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Home My WebLink About2024-12-11 Historical Commission MinutesrA Town of Reading Meeting Minutes 0 Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Historical Commission Date: 2024-12-11 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), Jonathan Barnes (JEB), Sarah Brukilacchio (SB), Pino D'Orazio (PD), Amelia Devin Freedman (ADF), and Christine Keller (CK) Members - Not Present: Samantha Couture (SC) Others Present: Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Christine Keller Topics of Discussion: PD called the meeting to order at 6:32PM. He made VA a voting member for the evening. Demolition Delay letter to homeowners and January meetina Under the direction of ADF, Amanda Beatrice (AB), Administrative Specialist, Town of Reading, sent 350 letters to owners of properties on the Historical and Architectural Inventory on December 3. The letter invites the owners to a public meeting to discuss the possibility of extending the Town's demolition delay period from six to 12 months. The meeting will occur at 7:OOPM on January 8, 2025, at Reading Public Library (RPL) in the Community Room. The room will be set up with 70 seats, with a long table at the front for the RHC. CK and ADF will develop a PowerPoint presentation for PD to deliver at the meeting. It was agreed that the RHC will meet on January 6, 2025, to review the presentation (location — TBD). The outline of the presentation Includes 1) Demolition Delay bylaw language 2) Demo Delay process overview 3) Houses lost (including number lost under 12 -month delay vs. 6 month delay 4) Demolition Delay in other communities in the Commonwealth, and 5) List of properties recently added to the Inventory at owner's request. An updated binder containing the Form Bs of properties ono the Historical and Architectural Inventory will be on hand for the meeting. SB will work with AB to get copies of the new Form Bs for the binder. JEB is fielding communications with homeowners interested in supporting extension of the Demolition Delay. To date, two homeowners have expressed support. The following tasks are required to prepare for the January 8 meeting: PD to set up RHC meeting agenda for 6:30PM on January 6; PD to determine if we can have a Zoom option for the January 8 meeting at RPL; VA will bring her binder and RHC name tags to RPL on January 8; CK will prepare the PowerPoint presentation with ADF. Page I 1 Table display - discussion postponed City of Woburn Demolition Delay - RHC members to review for future discussion 2025 Meeting Schedule - AB to prepare list of dates and meeting rooms 0 409 Grove Street The homeowners support reapplication for admission to National Register and must write a letter to express their support. As 409 Grove Street is a First Period property, it is on the radar of the MHC. JEB will keep in touch with Ben Haley of MHC and noted that the application process for National Register is incredibly detailed. The RHC would need to hire someone to put the application together. There are five other historic buildings on the National Register that have been moved in Reading (55 Hopkins Street, 273 Pearl Street, 28 Salem Street, 186 Woburn Street, and 276 Woburn Street). ADF will research to determine if the buildings were moved before they were added to the National Register. Bill Brown questions 1. Pearl Street School canopy Mr. Brown wrote to the RHC regarding a canopy over the walk to the front door of the building. The former Pearl Street School is on the Historic and Architectural Inventory and has been repurposed as The Residence at Pearl Street, a senior living community. The design for the facility was reviewed by the CPDC and had a condition regarding the covered walkway. The applicant was to work with the RHC on the final design, including details and materials for the covered walkway. A gap exists between the canopy and the building, and Mr. Brown feels this results in icy and unsafe conditions in the winter. JEB has spoken with Mr. Brown, and emailed with Select Board Chair Bacci and Community Development Director Andrew MacNichol. A previous occupant of the facility contacted the RHC in 2019 expressing concern about the icy conditions. JEB was chair at that time, and he had several discussions with that occupant and the former Community Development Director at that time. JEB will communicate to Mr. Brown about those prior discussions and that the property owner should be approached about a solution for the icy walkway. 2. Northern Residents Association Honor Roll Ruth Converse donated a large, wood plaque to the RHC, which was recently hung at Town Hall outside the Archive. Mr. Brown has requested that the plaque be relocated to RMHS to be near other memorial plaques. PD will reply to Mr. Brown that the plaque is the property of RHC and should remain at Town Hall. 472 Summer Avenue - Historical and Architectural Inventory property sold 484 Summer Avenue - Historical and Architectural Inventory property sold 32 Lowell Street - Historical and Architectural Inventory property on the market 25 Haven Street/Art Deco light fixture preservation SB will follow up with the building owner regarding installation of a historic plaque for the building. PD will send a letter in January regarding the light fixtures and provide details of an electrician who might be able to refurbish them. Email response system - in place -PD will respond to inquiries requiring a phone call G000le Docs archive - working well/drop from agenda Connected Reading: An Open House to Our Community - nothing to report/drop from agenda Page 1 2 Town seal and land acknowledgment updates - nothing to report Accession of Daniel Pratt clock - awaiting follow up by SC Vernon Chandler WWII European Tour speaking engagement RHC will sponsor Mr. Chandler to speak at RPL on Saturday, January 11, at 1:OOPM. ADF has managed all the details with RPL. RHC members need to arrive by 12:30PM that day to set up chairs in the Community Room. PD will introduce Mr. Chandler before the presentation. ADF prepared a publicity piece which will be posted at RPL and in their marketing. Additional PR action items include: • CK/The Readino Chronicle on January 3 • CK/fhg Reading Post on January 3 • SB/Facebook on January 6 CatalogIt updates SC received a quote on 12/3/24 for $1,400 to import, organize, and map data from the RHC Archive. JEB reported that the funds had been encumbered for this. Update on historical research into homes and Historic @ Architectural Inventory SB is collaborating with Peter Scott at MHC to fine-tune the recently submitted Form Bs. Demolition Delay application process - nothing to report/drop from agenda Community Preservation Act - nothing to report/drop from agenda Town Archive review and updates SC received a quote on 11/20/24 from Northeast Document Conservation Center for $2,100EDCC to unframe and digitize 20 photos, including those hanging in the Town Hall Conference Room plus 10 full sized reproductions. JEB reported that funds had been encumbered for this and suggested that small signs be added to Indicate the subject of the photos. Finance/Treasurer's report JEB reported that the General Fund balance is $741.76. He and AB collaborated to encumber funds. He and AB collaborated to encumber approved AARPA funds for NEDCC ($2,950) and CatalogIt ($1,400). Robin Marrow's final invoice has been paid from approved AARPA funds. JEB made a motion to encumber the remaining $580.65 AARPA funds for Archival needs; CK second; Vote 5 - 0. Future Agenda Items • RMHS History Award • NEDCC photos and signs for Town Hall Conference Room Review minutes from the November meetino The minutes were posted on the RHC Google drive for comment, and the RHC agreed that this system is working well. JEB made a motion to approve the minutes as amended; VA second; Vote 4 (VA, JEB, ADF, CK) - 0 - 1 (PD). Documents and exhibits used at meetino • RHC letter to Inventory owners • Bill Brown's letter to RHC • ADF publicity piece for Vernon Chandler WWII European Tour presentation • Approved November minutes Page 1 3 8:23PM motion to adjourn by PD; CK second; Vote 5 - 0. Next Meetings: January 6, 2025, 6:30PM, Conference Room and January 8, 2025, 6:30PM, Reading Public Library Community Room. Page 14