32A-174 (32) NIA •
NORTHAMPTON
'ft HISTORICAL
SOCIETY _ .I .
Bridge Street, Northampton, Mass. 01060
Perforiatig Mt
Mr. Theodore Tewhill, Building Inspector
City of Northampton
Municipal Office Building, 212 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060
'1r :.i'7>.
s#j Clip of Northampton r * el,
Vtifaidi AauukwTna
'Clear DEPARTMENT OP BUILDING INSPECTIONS f t
INSPECTOR 212 Main Street ' Municipal Building ij,
Northampton. Mass. 01060 'J..."
Edward J. Tewhill
' 7
April 2, 1985 - U
Mr. Donald W. Todrin
111 Pleasant Street
Northampton, Mass. 01060
Dear Mr. Todrin:
With reference to the building and land your recently purchased at 34 Bridge St.,
the Northampton Historical Commission, Office of Planning and Development, Office
of the Mayor and many interested citizens are concerned as to the type of construction
you propose to construct.
If you have preliminary plans, site plans, or sketches of the future building, this
department would appreciate a meeting with you and your partners to review the situation.
Please contact this office as soon as possible at 586-6950 ext. 240.
Sincerely,
Edward
�d J. Tewh.ill
Building Inspector
ER'/id
cc: Mayor's Office
Marcia Burick
Gene Bunnell
Historical Society
•
DONALD W. TODRIN, 1-D-, LL NI
.Cf[ow NFYs Ar LAK
111 Pleasant street
D1YT Jrin Northamptonw
, Massachuus WOW
K.lig lx nun I1; 5h-l-at-WI __Q _ ar % E
.
APR i 9 t985 I
April 18, 1985 tueill.DING 07�NS
ON,MkMr. Edward Tewhill
Building Inspector
Northampton Municipal Building
212 Main St.
Northampton, MA. 01060
RE: 34 BRIDGE STREET DEVELOPMENT
Dear Mr. Tewhill ,
After discussing our plans for development with the
Mayor, we have decided to make some adjustments to our
plan. As soon as we have completed our changes, we
will provide you with two full sets of plans.
Thank you for your time, we look forward to your
reveiwing our new plans soon.
Sincerely,/ j'
A/ /j-
Donald W. Todrin
DWT/j rs
E EIVE
CITY OF NORTHAMPTON Wit
� *� • � f� MASSACHUSETTS flit 2 I 100r ilii
(
►4�, r.a.� jr _ Ci Hall
1 ' (� +�' 210 Main Street p�p1
1:"'I( }}}JJJ r t 1 ' Northampton, Massachusetts 81
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
58&6950
David B. Musante,Jr.
Mayor March 20, 1985
Mr. Ted Tewhill
Building Inspector
City of Northampton
220 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Ted:
I have received a copy of the Northampton Historical Commission's
letter of concern to you, relative to the planned development at 34 Bridge
Street, adjacent to the 1813 Isaac Damon House.
It would be very much appreciated if you would research very carefully
the City's perogatives in limiting construction in close proximity to historic
wooden structures. I shall also ask Deputy Fire Chief Larry Jones, to look
into the fire laws in this regard.
You might also approach the developer at this time and explain to them
gently, that their plan is generating a lot of controversy from the Planning
and Development Department and from the Office of the Mayor. Perhaps they
could be pursuaded now rather than later to change their plans, before public
opinion intensifies.
As you know, Northampton is hot from the developer's perspective. We
must be doubly alert to guard against those wanting to turn the quick dollar
at all. costs. The new Terminal Building below City Hall is a good example of
a community working together to design something compatible to our environment.
You might approach the developers to involve the Design Review Committee to
advise them on design and point to the new Terminal Building as an instance
where the Design Review Committee played a significant role which really
benefited the developers and the City.
Please keep me informed of your progress.
Sincerely,
g&a,t tq
David B. Musante,
DBM:dmg _ 'Q� Mayor
cc: Ruth Wilbur, Historical Socie 1i51,4H y„
Gene Bunnell
Larry Jones
Marcia Bruick
;2A- ! ? Biro.AIME
•a�•r� N---e--- , !„ INR t 91965
NORTHAMPTON 1 ; __'r.
%40 N
46 Bridge Street,Nonhamp[ ta .. l r L '-601
Weathervane. 1823 Courthouse
March 17, 1985
Theodore Tewhill, Building Inspector
City of Northampton
Municipal Office Building, 212 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Dear Mr. Tewhill,
Developer Donald W. Todrin, 111 Pleasant. Street, and his partners, Paul Cohen
and Frank Tavares, have bought the building and land at 34 Bridge Street adja-
cent to properties owned by Northampton Historical Society. They plan to erect
a new building as close as allowed to our historic 1813 Isaac Damon house.
When we first found out about this on January 18, 1985, we expressed to Don Tod-
rin our objection to the placement of the building. He said there was no prob-
lem -- that he could flip the building to the other side of the lot, Since then
there have been many other meetings with the developers on other matters of in-
terest to the Society and to the builders. However, as of last week, the develop-
ers have gone back to their original plan of putting the building as close to our
Damon House as possible.
At a meeting of March 12, 1985 of the Board of Trustees of the Society, the Board
directed President James Parsons and Director Ruth Wilbur to oppose by all means
possible the proposed plans. A letter was sent to Donald Todrin informing him
of our objections and expressing hope that the problem could be resolved amicably.
We don't know what course of action is possible. We are aware of Section 6.5
which states that screening or buffer strips must be installed between different
zoning areas. 34 Bridge Street is a different zone than our Society properties.
Our area is fragile and needs vigilance and care to maintain its historic sig-
nificance.
The Society, celebrating its 80th year of incorporation this year, is the only
institution whose main purpose it to preserve the history of Northampton. Pre-
sently we have some 450 members with more joining as they hear about our prog-
rams of exhibits, tours, education and research. Northampton Historical Society
will. be here long after developers have done their thing and disappeared. We do
not object to their building but ask that your office take into consideration where
it is located and its impact on our historic complex.
Please let us know when the building plans are presented to you, if there is any-
thing you can do to help us and if there is someone else we should contact.
Sincerely yours,
ruth E. Wilbur
AEW/jrj Director
c. David Musante, Mayor
Marcia Burick, Assistant to the Mayor
Gene Bunnell, City Planner