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Home My WebLink About2024-04-10 Historical Commission MinutesOWN Orq�O' Town of Reading r „ Meeting Minutes r° oww° G'P Board - Committee- Commission - d ii+1 Councli�2y „� 7142 " Historical Commission Date: 2024-04-10 Time: 6:30 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session Purpose: General Business Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Virginia Adams (VA), Pamela Adrian (PA), Jonathan Barnes (JEB), Samantha Couture (SC), Pino D'Orazio (PD), Amelia Devin Freedman (ADF), and Christine Keller (CK) Members - Not Present: Sarah Bukilacchio (SB) Others Present: Joel Bergmann (JB), Principal, Bargmann, Hendrie + Archetype, Inc. (BH+A) Jessica Swindell (JS), Austin Prep. History Teacher Jenna Fiorente (JF), Community Services Director, Town of Reading Nancy Ziemlak (NZ), Chair, Council on Aging, Town of Reading Laura Stella and Michael Holmes, Charles Street Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Christine Keller Topics of Discussion: PD called the meeting to order at 6:32PM. Discussion with Jessica Swindell, Austin Prep. History Teacher JS contacted the RHC to learn about town resources for Women's History Month for her Women in American History class. ADF collaborated with archivist Robin Marrow (RM) to provide a summary of Archive contents: Women's Voter Registration from 1920, Reading Female Anti -Slavery Society, WWII veterans information, etc. ADF has already scanned the Reading Female Anti -Slavery Society documents and will send those to IS. VA suggested that the Austin Prep. students research notable women in Reading history, including Clara Gowing, Molly Sweetser (Reading's first Selectwoman), and Emily Ruggles. JS will spend time in the Archive over summer break reviewing documents. ADF and CK volunteered to work with JS and her students. Discussion with Joel Baromann, BH+A on Pleasant Street Center and Potential future senior center JB presented a slide deck on the plans for expansion of the Pleasant Street Center located at 49 Pleasant Street and was seeking RHC comments and input regarding four individual design plans. The Reading Center for Active Living Committee (RECALC) is in the site selection phase of the project, including 49 Pleasant Street, Symonds Way, and Oakland Road. The Pleasant Street Center has 4,000 sq -ft of usable space on a half -acre site. There is inadequate parking for a facility of this size. The basement ceiling is 6' 8' tall and is Page 1 1 inadequate for use based on current code. The proposed expansion would include up to 18,000 sq -ft of commercial kitchen, arts & crafts room, parking deck and gym. The entrance doors would be relocated, and the two-level 52 car parking deck would be accessible from Parker Street and Pleasant Street. The existing grade of the lot allows for the covered parking facility and improved access to the building. However, site limitations would not permit driver access to the two levels from within the parking deck; rather one level would only be accessible from the Parker Street exterior entrance, and the other level accessible only from the Pleasant Street exterior parking entrance. The RHC reviewed four designs and provided feedback to JB, IF and N2. 1. South Facade of the Pleasant Street Center. Proposed two-story addition with commercial kitchen on the lower level and program room upstairs. The addition would be set back from the primary facade and would be consistent with U.S. Department of the Interior recommendations on exterior additions to historic buildings. The RHC was in favor of this design. 2. West Facade, the 3 -bay view of the Pleasant Street Center. The primary historic facade with three bays should remain untouched without additions or alterations. The RHC was in favor of this design. (JB presented alternative plans for this facade, which removed the current historic west facade and bumped it out several feet, while constructing a new exterior facade which would attempt to largely mimic the look of the current historic facade with new materials. The RHC strongly rejected this alternative for the west facade.) 3. Addition on East Facade of building: approximately 12,000 sq -ft (no gym) and parking garage - the RHC was not in favor of this design. 4. Addition of East Fagade of building: approximately 18,000 sq -ft (with gym) and parking garage - the RHC was not in favor of this design. JEB asked IF that the Town consider adding a Preservation Restriction Agreement to 49 Pleasant Street. The 1883 Renaissance Revival building originally housed the fire department and the town jail. The RHC expressed appreciation to BH+A and RECALC for seeking our input at this phase of the project. JB asked for a letter summary of the RHC feedback to the four designs by the end of April, which PD will pen. 172 Hiah Street addition to Historic Inventory Public Hearing set for 7:OOPM May 8; mailings and legal notices have been sent; letters to abutters will be sent by April 24. 186 Summer Avenue - nothing to report. Old Hose House PD wrote a letter outlining the historical significance of the Old Hose House to support a grant application for a new roof. Garden Club Plant Sale The event is on May 18, from 9AM - SPM. The RHC will have a table. VA proposed Demolition Delay as theme for the display. ADF suggested a poster depicting properties that have been lost to Demolition Delay. RMHS Collaboration 1. Ms. Allison, RMHS History Teacher, is teaching a new class called Women in History. She is looking for materials to use with her class. SC has asked RM to search the Archive for information about women buried In laurel Hill. 2. The RMHS Award. ADF will prepare the Award certificate to Grace Brown, and CK will deliver the Award (certificate, check and At Wood End) to RMHS. Page 1 2 JEB made the following motion to authorize payment of the check: "Move to authorize the Reading Historical Commission History Award, including a check for $250.00 from the RHC General Operating Fund, to be awarded to the identified individual RMHS student at the RMHS Senior Award Ceremony scheduled for 5/22/24." The motion was seconded by PD and vote 5-0. Update on historical research into homes - postponed to May meeting. Demolition delay application process - JEB met with Amanda Beatrice to review proposed revisions. Further discussion postponed to May meeting. RHC email response system ADF to follow up with RHC members to ensure inquiries are responded to in a timely fashion. Further discussion is required to determine who will manage which type of inquiries. Future event displays PA to get quotes on a new, vinyl RHC banner, 6' wide x 2'tall and 6' wide x 3' tall. Community Preservation Act - nothing to report. Finance/Treasurer's report JEB reported that $1,443 remains In our budget, with an additional $526 encumbered funds allocated to RM. There is the $1,000 donation from the Cummings Foundation to consider, as well as $1,000 remaining in the Utility Box Wrap fund. PD requested reimbursement of $8.97 for USPS postage for the 172 High Street mailings. JEB made a motion to reimburse PD $8.97, seconded by SC. Vote 4 (JEB, SC, ADF, CK) - 0 - 1 (PD). Future agenda items • Extending the demolition delay period • Friends and Family Day • Invite RM to our May 8 meeting Review minutes from meetings on February 21. March 13. and March 20: Motion to accept the minutes as amended by JEB, seconded by PD, and vote 5-0. Motion to adjourn the RHC meeting at 9:07PM made by PD, seconded by SC, and vote 5-0 Next Meeting: May 8, 2024, 6:30PM, Town Hall - Berger Room Page 13