[MassHistPres] Single Building LHD question

[Johnstone, Michelle]

Hello!

We have encountered an odd LHD situation here in Worcester. We have a ca. 1858 Italianate mansion that was proposed for demolition to make way for new townhouses last summer, and under the city's demolition delay ordinance, the twelve-month delay was upheld by the Historical Commission. In the interim, the Historical Commission has initiated a preliminary study report of the property as a single-building local historic district.

It is a former funeral home that contains a large asphalt surface lot on the parcel, and the city nor the Historical Commission have any desire to have purview on anything on the site other than the building itself, as they understand the need for additional housing. Although the property owner is opposed to the creation of the district, they have offered to move the building over a bit on the lot so that they can still build the planned townhouses and retain the original building. What the owner and their council are most concerned about is the potential that the HC would be overly critical of the new construction that is planned next to the original building. So, we are trying to find a creative way to only include the portion of the lot on which the building is sited to give them the peace of mind that their new construction designs cannot be denied by the HC, and in doing so hopefully encounter less resistance in the effort to permanently protect the building.

What are your thoughts on this? I am thinking that there must be a way that we can condition the boundary of the district to include only the building, even if it's moved, as long as it remains on the existing parcel or any subdivision of the existing parcel that includes the existing building. If we don't find a way to creatively condition the boundary of the district, there is a very real probability that the proposal will be shot down at City Council.

Any and all suggestions welcome!

Michelle H. Johnstone
Senior Preservation Planner
Department of Planning & Regulatory Services - Executive Office of Economic Development
City of Worcester | 455 Main Street, Rm 404, Worcester, MA 01608
P: 508-799-1400 x31410
C: 774-622-0695
E: johnstonem at worcesterma.gov<mailto:johnstonem at worcesterma.gov>
www.worcesterma.gov<http://www.worcesterma.gov/>

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