[MassHistPres] CPA Funds for Historic Preservation of a Church

[Sullivan, Charles M.]

The Cambridge Historical Commission operates a Preservation Grant program that is supported by an annual appropriation of about $600,000 in CPA funds. About two-thirds goes to institutional owners of significant buildings, often churches. The balance supports affordable housing projects.

Institutional Preservation Grant applicants are eligible to apply for several types of projects, in priority order: roofing, including gutters and drainage; envelope repairs, including siding and windows; structural repairs; and accessibility. We have also funded a small number of projects relating to life safety and building functions, including new boilers and replacement of dangerous wiring.

After the Caplan decision we suspended grants to churches while we reviewed the situation with our City Solicitor. As a result of her review we are able to proceed as before, with the exception that we no longer make grants to restore stained glass windows containing religious iconography, which was the only specific prohibition in the SJC decision.

CPA grants to religious buildings support a major part of our mission in Cambridge and have facilitated long-term preservation of many irreplaceable buildings. I hope other cities and towns will not be intimidated into denying CPA assistance for these important resources.

Charles Sullivan

_____________________________________________
Charles Sullivan, Executive Director
Cambridge Historical Commission
831 Massachusetts Ave., 2nd Fl.
Cambridge, Mass.  02139
ph 617-349-4684; fax 617-349-6165; TTY 617-349-6112
http://www.cambridgema.gov/Historic
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From: MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> On Behalf Of Amy Ritterbusch
Sent: Saturday, October 5, 2019 4:02 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] CPA Funds for Historic Preservation of a Church

We have a beautiful church in Hopkinton on the Common (2 Main Street<https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2Fhopkintonma.gov%2Fhistorical-properties%2Fby-street-name%2Fmain-street&data=02%7C01%7Ccsullivan%40cambridgema.gov%7Cdaa2bf58752f449e28cf08d74b243aca%7Cc06a8be784794d73b35193bc9ba8295c%7C0%7C0%7C637060491282363757&sdata=Zcgu%2Bvbgm0pCrrYOT1j%2FKQNXuoysf876B4RSLlfAhoM%3D&reserved=0>) right by the Marathon start line. Its steeple is in need of an expensive renovation and the congregation does not have the funds right now for the renovation, although they would like to preserve it. Our town has adopted the Community Preservation Act and I believe CPA funds can in theory be used for private homes and buildings, but our Assistant Town Manager told me that the use of funds for religious institutions has been the subject of litigation in the past (separation of church and state). So I was wondering if anyone had any experience in getting grants to assist in the restoration of a church or other religious structure and how they went about it. The church right now is NOT in a local Historic District, but it may be possible to add it to the Historic District at a future town meeting, especially if that meant grant funding would be available. We'd hate to see the historic steeple come down and it is not fully protected right now since it is not in a district. I think everyone involved wants to see it preserved, but it is just the cost that is an obstacle at the moment.

Thanks!
Amy

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Amy Ritterbusch
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