[MassHistPres] Tracking renovations

[George Shaw]

As a building inspector the tool is quite handy in convincing contractors
and home owners that indeed the porch or addition you claimed was always
there was built a few months ago.
George Shaw
Harmony Woodworking (retired)


On Fri, Jun 28, 2024, 10:23 AM Garrett Laws via MassHistPres <
masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:

> Richard,
>
> This should also be used as a preventative measure. Requiring a Google
> Street View image (when available) sets the stage for an applicant to
> realise that it’s now very easy for not only a commission but literally
> everyone, to track the changes (past, present and future) to a property.
>
> Garrett Laws
> Copper & Slate Company
> Waltham
>
> On Sunday, June 23, 2024, Richard Smith via MassHistPres <
> masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:
>
>> I noticed something recently that may be useful in historic district
>> commission reviews of contentious projects.  In Google maps, you can select
>> a location and look at it in Street View to see what the building and
>> surroundings look like.  If you look at the box that comes up with the
>> street image, it offers you the most recent street images Google has taken
>> with its date.  However, next to the date, it says “see more dates”, and if
>> you click on that you can bring up earlier views.  What Maps does is
>> archive its previous street view photos.
>>
>>
>>
>> We were in Woodstock Vermont last night, and I saw a substantial
>> reconstruction project in the village historic district.  I was trying to
>> remember what was there before, so I brought up the Google street view of
>> the building, which is dated Nov 2022.  When I clicked on  “see more
>> dates”,  I found street views from Sept 2021, Sept 2018, Aug 2017, Nov
>> 2016, and Aug 2013.  That gave me a very good overview of how the property
>> had changed.
>>
>>
>>
>> If it is a street that the Google truck has revisited regularly, Street
>> View can give historic districts and commissions a way to look back in time
>> to find more clues to the recent renovation history.  Were windows replaced
>> without review?  Was that porch enclosed by the present owner? When did
>> those details disappear?  Was it after the historic district was
>> implemented?  Street View can provide some objective documentation of how a
>> historic property has evolved.
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
>
> Many Thanks,
> Garrett Laws
>
> The Copper & Slate Company <https://copperandslate.net>
>
> Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/copperandslatecompany/>
>
> The Copper & Slate Company, Inc.
> Fine Roofing and Historic Carpentry
> 238 Calvary Street,
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/238+Calvary+Street,+Waltham,+MA+02453?entry=gmail&source=g>
> Waltham, MA 02453
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/238+Calvary+Street,+Waltham,+MA+02453?entry=gmail&source=g>
> (781) 893-1916
>
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