[MassHistPres] MassHistPres Digest, Vol 87, Issue 16

[aubrey theall]

We ran into this exact situation with the Prescott House in Groton and Groton Hill Music Center.  Their position was that historic preservation is not part of their mission and as such they could not expend resources on it (unless they had a mission related use for the building which they maintained they did not).  

We enforced the demo delay which required it be offered for sale but Town Counsel opined that offering the house to be moved (which they did) fulfilled that.  We are going to Town Meeting this spring with a revised bylaw that would specifically require that the land and building be offered for sale.

The house is coming down real time although most of the materials are being salvaged.

Aubrey Theall
Groton Historic Commission


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> On Mar 5, 2025, at 12:01 PM, masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu wrote:
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>   1. Re: Mass Audubon demolishes 1696 house inNatick (Dennis De Witt)
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2025 12:30:37 +0000
> From: Dennis De Witt <dennis.j.dewitt at gmail.com>
> To: Ralph Slate <slater at alum.rpi.edu>
> Cc: MHC MHC listserve <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Mass Audubon demolishes 1696 house
>    inNatick
> Message-ID: <96847A2F-35DB-4A4E-885C-A05F8D95B156 at gmail.com>
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> 
> There is no suggestion that it was in a 40c LHD.  It was only subject to Demo Delay, with apparently no requirement for offering it for sale.
> 
> It appears that the only “solution” Mass Audubon would consider was moving it.  That is often a major barrier given the need for an appropriate site and the physical difficulties — sometimes impossibility — of moving a building along roads with utility lines and other obstacles.
> 
> Clearly, an offer to have someone fix and occupy the building on site, comparable to the DCR program, might have been an option, but that seems not to have been considered.
> 
> Dennis De Witt
> Brookline
> 
> 
>> On Mar 4, 2025, at 1:55 PM, Ralph Slate via MassHistPres <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:
>> 
>> Can someone educate me here? Was the building in question covered by a MGL 40C Local Historic District? If so, wouldn't that have greatly slowed demolition, until the owner could demonstrate that "not demolishing the building" was a greater hardship than the impact of demolition to the District?
>> 
>> I don't understand how historic resources are managed in Eastern MA, but in Springfield a building like this in a local historic district could be blocked from demolition unless it was demonstrably in un-repairable condition.
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Ralph Slate
>> Springfield, MA
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On 3/3/2025 4:34 PM, David Feigenbaum via MassHistPres wrote:
>>> Stronger state legislation would be a highly effective avenue. Is there an advocate on Beacon Hill for legislation to preserve buildings that are historic resources of towns?
>>> 
>>> David Feigenbaum
>>> Winchester resident
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Mar 3, 2025 at 3:19 PM sally milne via MassHistPres <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu <mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>> wrote:
>>>> Thank you Dennis and Michael for sharing. so sad. i feel as if we continue to lose so many
>>>> important assets. we need more tools /legislation from the State law makers. . i think anyway , something must change.
>>>> 
>>>> Sally Urbano
>>>> Harwich
>>>> imdividually
>>>> On Mon, Mar 3, 2025 at 10:24 AM Steinitz, Michael @ SEC via MassHistPres <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu <mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Some time ago I reached out to the Natick Audubon contact person, Aaron Gouveia, to offer a second opinion to their structural engineer who deemed the house a total loss. My co-instructor at North Bennet, Michael Burrey and I were willing to visit the site to determine if the Sawin House might be a good candidate for students of the Preservation Carpentry program be involved.  Our offer was rejected.
>>>>> Dennis De Witt's interpretation of purposeful neglect leading to the inevitable may be spot on.
>>>>> As far as describing Mass Audubon as "esteemed", my personal experience dealing with a manager at the Canton, MA Bird Art site a few years ago left me with a less than stellar opinion when they chose to demolish an art installation made by the deceased donor of the 120 acre estate.  Mildred Morse Allen was an artist and documentary maker who left this amazing gift to the Audubon Soc only to have an amazing, custom fabricated,  faux motor yacht room pulled out and her floor to ceiling seascape artwork destroyed.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Steven O'Shaughnessy
>>>>> Dept. Head - Preservation Carpentry
>>>>> North Bennet Street School
>>>>> Boston
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> Steven O'Shaughnessy
>>>>> Dept. Head  - Preservation Carpentry
>>>>> North Bennet Street School, 150 North Street | 617 227 0155 <tel:617%20227%200155> *270
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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>>>>> An Education in Craftsmanship
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