply because the cheek wall marble of a dormer had flashing leaks which rotted some of the floor falling into the basement. The bidder to remove it lost his shirt as it took him weeks to tear it down with a back hoe. This was due to its 16" thick very solid reinforced masonry walls with its steel spanning frame still very solid showing its factory orange primer visibly proud.

The recourse I would take is to call in the state inspector in citing code exemptions for historic buildings as we hope they wont be swayed by local politics or favoritism to developers in eliminating historic buildings which is the dominant force against history.

Tris Metcalfe, AIA
Northampton
MA RA #5393

On Mar 11, 2019, at 9:32 AM, Ralph Slate <slater at alum.rpi.edu<mailto:slater at alum.rpi.edu>> wrote:


Springfield's building commissioner has used the fact that a building is unoccupied and therefore subject to the possibility of arson to declare a building in a local historic district unsafe, overruling the city's historical commission.


On another occasion he declared a building structurally unsound, and then based on that declaration prevented anyone from setting foot inside to verify that this was the case.


If the city officials want a building down, they will usually get their way.


Ralph Slate

Springfield, MA


On Mon, 11 Mar, 2019 at 9:12 AM, cvwtc at aol.com<mailto:cvwtc at aol.com> <cvwtc at aol.com<mailto:cvwtc at aol.com>> wrote:

To: urbanosally at gmail.com<mailto:urbanosally at gmail.com>; masshistpres at cs.umb.edu<mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
When Mayor Kim Driscoll of Salem, MA was looking to have the vacant St. Joseph's Church demolished, she had someone from the police department comment during the Section 106 hearing.  While the officer did not specifically state the structure should be torn down, he made the case that having an empty building in that neighborhood would cause many problems and attract a criminal element.  I believe the possibility of arson was suggested too.

Matthew Pujo
Beverly, MA


-----Original Message-----
From: sally milne <urbanosally at gmail.com<mailto:urbanosally at gmail.com>>
To: MassHistPres MA <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu<mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>>
Sent: Fri, Mar 8, 2019 2:45 pm
Subject: [MassHistPres] Input from fire chief on demolition delay

Hello everyone,
    We  have encountered an issue I find perplexing and so I turn to you all.
In Harwich we have a Historic building for which the demolition delay is invoked. Having attended a number of demo hearings I notice the lawyers always object to personal opinion of the HDHC and keep them on point as to their guidelines for the hearings. However recently the fire chief and to a lesser degree the police department have made statements that the building under the demolition delay should be demolished as it is unstable. I understand the need for the fire department to red x the building so that firemen won’t enter and be hurt while putting out a fire, that would be in the realm of the fire chief. I do not think it is in his realm to deem the building be demolished. That would seem to be an engineering assessment along with the HDHC.
    Has anyone experienced this? I think it could be a detrimental practice and wonder how to handle it.

I thank you for your time and consideration.
Sally Urbano
Individual
Harwich,ma
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