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2001 Historical Commission minutesPeg Keller Planning & Development PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Citvq Hall • 21 o Main Street, Room ii • Northampton MA o r oho -3198 • (413) S 87-1266 Fax: 5 87 -1264 WgneRiden,Director • email: planning @city.northampton.mams • internet :www.northamptonp[anning.org NORTHAMPTON HIST ORICAL COMMISSION _1 i , Peg Rener Housing & Community Development Planner planning board •conservation commission • zoning boardof appeals • housing partnership • redevelopmentauthorits • northampton GIS economic development • community development • historic district commission • historical commission• centralbusinessarchitecture originai printed on recgcled paper OFFICIAL MEETING NOTICE DATE: Monday, January 29, 2001 TIME: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall, Hearing Room #18 210 Main Street, Northampton Agenda 1) Announcements - Susan. Forms. On -Line Lilly Library 2) 2001 Preservation Awards - Valerie Review Current List 3) Arts Council Grant - Peg 4) Pomeroy Terrace Historical District - Chris 5) City Hall Follow -Up - Susan 6) State Hospital - Susan 7) Sessions Annex -- Susan Elm Street meeting follow -up NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes January 29, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Louise Bloomberg, Tris Metcalfe, Norman Winston, Chris Kennedy, Valerie Lavender. Also present, Peg Keller, staff, Phoebe Mitchell, Gazette Reporter, Marilyn Marks and Sue Carbin, interested citizens. Call to Order/ Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Ms. Bloomberg made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Mr. Kennedy. The vote was unanimous in favor. Announcements/ - The City's Form B surveys are on a CD -rom in a more condensed form. The plan within the next month is to put all forms on the City's web site. ^� - Chair Well attended -the meeting held by the Elm St. Commission regarding the Sessions Annex Building on Smith College's campus. The project will utilize public funding, therefore Mass. Historic will be involved. Comments were made about the size and shape of new windows. The architect agreed to make some revisions. A meeting will be held February 7 again with Elm Street to review proposed changes to the King and Scales building. NHC members are_ invited to attend, although it is unclear whether or not Mass. Historic will be involved. Local Awards/ The current list was reviewed. Ms. Bloomberg will review the buildings recently worked on by Smith College. The list should begin to be finalized at the March meeting. Millenium Project / Peg reviewed the handout that had been distributed and encouraged people to respond. The final tabulation on which' building projects should be photographed by Mr. Sherer will be made by the Commission. N Northampton State Hospital/ Chair Well circulated copies of articles that have run in the Gazette that address the topic of saving State Hospital buildings. Marilyn Marks who had authored an editorial in the Guest Column, was in attendance. In addressing the Commission Ms. Marks related a conversation she had with Peter Kocut, Rep. Nagle's aide. He said that clean up would begin soon. Ms. Marks inquired to the Commission about what power the NHC may or may not have, is the building truly unsalvageable, is rehabilitation cost prohibitive, does MDFA have more resources than the Community Builders had and what is Mike Hogan's commitment to rehab. Chair Well responded that the Project Manager for MDFA, David Webster is coming to meet with the Citizens Advisory Council on Feb..21 She then read sections of a memo from Teri Anderson, the City's Econ. Dev. Coordinator about steps that will be taken in the near future. In response to Ms. Marks questions, Chair Well said, yes the building is salvageable, maybe the cost would be astronomical and the Mass. Environmental Protection Agency review process will be the primary mechanism for public input about the project. Mr. Metcalfe said that in part it will be a matter of whether the master plan includes the need for a 4- story space for office and /or residential, in which case, the building is already there. He said that reworking the plaster the systems, the roof and asbestos removal would have to be done anyway. Mr. Metcalfe continued that asbestos removal with.selective demolition is cheaper than total demolition. He said he plans to talk to David Webster and Mike Hogan. He said the current site plan is vague and he needs to learn more about the end uses planned. Chair Well encouraged the two guests to comment during the MEPA process and organize others, if they so desired. Pomeroy Terrace Historic District/ Mr. Kennedy reported that he, Peg Keller and Susan Well met with Bonnie Parsons of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission about how to resurrect the district nomination. He described previous activity. Ms. Parsons suggested that the basic framework of the nomination is acceptable. Some reformatting is 3 necessary along with new photographs and additional information about the significance of the area. Mr. Kennedy raised the issue of redrawing the district boundary to exclude properties facing Hawley St., as they are from a different (earlier) era and had more of an industrial /commercial basis. Ms. Bloomberg noted her observation that Butler does not appear as significant as Phillips Place. In summary, Ms. Parsons recommended that MHC be officially notified that the Commission intended to move ahead with this nomination; that should she be hired to assist, the cost of $5,000 over 2 years would accomplish the goal; it was possible to have the Commission take the photos to reduce the cost. Chair Well reported that the Mayor has asked all department heads to prepare budgets with a 5% reduction. Wayne Feiden has agreed to look for .unexpended funds at the end of this fiscal to see if any are available for this project. It was also mentioned that funds could be solicited from the neighborhood. [� Peg K. will send the letter to Betsy Friedberg and ask if this would be a separate district or be an addendum to the one encompassing the three Historic Northampton buildings that were recently nominated. Mr. Kennedy asked if Historic Northampton were a 5010 organization able to accept tax deductible donations. (no one present knew the answer). ,Lilly Library/ Chair Well reported that a meeting would be held this Wed. to discuss the pros and cons of Historic Register nomination. They have applied to a State Library Resource fund to pay for the proposed addition. If they receive an award, Mass. Historic and the NHC would then be included �in the design review process. City Hall/ Chair Well reported that she has not heard anything from anyone about the Commission's concerns regarding the deterioration of City Hall. She tried unsuccessfully to reach Brett Jacobus. She will contact Bill Dwight. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller Peg Keller PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT • OIT Planning &Development CitN Hall - 2io Main Street •Northampton,MAoio6o•1 -, WgnaFeiden,Director • email :manning @city.northampton.rnams • intern et: wwweity.northampton.mams NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: February 26, 2001 TIME: 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. PLACE:. City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street 2nd Floor AGENDA 1. Northampton State Hospital Update. 2. Millenium Grant/ Public Input 3. 2001 Local Awards Program 4. Pomeroy Terrace Historical District 5. Other Updates/ Historic Northampton City Hall Lilly Library Smith College Cemeteries 6. Other Business 7. Adjourn ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ' Peg Keller 2/20/01 planning board • conservation commission • zoning board o of appeals • housing partnership • redevelopment authoritN economicdevelopment • communitNdevelopment • historic district. com mission •.historicaIcommission • northamptonGIS originalprin tail on recocledpaper NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes February 26, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Kimball Howes, Louise Bloomberg, Valerie Lavender, Tris Metcalfe, Chris Kennedy. Also present, Peg Keller, staff and Lisa Tennison, Sue Carbin, Marilyn Marks and Ed Hagelstein, interested parties. Call to Order/ Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Ms. Lavender made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Mr. Metcalfe. The vote was unanimous in favor. Updates 1. Northampton State Hospital Chair Well reported that she, Peg Keller and Norman Winston attended the annual Chamber lunch at which Mike Hogan of the Mass. Development Finance Agency was the guest speaker. He outlined their approach to the State Hospital project and updated the audience about the progress made to date. He did say that some of the buildings would be rehabilitated, and the slides that were shown depicting successful projects that Mass. Development has been involved with, were all of rehabilitated historic buildings. On February 21 the Citizens Advisory Committee convened. Some members attended. The developers are moving towards Phase One of the Environmental Review process and the permitting process will begin this summer. The State will contribute approximately 6 million dollars to prepare the site for development. Ms. Well read the letter from Mass. Historic Commission to the Engineer for Mass. Development, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin. It appears that MHC is willing to advocate for the position of saving buildings if they can be saved, as they included as an attachment the letter from Gary Hammer that we had asked him to write last year. z It was noted that members of Historic Northampton are concerned and Mr. Stanley Elkins is willing to spearhead a citizens group to advocate for the rehabilitation of at least a portion of the main campus building. Chair Well mentioned that several people have called her with concerns. She will refer those names to Mr. Elkins. Members then discussed the current status of the Gazette's poll. Between 2/12 to 2/21, 456 people had responded. 68% were in favor of saving the buildings, 16% said save if feasible and 16% said don't save them. Chair Well asked the Commissioners how they felt. They said the buildings should be saved regardless of the economics involved. Chair Well said that Anna Schuleit is doing research on other Kirkbride complexes. Tris said that 10 years ago a presentation was given at the High School about other State hospital campuses. Ms. Well suggested that the nomination material for the National Register should be restudied in order to quote with authenticity during the MEPA public comment period, with regard to O the significance of the structures. Mr. Hagelstein, an interested citizen remarked that he had put an article in the Gazette, after reading Marilyn's piece and spoke to an ironic parallel with Acropolis. He wondered what legacy would be left if everything were to be taken down. He said that this a prime jewel in the City's real estate and that the current proposal does not put forth anything creative beyond typical residential /commercial development. He went on to address the City's 20/20 plan, the need for recreational linkages from different parts of town and the problems that occur when people live too densely. He was thanked for his comments and encouraged to participate in the MEPA process, as the only purview for the NHC is with regard to historic preservation issues. It was agreed that Peg Keller would draft a letter to send to Mass. Historic stating our desire to be in the information loop, and to be made aware of the results of studies that will be conducted regarding the structural integrity of the main campus building. The possibility of a student design project was then discussed. Ms. Marks indicated that the Department of Mental Health in Boston has become interested in the future of the structures. Chair Well said that research on other campuses would be interesting, not only from a building perspective but there are also I 3 significant landscaped settings, such as the one in Danvers, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Tris offered to spend time working on other uses for the main campus building, with the assistance of Tom Douglas, another local architect. Ms. Bloomberg offered to research other Kirkbride buildings and other complexes. 2. Millenium Grant Award The Commission will convene on March 21 for a work session to determine the photographs that Mr. Sherer will take for the permanent display. Peg will make the arrangements. 3. Local Awards Valerie Lavender submitted the updated list. Assignments were made for Commissioners to contact property owners. Peg will bring the information on Tenney House and Hopkins that have been renovated by Smith College. 4. Pomeroy Terrace Historic District Peg agreed to research the property owners in the proposed district in order to approach the state agencies that may be involved (as per suggestion of Mass. Historic). The members agreed that the boundary line should be redrawn. Historic Northampton's nomination will be voted on at the March 14 meeting. 5. City Hall Chair Well has not been able to contact Bill Dwight, Chair of the City Property Committee, for an update. She will follow up. 6. Lilly Library Chair Well attended the Board of Trustees meeting. They will consider National Register Nomination. She received a copy of a letter sent from MHC to them asking for more information about the proposed addition. 4 7. Smith College Campus Center A meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. All interested members are encouraged to attend. 8. Cemeteries Chair Well has been doing research on the local cemeteries. There are 8 in town and the Form E's need to be updated. St. Mary's needs to be revised to reflect the expansion across Bridge Road. onto the north side. Adjourn/ - 1 The meeting concluded at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller Peg Keller Office of Planning & PLANNING AND DEVELOPA ENT • ClSevelopment City Hall • xi o Main Street, Room ii • Northampton, MA o i o - 3 1 9 8 - 14 - Fax: 587-=264 Warne Feiden, Director • emai [: p[anning@city.nortyampton.ma.us • internet:wwwnorthamptonp (anning.org NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: March 26, 2001 TIME: 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. :P.LACE :: City Hall Hearing R oom 18 210 Main Street 2 "a Floor r AGENDA 1. Northampton State Hospital Update 2. Millenium Grant Progress 3. Local Awards Program 4. Pomeroy Terrace Historic District S. Other Updates/ City Hall Lilly Library Smith College Cemeteries 6. Other Business 7. Adjourn . " A '� ----------------------------------------------------------- J Peg Keller 3/20/01 planning board • conservation commission -zoning board o o f appeals - yousing partnership - redevelopment authority - northampton GIS economic development -community development - historic district commission • historical commission • central business architecture original printed on recoiled paper NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes - March 26, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chris Kennedy, Valerie Lavender, Norman Winston, Tris Metcalfe. Also present, Marilyn Marks, Sue Carbin, Ed Haglestein, Lisa Tennison, Peg Keller, staff. CALL TO ORDER Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. Mr. Kennedy asked that his name be added to the list of members present for last months meeting. With that amendment, Mr. Winston made a motion to accept the minutes from February 26 t h, seconded by Ms. Lavender. The vote was unanimous in favor. Northampton State Hospital The letter from the NHC to Mass. Historic asking to be included in the review of pertinent studies regarding the structural integrity of the campus buildings was reviewed: Mr. Kennedy made a motion to send the letter as drafted, seconded by Ms. Lavender. Vote was unanimous in favor. The letter will be sent to Brona Simon, State Archeologist. . The recent State Hospital Citizen's Advisory Committee was discussed. Those present J noted that the Northampton 20/20 was mentioned, and the permitting process was discussed. There was no mention of the reuse of buildings. A meeting will be held for the citizens group to come together. Mr. Elkins will be chairing that effort. Mr. Metcalfe reported that Tom Douglas, local architect will be doing some computer assisted drawings based on the floor plans of the Main Campus building, to further assess reuse feasibility. He went on to say that those floor plans will then be studied by four local architects interested in formulating reuse strategies. He said hopefully a type of design charette would be orchestrated to produce concept studies with cost analyses. He said that the earlier State Hospital studies discussed commercial uses only, but he feels that residential uses are possible. Chair Well read a letter from Harry Dodson, an Ashfield resident and landscape architect, expressing his hope that the main campus building be preserved. A meeting will be held when the drawings are available to determine how to move ahead. Mr. Metcalfe and Chair Well encouraged Ms. Marks to contact Mr. Elkins to pursue other activities in addition to this architectural work. Ms. Marks had hoped that a meeting would be held after the article in the newspaper. She said she would contact Mr. Elkins. z Millenium Grant Award The list was finalized and will be submitted to Mr. Sherer. He will begin taking the photographs. Historic Northampton Ms. Well read the letter from Mass. Historic stating that the application from Historic Northampton for placement on the National Register will be heard on March 14 Local Awards Program Members discussed the potential nominees for this years' program. Photographs were circulated of Lincoln Street and a meeting was scheduled for April 11th at 5:00 p.m. to finalize the list of awardees. Members were encouraged to drive to all the sites for final analysis. Smith College Ms. Well read a letter from Mass. Historic regarding the restoration plans for the Lyman Plant House at Smith College. MHC is concerned about the plan to replace the wood structural members with aluminum. Members discussed the need to find out from MHC what the protocol is for when they decide to bring-the NHC into a project for review and when they do not. Peg will send a letter requesting clarification. Members then discussed the plans for the Campus Center proposed for Elm Street. The plan was reviewed. Members were encouraged to attend the next Elm Street meeting. Mr. Metcalfe said he would, not be able to attend, but would submit written comments before hand. Community Preservation Act Members discussed briefly, the new enabling legislation that allows communities to vote to raise property taxes which are matched by a State fund to facilitate the construction of affordable housing, historic preservation activities and acquisition of open space. Adjourn The meeting concluded at 9:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01060 CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: April 11, 2001 TIME: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chambers Behind City Hall 210 Main Street AGENDA 1. Project Review for the 2001 Local Historic Preservation Awards Program 2. Other Business 3. Adjourn ----------- 11�- _J ----------------- Pe Keffe? C-) - — — Peg Keller nm } I t NORTHA MP TON NHIS NOR P lanning & Development CITY HALL CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION s Architect, 1849 Meeting Notice Date: April 30, 2001: Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. . Place: City Hall Hearing Roam 18 -210 Main Street AGENDA 1. Local Awards Program 2. Northampton State Hospital 3. Pomeroy Terrace Historic District 4. Millenium Grant Project S. Elm Street Historic District Commission Appointment f. Smith College Projects Update 7. Other Business 8. Adjourn NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes April 30, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Norman Winston, Louise Bloomberg, Valerie Lavender, Chris Kennedy, Kim Howes, Tris Metcalfe. Also present, Marilyn Marks, Ed Haglestein (Save Old Main Campaign) and Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order/ Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. She announced that a meeting would be held on May 7 th at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers to discuss the Pleasant Street Gateway project. The project is geared towards improving the appearance of the entrance corridor into the City and public comment is welcome. Local Awards The final list was reviewed. Peg will get the certificates to Louise. Potential locations were discussed. The Lilly Library was chosen. Susan will confirm and do the brochure and contact the media. U Northampton State Hospital Ms. Marks reported that the citizen effort has been named the Save Old Main Campaign. She said roughly 35 people are involved in carrying out work assignments. She circulated a petition they have created calling for the saving of the building and shared copies of letters that have been sent to various State agencies involved with the project. She said an artist is working on an `after rendering" that will depict the building in a rehabilitated state. Local architects are working up reuse proposals as well. Those architects will be meeting with Gerry Joseph of the Community Builders on May 7 th and another meeting for the citizens group will be held May 2 nd . Elm Street Historic District Commission Appointment Chair Well reported that the term of Sally Evans has expired. Ms. Evans has been the Historical Commission representative to the Elm Street Historic District Commission. In order to make a reappointment, two names need to be put forth to the Mayor, similar to the initial appointment process. In view of the fact the Ms. Evans wishes to continue to serve, her name will be resubmitted. 2 Members agreed to offer Tris Metcalfe's name as the second nominee. Peg will inform the Mayor of this action. Smith College Campus Center Chair Well read the letter from Mass. Historic to Smith College declaring that the current proposal will have an adverse effect of the district. Members then viewed and discussed the proposal at length. The Northampton Commission can make public comment to Mass. Historic, even though Elm Street is actually the permit granting authority locally on the project. Apparently, MHC conducts its own review as well. Chair Well relayed that MHC uses the guidelines for new additions to historic buildings when evaluating new construction in historic districts. She distributed some pages from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Preservation. It was also reported that the architect (Michael Manfredi) called Mr. Metcalfe to discuss with him the comments Tris had submitted at the last Elm Street meeting. It appeared to Tris that Mr. Manfredi is still open to suggestions. Mr. Winston commented on his view of looking at the overall contribution Smith College makes to Elm Street and the community as being a necessary component in the discussion. Ms. Bloomberg offered that the porch roof could be altered to break up the horizontality. The blank fagade on the proposed projection room was identified as a problem. Color was also discussed and the general incompatibility of the design within the district. Mr. Metcalfe commented that contemporary design should be acceptable for consideration as new construction, but there should not be this much negative reaction. He suggested they start fresh with the design process and develop new fagade schemes. He said that there are lots of ways the fagade could look without changing the footprint or programmatic uses. Members agreed that a letter should be sent to Mass. Historic and copied to the Elm Street Commission expressing this sentiment. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 9:05 p.m. The motion was made by Ms. Lavender, seconded by Ms. Bloomberg, vote unanimous. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller Peg Keller NORTHAMPTON HISTOR Planning & Development CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORT; CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: May 21, 2001 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 210 Main Street AGENDA 1. Awards Ceremony Evaluation 2. Smith College Campus Center Hearing 3. Northampton State Hospital 4. Millenium Photos Update S. Pomeroy Terrace 6. Canal 7. Goals for the Next Year 8. Other Business 9. Adjourn - - ---- - -- - -- -------------------------------------------- - - - - -- Peg Kell May ;— n ° I�� �n�c,Il�1 [� , � - M Ay .1 4 'ZJU1 DEPT OE RANN1NG NORTNWPION, MA O1O60 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes May 21, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Tris Metcalfe, Valerie Lavender, Chris Kennedy, Kim Howes, Louise Bloomberg and Norman Winston. Also present, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Ms. Lavender made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Mr. Howes. The vote in favor was unanimous. 1.) Local Awards Program Evaluation Ms. Lavender distributed copies of the presentation highlights for archival purposes. She will add the one for 96 Pleasant Street. Discussion followed about getting more visual coverage. The suggestion was made that before and after photos could be posted on the City's web site and /or on GazetteNet. It was noted that funds could be solicited for a spread in the Gazette. Mr. It will pursue. 2.) Historic Northampton Chair Well noted that Historic Northampton would like to hold a celebration when their properties are nominated to the National Register. Ms. Lavender suggested that the NHC needs an event of its own. A fundraiser to increase awareness about the Commission could give more exposure to its work. Greater publicity could result in a larger response for the awards program. In getting back to the Local Awards program the preliminary list for next years program was drafted. Possible properties included: Elks, Riverside Fire Station, Sojourner Truth statue, Lilly Library, Masonic fire Station, City Hall, Memorial Hall, 155 Chestnut, Look Park and the High School. 3.) Elm Street Appointment Discussion followed about the re- appointment of Sally Evans to the Elm Street Historic District Commission. In reviewing the deliberation of the Smith College z Campus Center, this topic got revisited. Members expressed dissatisfaction with having a member represent the Commission on another body without ever reporting back. It was noted that the representatives from the American Institute of Architects, the Board of Realtors and Historic Northampton nominate people who do not report back to them. Members asked Peg to research other models to see how this is addressed elsewhere. They also asked about by -laws that address things like attendance. Peg circulated copies of the ordinance that describes how the Commission is supposed to operate. It was also noted that there should be vice -chair and other officer positions filled. Members opted to table the discussion of organizational issues until the next meeting. 4.) Smith College Campus Center Chair Well summarized that the wa Metcalfe described the Street that the Commission at the end of last week. Mr. Architects had made to the previous design. Chair Well noted that the Mass. Historical Commission still has to review and approve the plans and will be coming out here to discuss the project further. They have already ruled that the proposed design will have an adverse effect on the historic district. Ms. Well asked members their position on the current design. Members Lavender, Metcalfe, Winston saw the new models d drawings vender expressed that meeting last week and Ms. Bloomberg saw it separately. although the color is still problematic, she saw improvement in the roofline, the other windows, the setback, walkway wished to be commgnicated to MHCa Mry specific feedback that they w Metcalfe felt the architects had responded to the comments they had received and that the product is better as a result of the public dialogue. 5.) Northampton State Hospital Mr. Metcalfe reported on the website that has been created and the upcoming Citizen's Advisory Council meeting. Ms. Well read a letter that had been sent from MHC to everyone who had sent a form letter advocating for preservation of the main campus building. She said they received a stack of letters. The members of the Save Old Main campaign have nominated the building to the State's Most Endangered property list. Award winners will be announced in September. 6.) Millenium Photo Project Ms. Bloomberg reported that the photos Mr. Sherer has taken so far are superb. Many questions are now arising regarding the exhibit location and date. Peg and 3 Louise will meet to discuss the logistics. Members asked if they could see the photos. Possibly a group visit to Mr. Sherer's studio can be arranged. Ms. Lavender offered that this exhibit could be tied to the 350 celebration and be considered one of the kick -off events. She also suggested that the Cooley Dickinson hospital has a gallery and room for gatherings. Ms. Bloomberg said she would check with Forbes Library to see if the planned renovations there will have been completed. Mr. Howes brought up the Memorial Hall lobby. Possible locations will continue to be explored. 7.) Pomeroy Terrace Mr. Kennedy said that contact with Betsy Friedberg to get the permission to go ahead remains elusive. Peg confirmed that a formal letter had been sent long ago. Chris agreed to draft a letter to go to property owners informing them of the Commission's desire to have the neighborhood nominated. 8.) Canal Project Mr. Winston reported that he is not aware of any recent meetings about this effort. He is not sure about the status of the group. He noted that Mr. Garvey is doing a lecture on the canal. Ms. Lavender suggested that the NHC could host a meeting and bring resource people together. Other Business Ms. Well said that she has received a letter from Mr. Garvey saying that the Forbes Library Trustees have asked him to pursue getting the library on the State and National Register of Historic Places. She said that the building is already on as a result of the creation of the downtown district in 1976 and will tell him. She said that she has been told the State will not spend funds pursuing a separate nomination for a building that is included in a nominated district and that the status is the same as if it were listed individually. State Hospital Burial Grounds/ Ms. Well circulated an article on this topic and asked if the Commission could discuss the recommendations made in the article at the next meeting. She feels it is an important area to pursue. The next agenda will include discussion of by -laws, other officers, burial grounds and the meeting will be held June 25 Adjourn/ Ms. Lavender made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:02 p.m. The motion was seconded by Mr. Metcalfe, vote unanimous in favor. _ Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 Peg Keller NORTHAMPTON HISTORI office of Planning & CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTH. Development NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice Date: June 25, 2001 Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Place: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street 2.) 3.) 4.) 5.) 6.) 7.) 8.) 9.) AGENDA 2001 Awards Program Follow -up Northampton State Hospital Update Millenium Grant Update Pomeroy Terrace District Nomination Canal Update Northampton Silk Project Northampton State Hospital Burial Grounds Election Discussion/ Bylaws Other Business Adjourn ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peg Keller -6/19/01 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes June 25, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Tris Metcalfe, Louise Bloomberg, Kim Howes, Valerie Lavender, Chris Kennedy, Norman Winston. Also present, Steve Strimer, guest and Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Mr. Howes made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Mr. Winston, vote unanimous in favor. Guest/ Ms. Well recognized Mr. Strimer. He informed the Commission that he has prepared a nomination of the Ross Homestead to the National Register. He circulated a copy of the nomination and asked the Commission for a letter of support. He said the site is important in the Underground Railroad network. He has spoken to Betsy Friedberg at Mass. Historic who agreed to come out and study the site. Mr. Strimer is involved with a statewide group called the "'Network to Freedom" that meets at various sites across the state. He showed a brochure created by the National Park Service describing railroad sites and said that one could be done for Florence. Ms. Well interjected that the National Park Service has a special program for under - ground railroad sites and knowing that Florence figured prominently in the network, Mr. Strimer contacted the Service. He has put together the application and seeks Commission support. Ms. Bloomberg made a motion that the Commission support this effort and write a letter to that effect. The motion was seconded by Mr. Metcalfe; vote unanimous in favor. Ms. Well agreed to draft the letter for the July 15 submission deadline. Mr. Strimer also circulated early maps he found depicting the Pomeroy Terrace area. He will have copies made for Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Strimer is working on developing a walking tour of the area in conjunction with Historic Northampton. Mr. Strimer was thanked for his updates and he departed. 2 2001 Awards Program Update Mr. Howes reported that the Hampshire Gazette has agreed to include information about the program in the next issue of the Home supplement. Ms. Well said she had submitted Ms. Lavender's archival descriptions and it will appear next Tuesday. Mr. Howes said the Gazette agreed to cover the effort next year as well. Ms. Lavender distributed the draft list for next year and described the work taking place at the People's Institute. Peg suggested Sessions Annex be added and reported that an elevator is being installed by Smith College at the Helen Hills Chapel. Ms. Bloomberg suggested adding the Ross Homestead, as Mr. Strimer had mentioned that it was being worked on. Ms. Well read a thank you note from Mr. Holt, in response to his receiving an award. It was noted that Lilly Library did not receive a funding award from the State and will have to re- apply. Therefore, it will not be a contender for next year. The Memorial Hall elevator project was noted and the fact that the lobby had not yet been acknowledged was discussed. Northampton State Hospital Update Mr. Metcalfe reported that in addition to the reuse study, there is now a committee focusing on the development of a museum. They will be traveling to Tewksbury to see a one -room museum at that State Hospital property. This particular site focuses on general health issues and it appears that there are no sites anywhere in the country (or possibly the world) that address mental health issues specifically. The committee is investigating the possibility that a local museum could depict not only the Northampton site history, but the movement worldwide and be a draw. He mentioned that the museum concept has convinced some of the former patients that were not in favor of saving the building, that this should be considered. He said that during the walk- through sponsored by The Community Builders for representatives from Save Old Main, he noted a lower percent of floor damage than he had initially suspected when the Commission went through. They were accompanied by a structural engineer who noted that earthquake �1 considerations required by current building codes would have to be investigated. t TCB's architect from California also came. Mr. Metcalfe said that although no cost 3 analysis has been done, people seemed to be open minded about reuse possibilities. Mr. Metcalfe also noted that DCAM has a representative located in Springfield and he suggested contacting him to request that funds in the demolition budget be allowed for selective demolition and rehabilitation /preservation efforts, as opposed to only demolition. Ms. Well noted that a public hearing would be held July 23 to discuss saving the Main Campus building. She asked the Commission if they wanted her to testify, and if so, what to say. Mr. Howes noted that mental health professionals are offered a multitude of conferences and this site could function as a meeting site for such topics. This could put the preservation in a favorable light for the Chamber, as a way to stimulate economic development. Members agreed that Ms. Well should testify. Ms. Lavender made a motion stating that the Chair should represent the Commission at the meeting and express support for efforts to preserve the architecturally and historically significant Main Campus Building. Mr. Metcalfe seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous in favor. G Millenium Awards Project Ms. Bloomberg reported that sites for the exhibition are being investigated. Historic Northampton and the Academy of Music are the two primary choices. The photos shall be accompanied by historical photos if they can be found. Alison Lockwood is assisting in this effort, as well as Marie Panic from Hist. Northampton. Mr. Garvey has offered to write the text for the introductory panel. The date for the opening has been tentatively set for November 17 or 18 The plan is to have the opening, display for two weeks, then have a second showing in Florence at the Pivot Gallery, which specializes in digital imaging. Additional discussion ensued about the pros and cons of various places, the location of the permanent exhibit and whether or not postcards could be sold to raise funds for the Commission. The Committee will continue to work on the project. Pomeroy Terrace Historic District Mr. Kennedy reported that Bonnie Parsons has heard from Betsy Friedberg who said a letter should be sent to the State owned properties to alert them to the U plan. She also said that this district would be separate from the one containing El the Historic Northampton buildings. Chris will draft the letter for review by Ms. Parsons. He suggested that the new district begin on the east side of Bridge Street in order to keep it separate. Canal Project Mr. Winston reported that he attended the last meeting and the other 4 towns have funding to pursue hiring a consultant to put together an application for nomination. He bemoaned the fact that he had no resources to offer the group. He was instructed to find out how much is involved and the Commission could make a specific request to the City Council. Northampton Silk Project Ms. Well reported on an effort by Marjorie Senechal to document silk activity in Northampton. The project has planned several activities that will culminate in 2002. Ms. Senechal has asked the Commission about coordinating any signage that they may want to create, with current signage projects the Commission may have. She will be invited to attend the next meeting. State Hospital Burial Grounds Ms. Well will ask Mr. Feiden to accompany us on a site visit scheduled for 6:30 on July 30th, to orient the Commission members to the actual location. He is the one that has requested that the NHC follow up on the recommendations made in a report. More discussion will take place next month after the site visit. Election and By -laws Peg reported that she had asked for models from Chris Skelly at Mass. Historic and has not heard from him. Ms. Well had mentioned the need for a vice -chair at the last meeting, but due to the lateness of the hour, no action was taken. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 9:10 p.m. The motion was made by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Metcalfe. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller ��l CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01060 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Official Meeting Notice Date: July 30, 2001 Time: 5:30 p.m. Site Visit 6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting Place: Site Visit/ Parking Lot past Community Gardens Northampton State Hospital/ Burts Pit Road Meeting/ Room 18 City Hall 210 Main Street, Northampton 5:30 p.m. Site Visit/ Northampton State Hospital Burial Grounds (meet at Parking Lot for walk to burial grounds) 6:30 p.m./ back at City Hall AGENDA 1.) Discussion of Site Visit/ Report Recommendations 2.) Pomeroy Terrace Update 3.) Millenium Grant Award Update 4.) Canal Project, 5.) Local Awards Program Follow -up 6.) Community Preservation Act 7.) Other Business/ Commission Bylaws 8.) Adjourn -- ----------------------------------- Peg Kel 7/23/01 Northampton Historical Commission Minutes July 30, 2001 5.30 p.m Northampton State Hospital Burial Ground Site Visit Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Norman Winston, Kim Howes, Valerie Lavender, Tris Metcalfe, Chris Kennedy. Also present, Wayne Feiden, Planning Director, Ed Hagelstein, M. Kurian, Peg Keller. 6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting Members Present: same, in addition to representatives of Save Old Main, Sue Carbin and Marilyn Marks. Call to Order Chair Well called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. Mr. Howes made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Ms. Lavender. The vote was unanimous in favor. 1.) Northampton State Hospital Site Visit Members discussed their earlier site visit. Mr. Kennedy asked for a map that clearly shows the boundaries of the cemetery area. The role of the Commission was discussed. Ms. Well said there are three tasks that should be addressed; the vine on the hedges, the G bench restoration and commemorative signage. Ms. Lavender made a motion to have the Commission move ahead on removal of the vine, the restoration of the bench and creation of additional signage, (perhaps at the river and the top of the hill). Mr. Kennedy seconded and asked for a friendly amendment to include the parameters of the grounds. Tris seconded the friendly amendment. Under further discussion, Valerie agreed to contact the archeologist about the boundary issue. Members voted to have Ms. Lavender take responsibility for the project and voted unanimously in favor of the original motion. 2.) Pomeroy Terrace Mr. Kennedy showed members the map with the boundary revisions he has suggested. The Historic Northampton properties have been excluded, as this will be a separate district. Ms. Lavender asked for a walking tour. The boundaries and next steps were reviewed. The local ward councilor will be notified by Chair Well, a neighborhood meeting will be set up and Bonnie Parsons will be contacted about attending the meeting. 3.) Save Old Main Ms. Marks and Ms. Carbin applauded the Commission for the statement made by the Chair at the public hearing. Discussion followed about the role of the CAC, what power it holds beyond approval of the Master Plan and the developer selection, the selection process of the developer's team who will be doing the cost analyses and environmental permitting preparation. The Commission recommended that the guests contact the Mayors office for the answers to those questions. 4.) Millenium Update Peg reported that Ms. Bloomberg has been in communication with Historic Northampton for exhibition space. Both Ms. Bloomberg and Mr. Sherer are currently traveling, but they are busy working on the grant. 5.) Canal Project/ Mr. Winston reported that this project has been moving ahead by virtue of a 5 town effort. A consultant has been selected and a scope of services outlined. The cost to the City of Northampton is $1,500. Members discussed a possible end product, reviewed the project scope and where to find funding. Members felt a request to the City Council should be made. Mr. Winston agreed to speak with the City C � Finance Director, John Musante. 6.) Local Awards Members reviewed the current list and noted the coverage in the Gazette's HOME magazine. 7.) Community Preservation Act Chair Well explained the Act and wanted the Commission to be aware of it. A letter has been circulated from citizens interested in pursuing adoption of the act locally. Peg gave the background on the effort, which involves taxing residents to create a fund for open space, affordable housing and historic preservation purposes, and relayed the Mayors view. The Mayor does not feel that she can ask residents to increase their tax burden at this time. Chair Well agreed to follow the progress of this Act and keep members apprised. The August meeting will be attended by Marjorie Senechal. She is involved with the Silk Mill project. By -laws will be discussed. Mr. Howes slide show is tentatively scheduled for some time in October. Ms. Well noted that she had worked with Mr. Strimer on finalizing the Register nomination for the Ross Homestead. -The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller Peg Keller NORTHAMPTON HISTORIC Plannin & Development CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTHAI CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Architect, 1849 Meeting Notice DATE: August 27, 2001 TIME: 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1.) 2.) 3.) a 4 •) 6.) _._... - _7.) 8.) 9.) 10.) Silk Mill Project/ Guest, Marjorie Senechal Millenium Project Update Canal Update Pomeroy Terrace Nomination Community Preservation Act State Hospital Burial Ground Update Local Award Nominations Update - - - By -laws Other Business Adjourn - - - - -- -� ------------- - - - -�- mil_ -� ---------------- Peg Keller Date NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes August 27, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Norman Winston, Valerie Lavender, Kim Howes, Chris Kennedy, Louise Bloomberg, Tris Metcalfe. Also present, Marjorie Senechal, Kiki Smith from the Florence Silk Mill project, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order/ Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. and asked for approval of last months minutes. Ms. Lavender asked to amend the set to include a vote taken to designate her as having lead responsibility for the Northampton State Hospital Burial Grounds project. Mr. Howes made a motion to include that amendment, seconded by Mr. Winston. The vote in favor was unanimous. Ms. Bloomberg then made a motion to approve the minutes as amended, seconded by Mr. Winston. The vote was unanimous in favor. Silk Mill Project C Members introduced themselves to the guests. Ms. Senechal explained that she and Ms. Smith had started the project 5 years ago after discovering that there had been a silk industry in town. It appears to have been virtually forgotten by the community. They felt that it was an important development in our town and that it would be a shame to have it be forgotten. She continued by saying that initially the effort had begun as a small research project. It has since taken on a life of its own and become a lifetime project. She described the many facets the project now encompasses, including the utilization of 15 students and the reconstruction of original machinery. The plan is to have the project culminate in 2 years in conjunction with the completion of the renovation of the Smith College Fine Arts Center (scheduled for March of 2003). She and Ms. Smith reviewed 17 project components. They said that the purpose of coming to the meeting was to express their desire to coordinate signage that may be created through the efforts of the 350 committee. Because they are developing a walking /driving tour of some of the more significant silk production sites and will want to identify them, they felt the town will be enriched by having compatible signage. Ms. Smith said that some buildings still exist and Paul Gaffney has identified artifacts. She said that they have not defined all the sites or the number of signs z they will need. There are no remains of the earliest mill from 1830, but there are buildings that housed the workers, dams, old engravings, mulberry groves, a dye house, the Smith Physical Plant site, the Fort Hill school site, estates of factory owners, the brick buildings on Hawley Street, to name a few possible locations for signage. They are considering 10 -12 sites. They are hoping to produce a book with a map and tape to guide people to the locations, which will need to be marked for identification. Ms. Well mentioned that zoning regulations might impact the signs size and location. Ms. Smith agreed that should be investigated. Members described the plaques that had been made by Smith College for designating historic properties. All agreed the signage should be coordinated between the 2 efforts. Ms. Bloomberg said that Mr. Gaffney has stepped down as chair of the publications committee for the 350 but that the Silk Project has been discussed as part of the birthday celebration and that she, Ms. Lavender and Mr. Kennedy are all on that sub - committee. Ms. Well summarized that the guests should pick their sites, determine text and check the zoning to see if they should use plaques or signs. Members were reminded that Marcia Burick, who created the downtown walking tour with plaques in the 1980's, is on the 350 Committee. Ms. Smith agreed to move ahead and report on their progress at a later date. They were thanked for coming. Photo Exhibit Update Ms. Bloomberg reported that the event needs a name. The invitations are being designed. The date of the opening is October 20 Members expressed that the 21S would be better. Ms. Bloomberg will see if the date can be changed. Mr. Metcalfe is doing the photo labels, Mr. Garvey is doing the text for the introductory panel, Mr. Sherer is designing the invitations and Mr. Buckley is financing the mailing of the invitations. Mr. Sherer and Mr. Metcalfe will go to the schools before the opening, to carry out that portion of the grant. It was decided that it would be helpful for marketing to have the invitation placed on Historic Northampton's web site with the images themselves on the City's web site after the exhibit. Historic Northampton could have a link to the images. We will do the press release. The second floor of City Hall is being discussed as the permanent location for the photographs. The exhibit will run th through November 24 at Historic Northampton. Members were asked to 3 assist with a name and identification of possible resources for refreshments for the opening. Canal Project Update Chair Well reported that she had read the proposal for the consultants scope of services and asked Historic Northampton if they were interested in funding it. They are not. Mr. Buckley feels that the information has already been researched and there is no need to pay for it. Ms. Well said that there might be something in the Gazette as she spoke to a reporter about it. Hopefully the article will ask for people to identify evidence of the canal and convey that funds are needed for the project. Mr. Howes made a motion that the Canal project be on a list developed as part of a process to develop funding to support deserving projects of an historical nature in Northampton. Ms. Bloomberg seconded the motion. There being no further discussion, the vote was unanimous in favor. Ms. Well will speak with the Gazette again about the need for funding for such projects as this, the State Hospital burial ground and to further historic district nominations. Pomeroy Terrace Mr. Kennedy reported that he is drafting a letter to property owners in the proposed district, which he will show to Peg. He has gotten copies of the brochure explaining what national register nomination entails, from the State. He will check with Bonnie Parsons to see when she is available to conduct a neighborhood meeting. Members suggested possible meeting locations. St. John's Cantius church will be investigated. Community Preservation Act Update Chair Well reported on what had happened at the City Council meeting. She agreed to go to the Council for the second reading and plead the case for the income stream that the Commission needs. State Hospital Burial Ground Peg reported that an intern had removed the vine and Tris reported that he had been contacted by Wayne Feiden to design the bench. Ms. Lavender said she had contacted the archeologists about the parameters of the cemetery and they E will get back to her on that. She also contacted Smith Vocational school about the vine removal and their plans for mowing. She had set up a meeting with them, unaware that Mr. Feiden had instructed an intern to do the work. Because the intern suffered an allergic reaction to the vine, Mr. Kennedy suggested the Commission write him a letter of thanks for his efforts. All agreed. Coolidge Bridge Stakeholder Meeting Chair Well reported that she had been invited to a meeting by Mass. Highway to discuss the Coolidge Bridge project. It was noted that the railing cannot be reused but they will try to replicate the original design. She did have a conversation with Ann Booth, to verify what had been agreed upon earlier. She will continue to monitor the progress and attend future meetings. Misc./ Chair Well asked members to consider other fundraising ideas the Commission could undertake to generate funds. Adjourn/ There being no further business to discuss, the meeting concluded at 9:10 p.m. The motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Ms. Bloomberg. The vote in favor was unanimous. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller NORTHAMPTOIS'O Peg Keller ! I CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NOR Planning & Development . CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: September 24, 2001 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 P.M. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1. Approval of Minutes 2. Announcements 3. Photo Exhibit Update 4. Pomeroy Terrace Nomination Update S. State Hospital/ Burial Grounds 6. Canal Project /Budget Update 7. By -laws 8. Other Business 9. Adjourn - - - -- _ - - - ----------------------- q 1 4_t --------------------- Peg Kel Date NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes September 24, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Valerie Lavender, Tris Metcalfe, Kim Howes, Norman Winston, Louise Bloomberg, Chris Kennedy. Also present, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order/ Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Mr. Howes made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Mr. Winston. The vote in favor was unanimous. 1.) Announcements a.) Community Preservation Act/ Chair Well reported that she had circulated written comments to the City Council members prior to the meeting. The final vote was 4 -4, so Council will not be putting the CPA on the ballot in November. Since then, she has heard that a meeting will be held October 1, 2001 at Sally Evans house, for citizens that want to continue working on the effort. b.) Citizen's Advisory Committee/ a meeting is scheduled for October 9th Input through the MEPA process will be needed. Chair Well will attend the meeting. The Save Old Main campaign participants are planning their next phase of activity. c.) Coolidge Bridge/ Chair Well received a letter from the Hadley Historical Commission saying that they have been informed the original railing cannot be reused. Mass. Highway has gotten two quotes for replacement railing in the same style. They are getting a third quote and Hadley has asked for a mock -up to be reviewed by both Commissions. 2.) Photo Exhibit Update Ms. Bloomberg reported that the post cards had been printed and she circulated some for review. The press releases will go out by this Thursday and the list of contacts has been received from Historic Northampton. The invitations will go out by October 7 Mr. Garvey will do the introductory panel by this Friday. Mr. Metcalfe will do the photo labels by Friday. Collective copies will print the text panel. Valerie is assembling the food donations. Work on the speaking program is needed. 2 Peg K. will assemble the Form B's for Tris and mailing label lists for the Elm Street Historic District Commission, the City Council and the Historic Commission. 3.) Statewide Conference Chair Well announced that the Planning Department is offering $60 to offset registration fees for the Mass. Historical Commission conference to be held at Umass on October 25 4.) Pomeroy Terrace Update Member Kennedy reported that he has spoken to the Ward Councilor and left a message with Mass. Historic about the neighborhood meeting. Invitations should go out next week once the property owner mailing list becomes final. He suggested that the property at 127 Bridge St. be included in the district nomination. All members agreed. It is an Arts and Crafts bungalow with a twin house on Pomeroy Terrace. 5.) State Hospital Burial Ground Member Lavender reported that activity is underway. Mr. Metcalfe is O designing the bench only, not the site. Members discussed whom to call for material donations, the need for plaques, possible fundraising ideas and the use of boulders for memorials. She will meet with Smith Vocational to discuss long -term maintenance. 6.) Canal Project Member Winston said he was contacted by the Gazette and returned the call, but has not gotten a call back. Chair Well will talk to John Musante and the Mayor about where to put funds if they are raised. She said that the Gazette reporter knows they have projects that require funding. Mr. Winston is not aware that a Canal meeting has been scheduled. Chair Well will send a letter explaining our position with regard to funding. Members then discussed a newspaper opinion column that noted the lack of accessible history in the community about Calvin Coolidge. Chair Well asked that this become an agenda item in the future and that a planning session be held at some point to elaborate on this. Adjourn/ Ms. Lavender made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Winston. The meeting concluded at 8:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NORTHAMPTON HISTOR Pe Keller CITY HALL 210 MAIN STREET NORTI Planning & Development NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: October 29, 2001 TIME: , 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. PLACE: COUNCIL CHAMBERS PULCHALSKI MUNICIPAL BUILDING AGENDA 1.) Approval of Minutes 2.) Announcements 3.) Photo Exhibit Recap 4.) Pomeroy Terrace Neighborhood Meeting Recap - Next Steps 5.) State Hospital Update 6.) State Hospital Burial Grounds Update 7.) Canal Project 8.) Other Business 9.) Adjourn 2 Peg Keller Date �! NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes October 29, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Valerie Lavender, Tris Metcalfe, Louise Bloomberg, Norman Winston, Chris Kennedy. Also present, Michael Owens, staff. Call to Order: Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7pm. Chris Kennedy moved that the minutes of Sept. 24th be approved; the vote was unanimous in favor. Announcements: Florence History — The Northampton Historic Commission Form B identifies 67 Park Street in Florence as the home of Sojourner Truth. On Thursday November 15th at the Florence Civic Center research will be presented showing the real home of Ms. Truth, which is not 67 Park Street. Photo Exhibit Recap: Louise Bloomberg expressed her thanks to all that were involved in planning and executing the photo exhibit. The Chair agreed to send letters of thanks. Louise noted that the event was well received and a big success. After their run at Historic Northampton Inc. the photos will be hung at City Hall. Susan Well stated that she would follow up on formal approval for the City Hall display and anticipated no problems. Louise asked that members give some thought to the question of displaying images only or including the narrative with the photos. Tris Metcalfe and the project photographer are scheduled to visit area schools to present the photos and discuss historic preservation in Northampton. Proposed Pomeroy Terrace Historic District: Chris Kennedy reported that the presentation at the neighborhood meeting was generally well received. Between 35 and 45 people attended. The majority of residents attending appeared supportive of the historic district concept. Some property owners expressed concerns regarding the possible use of grant funds and/or tax credits if the nomination process was successful. Chris thought the process should go forward unless there is a large ground swell of opposition, which seems unlikely. Members agreed. It was noted that two people had volunteered their time to the project for writing and photography. Chris stated that he was willing to explore researching house styles in the neighborhood if that was helpful. Members discussed the possibility of hiring Bonnie Parson for the project and the best use of her time. It was agreed that members would meet with Peg and decide the next steps to take. J 2002 Preservation Awards: Valerie distributed a list of possible nominations for the next round of preservation awards. Members were asked to review the list and consider additional sites for consideration over the next several months. Northampton State Hospital: Tris reported that Save Old Main continues to grind on with meetings taking place about every two weeks. The group is also trying to save artifacts still remaining in the buildings. DCAM will attempt to board up the buildings in the next few weeks to keep trespassers out. A request has been made to the developers to brace up the portico at the entrance to Old Main. To date there has been no response to this request. Jack Horner called Tris last week and wants to meet to discuss the group's preservation effort. Chair Well reported that the MEPA required Environmental Notification Form had been filed by the developer and is available for review at the Office of Planning and Development. Phase one of the redevelopment deals primarily with the Memorial complex and proposes both residential and commercial space. It also calls for demolition of seven buildings, four (4) that are historically contributing structures and three (3) that are not. Tris expects the Save Old Main group to meet between now and the next Commission meeting. C State Hospital Burial Grounds Valerie met with Vocational School officials to discuss the burial grounds site. The site is restricted to agricultural use. Mowing of the area takes place regularly. The Smith School sees no problems with a planting scheme in the area of the bench. The only concern seems to be that it be designed for low maintenance. Members discussed possible materials to be used for rebuilding the bench and the proposed language for a memorial plaque. Canal Project Norman reported that Raber Associates is being considered for completing historic research on the New Haven / Northampton Canal. Communities along the former canal are contributing funds to this effort. Members discussed the possibility of seeking publicity to spark interest in this project noting that it could be a way to raise funds for the Northampton contribution. Community Preservation Act Valerie will attend the next organizational meeting for supporting and passing the Community Preservation Act. Information will be presented on the status of this initiative at the next Commission meeting. Other Business Chair Well provided a brief report on the historic preservation conference recently held at UMASS. She noted that the summary materials provided for new local commission members by the Massachusetts Historic Commission were helpful. Louise Bloomberg made a motion to adjourn which Norman Winston seconded. The meeting concluded at approximately 8:45pm. Respectfully submitted, Michael Owens Amended 11 -27 -01 MTO CITY HALL P,1011"111H AINAP'. ON HISTORICAL COMMISSION MEMORIAL I IiLL. 240 IMAIPV STREET :NO.RTHAINIP T ON, )NIIISSACIFIUSETTS 01060 November 20, 2001 Secretary Bob Durand Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Attn. MEPA Office 251 Causeway Street Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114 RE: Project Number Northampton State Hospital Phase I Comments Dear Sir; On behalf of the Northampton Historical Commission I wish to submit these comments regarding the historic preservation aspects of the Phase 1 Development Plan for the Northampton State Hospital. 1.) It would have been helpful to have photographs of the buildings proposed for demolition included in the Environmental Notification Form submitted by the project proponents. 2.) It would also have been helpful to have the proposed development plan superimposed over existing conditions, i.e. layouts, roadways and _ . existing buildings. This would have made it easier to understand the new project components planned where the buildings proposed for demolition are currently located. 3.) With regard to the two residences proposed for demolition in the lower campus, 51 Grove Street and 219 Earle Street, both had been given #1 ratings by Dietz and Company Architects. The number 1 rating denotes buildings that should be saved, due to potential for rehab and reuse. Granted; the house on Earle Street has deteriorated since that analysis was done, however, the basic structure of the brick portion of 51 Grove St. is sound. We would be interested in knowing the reasoning behind the proposed demolition of this structure. 4.) We have no comment on buildings 11 and 47, the non - contributing sections of the Memorial Complex. 2 5.) Building 13, the South Employees Home is similar in design and soundness to other buildings being saved. The structure seems worthy of preservation and may only be proposed for demolition because it happens to be in the wrong place to accommodate future master planning. We would like to hear the rationale for demolishing this structure. 6.) In consideration of the fact that Building # 42 has already fallen down, discussion about this structure is moot. 7.) Building 56 is a prominent structure which appears very sound and is surrounded by buildings that are not slated for demolition. The rationale behind the proposed demolition of this building is of interest to us. 8:) On another topic, the traffic that is projected for South Street will travel through a 7 property historic district known as the "Fort Hill Historic District ". We would be interested in hearing about plans to mitigate potential negative impact on those historic structures. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. We look forward to hearing the responses to our inquiries. If you'have any questions, feel free to contact me at 413 -586 -2370. Respectfully, Susan Well Northampton Historical Commission C . CITY HALL William Fenno Pratt Architect, 1849 NO B UHAMPTON HISTO ' Off icel o f r Planning & CITY HALL' 210 MAIN STREET NORTI- Development NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Notice DATE: November 26, 2001 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9 :00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Hearing Room 18 210 Main Street Northampton AGENDA 1.) Approval of Minutes 2.) Announcements 3.) Northampton State Hospital/ MEPA Response 4.) Millenium Photo Exhibit S.) Pomeroy Terrace Historic District Nomination - Next Steps 6.) Canal Project Update 7.) MHC Planning Grant 8.) Hatfield Street School Building 9.) Other Business 10.) Adjourn NORTHAMPTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Minutes November 26, 2001 Members Present: Susan Well, Chair, Valerie Lavender, Tris Metcalfe, Louise Bloomberg, Norman Winston, Kim Howes, Chris Kennedy. Also present, Michael Owens, staff. Call to Order: Chair Well called the meeting to order at 7pm and called for acceptance of the minutes of 10- 29 -01. Members requested two revisions, which were made by staff. Valerie moved to accept the minutes as amended and the vote was unanimous in favor. Announcements: Kim Howes presented members with the new Florence Savings Bank calendar featuring historic photos taken by the Howes Brothers. Kim also noted that the Academy of Music fundraiser kickoff is scheduled for December 6th from 4 to 6pm. Chair Well distributed copies of the State Hospital comment letters sent to the MEPA unit from the Northampton Commission as well as the Massachusetts Historic Commission. She suggested a brief break later to allow members to read the comments and allow for any discussion. Photo Exhibit: Louise Bloomberg reported that the photos may be placed at City Hall for display at any time. She will coordinate a visit to the display space with the photographer to determine how they will be hung and will let Peg know the time. Peg will follow up with Central Services to secure formal approval. Members agreed that both the images and the narrative would be presented. Louise will also discuss with the photographer the possibility of the photos being placed on the Planning Department web site in digital format. Staff will determine if there is space available for the photos at the Historic Commission drop down menu. Pomeroy Terrace Historic District: Chris Kennedy reported that to his knowledge there had been no negative feedback regarding the proposed Pomeroy Terrace district since the neighborhood meeting. He felt the Commission should take a formal vote on the issue. Louise moved for a vote on supporting the creation of a local historic district for Pomeroy Terrance. Chris seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous in favor. Chris also read the Fitzgerald letter, which was presented at the neighborhood meeting. Members discussed a response to some of the issues raised in the letter and it was agreed Chris would work on a draft. He will meet with the Chair and Peg to flesh out the final version. This same group will also meet to plan the next steps for Pomeroy Terrace, which might include reaching out to neighborhood folks that had volunteered their time to the project for writing and photography. J Canal Project: Norman reported that he has become discouraged with this effort due to the lack of funding. The recent newspaper article did not do a good job presenting the project. The Chair reiterated the frustration of not having funds to support the regional effort to research the history of the Northampton / New Haven Canal. At this time Raber Associates is seeking assistance in gathering information on the canal's history rather that financial support from the City. The Chair suggested bringing this issue back to the agenda after the New Year in hopes of re- energizing interest at that time. Massachusetts Historic Commission Planning Grant: The Chair reported that the she would meet with Peg next Tuesday to discuss possible projects for the current round of planning grants. Several ideas have been floated and need to be discussed including capacity building in dealing with preservation restrictions. It was noted that the MHC planning grant is not available for physical improvements such as repairs to City Hall. Members requested that any preservation restriction work funded by the grant also include some research on a demolition delay ordinance. It would be helpful to see what other communities are using for demolition delay procedures. A pre application letter for this grant round is due to Mass Historical on or before December 14, 2001, Hatfield Street School Building: Staff distributed a letter from the School Department regarding the Hatfield Street School. The Departments plans to surplus the building and transfer it to the City Property Committee and has asked for comments from the Commission. Members discussed possible preservation restrictions including prohibiting demolition; prior approval if relocation of the building were proposed; preservation of the exterior appearance; any planned rehabilitation complying with Secretary of the Interior Standards and any new owner being required to maintain the structure to acceptable standards. The Chair will meet with Peg to discuss a response to the School Department request. Northampton State Hospital: The Chair then called for a brief break to allow members to review the comment letters to MEPA regarding the Northampton State Hospital. Tris commented that the Save Old Main group has sent a letter to the State requesting that Old Main be sealed up and the roof repaired. This same concern seems to be expressed in the MHC comment letter. Save Old Main is also trying to preserve artifacts from within the buildings. The Chair then reviewed the State's comment letter and asked if members had received the package from Peg, which included photographs of buildings that might be impacted by phase one J activities. Most members had received the package. The Chair also commented that the Environmental Notification Form prepared by the developer's consultant should have included an overlay map, making it easier to evaluate development impacts. Community Preservation Act: Valerie reported that she will continue to attend meetings of the group seeking to get the preservation act on the ballot and will report back to the Commission on progress. A letter to the Gazette editor in support of the Act is being drafted. The next meeting will be held at Sally Evans house at 7pm on December 7th, 2002 Preservation Awards: Chris requested that 74 Bridge Street (map 32A parcel 177) be placed on the watch list for a possible award. The owners have done extensive work and are cleaning up the property nicely. Valerie noted that Rogers Hall at the Clark School had also received some renovations and that it should also go on the watch list. Members agreed to consider both for next year's award round. Other Business Chair Well reported that Smith College will appear on the next agenda and will discuss future planned projects at the College including the Science Technology Center. The next scheduled meeting of the Commission was to be on New Year's Eve. Members agreed to reschedule the next meeting for Tuesday, December 18th at 7pm in the City Hall hearing room. Louise Bloomberg made a motion to adjourn which was seconded. The vote was unanimous in favor. The meeting concluded at approximately 8;55pm. Respectfully submitted, Michael Owens