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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-22 Historical Commission Minutes�N OFR Discussion Town of Reading r;1CtiVED iy. � b I Meeting Minutes OWN CLERK tea, s38 +INCO4P�P _, ",DING. Ml1ss. Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 1G i5 MAY -1 P Q: 12 Historical Commission April 16 & 22, 2015 failure to post a proper meeting and that moving forward the RHC will Date: 2015 -04 -22 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Selectmen Meeting Room Address: 16 Lowell Street available to convene the Hearing. Purpose: Demolition Delay Hearing - 116 Lowell Street Owner/ Applicant Attendees: Members - Present: DPJ Chair: Sharlene Reynolds Santo (SRS)* agreement. Treasurer: Sally Hilgendorff (SH) Adjourned Secretary: Carl Mittnight (CM)* Robyn Parker (RP), Virginia Adams (VA) Sally Hilgendorff (SH) *, Ron Weston (RW), Jonathan Barnes (JEB) * Also attended April 16, 2015 hearing Members - Not Present: Nancy Kohl (NK) Others Present: David P. Johnson (DPJ), Contractor Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Carl Mittnight Topics of Discussion: Sub'ect Discussion Res . April 16, 2015 Demolition Delay Hearing SRS Call to Order April 16, 2015 at 7:00 pm. SRS Hearing SRS moved that the Hearing scheduled tonight be continued due to SRS Continuation failure to post a proper meeting and that moving forward the RHC will Introduce RHC and comply with all posting requirements. A quorum was also not SRS Owner/ Applicant available to convene the Hearing. Owner/ Applicant The Hearing was continued to April 22, 2015 with the applicant in DPJ Presentation agreement. Adjourned The meeting adjourned at 7:05 pm. W.April 22, 2015 Demolition Delay Hearing Call to Order April 22, 2015 at 7:00pm SRS Read Public Notice See Attachment A. VA Announce Purpose SRS announced that the Hearing was to comply with the Demolition SRS of the Hearing Delay Bylaw Introduce RHC and Those listed in the attendees list on the first page were introduced. SRS Owner/ Applicant Owner/ Applicant DPJ summarized the reasons for requesting demolition of the home DPJ Presentation on 116 Lowell Street as written in the demolition permit application submitted to the Reading Building Department. Page 1 1 Overview of VA presented the historical and architectural significance of the home, VA Historical/ see Attachment B. Architectural May 27, 2015 by the RHC and the Massachusetts Historical Commission Significance MHC . Public Address the The Hearing was then opened for public comment; hearing none. the SRS Chair Chair moved on to the next section. RHC Questions Several questions were raised about how the home could be saved. All Comments The RHC discussed the need to provide hard numbers in terms of Closing A short discussion followed regarding ways in which the home could All discussion: RHC & be saved from demolition. Owner community in the restoration of older homes as an alternative to /Applicant demolition. RHC Votes Close the Hearing Next Meeting 1. SRS moved that the presented information is sufficient to make a All final determination on the requested demolition of the structure at Copies of referenced correspondence and documents are kept in Meeting Minutes binder and relevant project 116 Lowell Street and that the Public Hearing be closed, RP Preservation only works when we remember it is all about: People — Planning — Partnerships — Politics. seconded the motion. 7. The motion passed with a unanimous vote: SRS, CM, RP, SH, and RW voting in the affirmative to close the Hearing. Impose the Delay • SRS moved that the loss of the structure at 116 Lowell Street would be detrimental to the Town under the purposes of the Demolition Delay Bylaw (7.2.1) and that a Demolition Delay of up to six (6) months be imposed beginning this date April 22, 2015. RW seconded the motion. • The motion passed with a vote: SRS, CM, RP, and RW voting in the affirmative to impose the Demolition Delay. And SH voting in the negative to impose the Demolition Delay. Adjourn the Hearing • SRS moved that the Hearing be adjourned, CM seconded the motion. • The motion passed with a unanimous vote: SRS, RP, CM, RW, and SH voting in the affirmative to adjourn the Hearing. • The Hearing Adjourned at 8:00 pm April 22, 2015 Regular RHC meeting. VA announced that the demolition delay workshop was scheduled for Demolition Delay May 27, 2015 by the RHC and the Massachusetts Historical Commission Workshop MHC . Selectmen's JEB updated the RHC on the progress of the Selectmen's efforts to Meeting Report craft a bylaw allowing for associate membership for all town boards and commissions. RHC Strategy The RHC discussed the need to provide hard numbers in terms of cost to restore a home and real estate value, to assist contractors and realtors. Additional expertise needs to be identified to assist the community in the restoration of older homes as an alternative to demolition. Adjourned The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm. Next Meeting May 5, 2014 at 7:30 pm All May 27, 2015 from 4:00 to 6:00 prn — Demolition Delay Workshop Copies of referenced correspondence and documents are kept in Meeting Minutes binder and relevant project folders located in the Reading Historical Commission Archives, lower level of the Reading Town Hall. Preservation only works when we remember it is all about: People — Planning — Partnerships — Politics. Page 1 2 /A\ OF RFq�',Y Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867 c js19rINCOR4��P LEGAL NOTICE HISTORICAL COMMISSION Phone 781 - 942 -6608 Fax (781) 942 -9071 Website: readingma.gov This is to serve as notice that the Reading Historical Commission, under the authority and requirements of Section 7.2, Historic Demolition Delay, of the General Bylaws for the Town of Reading, Massachusetts, shall hold a public hearing on the application to demolish the structure included on the List of Historic Structures as defined in Section 7.2.3, located at 116 Lowell Street, submitted by applicant David P. Johnson. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday April 16, 2015 at 7:00 PM, in the Conference Room at Reading Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street. Please direct public inquiry to Jessie Wilson, Community Development Administrator in the Community Development office. Sharlene Reynolds Santo, Chairperson Reading, Historical Commission FOR OFFICE USE ONLY: Please run this legal ad one time. Fee paid by Please call and confirm. Thank you. 6 Historical Narrative for 116 Lowell St. by V. Adams 4 -13 -15 Bancroft The property at 116 Lowell St. has long been identified as the Emory Bancroft homestead. He was a member of the large and prominent Bancroft family that spanned many generations in Reading. He likely grew up in this house since his father, Joseph Bancroft, bequeathed the homestead to his sons, Joseph and Emery in a will dated 1832. The will also provided for Joseph's widow, Abigail, the right to live in the south room and south chamber along with provisions for her wellbeing. * *The mention of a south room would support the fact that the current house faces the east — a few degrees off to the south — which is unusual since most early home builders faced their houses to the south as noted in Joseph's Bancroft's across the street. One major exception is the Parker Tavern that faces west! After the fathers death, valuation books show both Emory and Joseph assessed for 1/2 a house in 1834. However, the following year each man was assessed for 1 house. Emory's brother, Joseph, had built his house by 1835, diagonally across Lowell St. ( #101) which still stands today. Emory's ownership continued from 1835 until 1864 when the property valuation became listed as Emory Bancroft estate until 1886. This 22 year estate period seems unduly long however, his widow, Harriet (Batchelder) Bancroft, survived him and in 1890 valuation book she owns the house, barn and 6 acres of land. By 1900, son, Frederick Bancroft, was assessed for the property. But by 1915 street list no Bancroft was identified here and the domination of the Bancroft name to this property had ended a 146 year reign. Merrow There was another well known name associated with 116 Lowell St. that preceded the Biancrofts. It is that of 'Merrow ". Early references establish a Henry Merrow marrying Abigail Parker in 1710. In 1726 Henry Merrow purchased several parcels near his father (John Merrow). In 1728 it is written that he bought land from Thomas Eaton and there are mentions of the land of Henry Merrow on Tarebrick Hill. A 1737 highway report states, there be a road from Merrow to road out to Jonathan Parker and reserving a bridleway over part of Tare Breech Hill, etc. Also, a 1738 deed mentions "by the place of Henry Merrow" which one can assume meant by his homeplace and therefore a house has stood on site since before that date. In 1761, Henry Merrow died and left his whole estate to his wife, Abigail with the provision that the houselot with 23 acres and other lands be divided between his two daughters upon their mother's death. By 1770, widow Abigail died and the property was sold to Joshua Bancroft of Wilmington. Thus the Bancroft name became associated with 116 Lowell St. in 1771. It was in 1784 that Joshua' widow sold the real estate including buildings to Capt. Joseph Bancroft. It is not known if the Bancroft's were related but it would seem likely given the many families with that surname. This Joseph Bancroft is the father of Emory and Joseph outlined above. The actual date of construction for this property has not been unequivocally established. However, references as early as 1728 indicate Henry Merrow owned property that probably included this parcel. He died in 1761 and left his whole estate to his wife adding when she passed away the real estate would be divided in half for each daughter. The houselot with 23 acres shows that a house was on the property at that time. X Map references: 1765 — Wid. Old Merry also Wid. Mary Merry near High St. 1795 — no house 1830 — house (no names) 1852 — E. Bancroft and J. Bancroft across road 1867 — F. ( ?) Bancroft and " 1875 — E. Bancroft est. 1889 — E. Bancroft est. (note shape of house) 1673 -1728 — sketch map by Loea P. Howard: ho. Thomas Easton to Henry Merrow, Jr. Architectural History Setting: faces east on crest of hill with lot descending to the south. /southwest. Is close to the roadway (Lowell St.) and faces Bancroft Ave. intersection. Currently described as a five bay, single room deep, 2 and 112 story house, it has a 2 story kitchen ell with dormers to the we ith breezeway to a garage. Also, another ell (1 story) to the west from the main house. Later porch to south. It has clap boards on the front fagade and shingle siding on the ends, ells and rear. Narrow corner boards and roof with no eave returns, along with boxed gutters was customary at the end of the le century. The main entrance is simple and narrow, with a plain, heavy cornice and pilasters with capitals that indicate a missing entablature. The secondary doorway on the north side is also narrow, with narrow pilasters and simple architrave ( ?) Windows have been replaced and aluminum storms are present. Two brick chimneys pierce the west roof, one of which still portrays the dome like appearance once displayed on both and depicted in earlier photos. An interior inspection would help to date the structure. Is there evidence of a center chimney? What is age of present chimneys and bake oven? Was there a full lean-to off the main block? Need to check attic construction. Assumed to be post and beam framing.