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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-11 Historical Commission Minutes„ Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Historical Commission Date: 2026-3-11 Time: 6:30 PM Building: Town Hall Location: Berger Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Purpose: General Business Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Virginia Adams (VA), Jonathan Barnes (JEB), Sarah Brukilacchio (SB), Samantha Couture (SC), Amelia Devin Freedman (ADF), Pino D'Orazio (PD), and Christine Keller (CK) Members - Not Present: Others Present: Denise Cecere, 32 Lowell Street LLC Ralph Cecere, 32 Lowell Street LLC Rose Marinucci, Merrimack College archivist/intern Bethann Matathia Sandy Matathia Linda Stroebel Others - Not Present: John Burns, Owner 52 Salem Street (Chatham & Grey) Joe Ravida, Owner 52 Salem Street (Ravida Realty) Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Christine Keller Topics of Discussion: PD called the RHC meeting to order at 6:35PM. 52 Salem Street (Amos Parker House) - demolition delay PD announced that Joe Ravida (JR) will not be attending the meeting. JR reported that things were status qua with the tenants. John Burns did not attend the meeting. The owners of the property have been encouraged and invited to attend RHC meetings during the demolition delay period which began on February 11, 2026. Since meeting with the RHC on February 11, no members of the RHC nor the Mattathias have been granted access to the property despite invitations to do so. To learn about preservation of the mural in the center hallway, SC spoke with Brian Ehrlich, Board President - The Center for Painted Wall Preservation (TCPWP). This organization helped save murals in North Reading with strong Rufus Porter attributes at the Damon Tavern and the Flint House. TCPWP would need access to Page I 1 Town of Reading F Meeting Minutes the house to remove the mural for preservation. They were interested in the mural whether Rufus Porter or Betsey Parker painted it. ADF also spoke with Stephen Mallory, Manager of Historic Structures and Landscapes at Peabody Essex Museum, about the mural and painted Floor. He commented that painted plaster is likely adhered directly to the bricks of the central chimney, which would make it challenging to remove. Linda Stroebel, a previous owner of 52 Salem Street, mentioned that there was a book on stenciled floors in New England that referenced the Floor at the Amos Parker House. She also recalled an article, "Rufus Porter - Floor Ornamentor Did This Well -Known Muralist Stoop To Stenciling Floors?" by Ann Eckert Brown, which was published in the Fall 2022 edition of The Decorator, Journal of The Historical Society of Early American Decoration. The article featured photos of the Amos Parker House and attributes the mural panel and the stenciled Floor to Rufus Porter. In reviewing the property scrapbook assembled by Roland and Frances Sawyer, ADF found an article written by the Sawyers, published by the Reading Chronicle in 1997, that attributed the mural and west bedroom Floor painting to Betsey Parker. The front hall mural was painted in 1832, and there is no legible signature on the mural. There is the issue of contact paper that has been affixed to portions of the wall mural. SC will contact TCPWP about how to safely remove the contact paper. RHC discussed efforts made by Commission members and the Matathias since our February meeting to access the property, which have been unsuccessful. Sandy Matathia (SM) discussed his review of town bylaw sections and State statutory provisions which RHC may consider using to incentivize the owners to comply with bylaw requirements to cooperate and work with the RHC during the demo delay period. SM referenced Sections 1.8 and 1.7 of Reading's General Bylaws, and Chapter 40, Section 21D of the State statute. SM mentioned salvaging features of the Amos Parker House and hoped for an opportunity to examine the timber frame and remove it before the house was demolished. JEB suggested that the RHC Chair send a letter immediately following the granting of a demolition delay that outlines the responsibilities of the owner and their obligation to work with RHC. JEB will share a sample of such a letter from his tenure as RHC Chair. There was discussion about building awareness and support within Town Hall for RHC's historic preservation mission and efforts to implement the requirements of the DD bylaw. The RHC needs to lobby the Town Planner, Acting Town Manager, Community Development Director and Town Counsel to support RHC efforts to preserve historic properties. Page 12 The RHC needs to understand its enforcement power and make it known that historic preservation is imperative to preserve the nature of Reading. This effort could help lay the groundwork for the 12-month demolition delay. The property at 52 Salem Street is grandfathered as a two-family home in a single- family district. The builder also wants to add an ADU on the site. The ADU is a state law and not conditioned on saving the house. The RHC discussed public outreach to raise awareness of 52 Salem Street and its historic significance in Reading. PD will send a letter within the week to Ravida and Burns documenting their obligations that have not been met. JEB will reach out to Andrew McNichol to discuss this situation and ask for his support. VA suggested that the RHC hold another meeting in two weeks' time to continue the discussion to preserve 52 Salem Street. 32 Lowell Street - proposed repairs As background, before the August 13, 2025, RHC meeting began, the Ceceres explained to commission members SB, ADF and CK that they were awaiting payment on an insurance claim for fallen granite from the crenellated tower of 32 Lowell Street. No work is occurring at the site. The contractor is NER Construction Management (Wilmington, MA). The site has fencing around the perimeter of the building and scaffolding at the tower. The building is protected by a Preservation Restriction Agreement (PRA) with MHC. Ralph Cecere (RC) spoke with Paul Holtz, Grants Co -Director and Historical Architect, of the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) regarding the repairs at 32 Lowell Street. Mr. Holtz manages the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF), which is a grant program with anticipated funding in the range of $1,000,000 in 2026. The MPPF is a state -funded 50% matching grant reimbursement program to support the preservation of properties, landscapes, and sites listed in the State Register of Historic Places. Applicants must be a municipality or nonprofit organization. RC explained that the insurance money they received was half of what was expected. Their engineer estimated that the bell tower could be reduced by 14 to 16 feet and the work could be completed with the reduced funds. RC reported that the town wants the scaffolding down. Building Inspector Glenn Redmond stated that he could override historical restrictions if it comes to safety. RC asserted it would cost $300,000 to fix the entire tower and an estimated $1 million to rebuild it. The Ceceres are paying $4,000 per month for scaffolding and $700 per month for fencing. The scaffolding has been in place since January 2025. Page 1 3 Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Denise Cecere (DC) explained that 32 Lowell Street LLC is a 55-year-old family business. They created a non-profit so that they could charge reduced rent to the Northeast School of Ballet. The school is the official training school of the Northeast Youth Ballet (NYB). The cost of the repairs and the lack of insurance coverage has forced the Ceceres to put the building on the market. DC sent a letter to the 200 families with children at the ballet school stating that the school would close on July 25. The faculty will reopen in a new community or be absorbed by another ballet school. Glenn Redmond wants a building permit from the contractor to say he built the scaffolding The Ceceres met with the Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Community Development Director, and Mr. Redmond to discuss the scaffolding and keeping the ballet students safe. The proposed redesign will take 14 to 16 feet from the top of the crenellated tower. The tower cannot be rebuilt to the original height because the columns are destabilized on all four sides. The RHC asked the Ceceres to provide a sketch/visual of the renovated tower, which could be positioned next to a picture of the building with scaffolding. DC stated they would save the stones that were removed from the tower. There was discussion about the building's history. It was designed by George Sidebottom for the Church of Christ Scientist. The church got an MHC grant for repairs, and the MHC got the PRA. PD made a motion to send a letter to MHC to accept the reduction of the turret height of this historic property. SC second. Vote 5 - 0 . SB volunteered to draft an article about the building for the Select Board to explain its historical significance to the town. Historical Commission brochure update CK posted a draft of the brochure in Google drive for comment, and ADF provided photos for the brochure. The discussion will continue at the April meeting. Recent news articles - 52 Salem St., 186 Summer Ave. SB authored articles to raise awareness of the demolition delay of 52 Salem Street and to provide an update on 186 Summer Ave. SB shared the draft with Christine Amendola, Deputy Chief of Police, Reading Fire Department for review. The articles will be posted on the Reading Observer, Reading Recap, Facebook Reading Parents Network/Reading Community Network, Reading Chronicle, and Reading Post. The 52 Salem Street information will be shared with the Rufus Porter Museum via Facebook. Page 14 t Town of Reading Pp g Meeting Minutes PD made a motion to approve the articles as edited and moved for SB to publish them. JEB second. Vote 5 - 0. VA oral history interview Discussion of the ownership of the interview concluded that the video was the property of RCN. Preserving the interview will include saving it to the hard drive on the Archive computer, DVD, and at the RPL. (SC will discuss this with Jocelyn Gould at RPL). ADF reminded us that they should have a transcription of the interview. The RHC discussed creating a video recording of a "drive around" Reading with VA. VA has mapped out the route of Ash Street, Reading Square, Pearl Street to Mill Street and then return on the Andover -Medford Turnpike (Route 28). CK suggested that the drive continue to Franklin Street and Forest Street, where VA could discuss her childhood house and neighbor Clarence Demar. Rose Marinucci (RM) had ideas about how to mount a cell phone on the dash to record the video. The date for the drive around will be set at the April meeting. Demolition delay bylaw survey results ADF circulated updated drafts of a letter to historic homeowners, along with objections to demo delay extension, with refutations. The RHC reviewed the drafts and made small edits to the homeowners' objections document. SC made a motion to accept the letter and objections to demo delay extension as edited. CK second. Vote 5 - 0. America 250 celebrations ADF has been working in the archive with RM. She suggested using one of the documents from DuPage County, which was a 1780 document from Reading concerning the Continental Congress. She also found a 1780 document in the Eleanor Bishop collection regarding funds for Continental soldiers. The articles could be supplemented with digital pictures and transcriptions of town records, including the census abstract from 1771 - 1870. ADF will work with Jocelyn Gould at RPL to put together this information for posting online and/or holding an in -person exhibition. ADF noted that there are still four boxes in the archive containing wills, deeds, and depositions to be sorted and accessioned or discarded. She has started sorting the contents and estimates one in four boxes contains historical documents from Reading. ADF found a deposition given by a slave which described how he was transferred from one owner to another. There is also material to work with in Hon. Lilley Eaton's Genealogical History of the Town of Reading. Massachusetts. Page 1 5 Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Pleasant Street Center - future uses A town -wide survey was launched on February 24, to gather community input on the future of the Pleasant Street Center (49 Pleasant Street). 129 Hiah Street The property has been sold. Collaborations with RMHS and Merrimack College John Fiore, History Department Chair at RMHS, forwarded one writing sample for consideration for the 2026 RHC History Award. RMHS needs the name of the awardee by April break. The RHC deliberated making an award to a unique submission. In years past, there were at least three submissions to be evaluated. The student writing samples are selected by teachers in the History department. The group discussed expanding the award to the English department to collect more applicants. The RHC will not confer a History Award this year. Utility Box Wraps - discussion postponed 32 Lincoln Street. Reading Train Depot: proposed roof repairs JEB will initiate payment of $5,000 to James D'Amico, Railroad Realty Trust, for EcoStar composite slate. Future Events: Historic gravestone cleaning training • ADF attended the Board of Cemetery Trustees (BCT) meeting on March 9 to present the 48 State Tour training proposal for Laurel Hill Cemetery. The BCT does not want 48 State Tour repairing headstones. There was concern about liability, ownership of headstones, permits required, and the Department of Public Works. The RHC will no longer pursue this. The RHC discussed upcoming community events but made no decisions to attend. • Garden Club • Friends & Family Day (June 20) • Street Faire VA strongly encouraged the group to participate in Friends & Family Day. 25 Haven Street: Art Deco light fixture preservation Andrew MacNichol, Community Development Director, told JEB that the Town generally preferred more than one quote for the electrical work, though he noted in this case it was not required due to the unique fabrication needs in addition to electrical. JEB had requested that his electrician visit the site and provide an estimate. No estimate was provided and the Commission decided to proceed with the project. Page 1 6 Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Community Preservation Act (CPA) - liaison report SB confirmed that the CPA is on the warrant for the April Town Meeting. She reiterated that implementing the CPA will cost each household $80 to $100 per year. The CPA Study Committee will make the same presentation to Town Meeting, Proposal For The Adoption Of The Community Preservation Act By The Town Of Reading, that they made to the Select Board. JEB suggested that during the Town Meeting presentation, the Study Committee highlight 10 projects paid for by the town that could have been paid for with CPA funds. SB assured the group that the presentation made a comprehensive review of the missed opportunities since CPA first was presented to Town Meeting in 2002. RHC members were encouraged to attend Town Meeting to support the CPA. It was suggested that the RHC could write a letter of support for CPA. JEB explained that RHC commissioners can speak at Town Meeting. Inventory• structures for sale/sold/demolished• spreadsheet updates* GIS map 190 Main Street had demolished an ell/porch, and Amanda Beatrice, Administrative Specialist, has set a flag so that all applications for historic properties will come to her attention. SB will update the property Form B with the modifications to the structure. ADF informed the RHC that Branden Vigneault is Reading's new Building Inspector. CK suggested inviting Branden to a future RHC meeting. JEB would contact Branden to discuss this issue and invite him to meet with us. CatalogIt software updates - nothing to report VA Town Archive review Louise Sandberg, a former RHC member, has offered the archive a DVD of a mill fire in Lawrence. Mrs. Sandberg was a professional archivist and has also offered to provide training to RHC members. CK will write a letter declining the offer of the DVD and offering suggestions as to how Mrs. Sandberg could assist us with sorting files in the archive. VA has a 4-drawer filing cabinet filled with RHC information dating to 1977. She asked if there was room in the archive to accommodate it. The response was not yet, as there are still stacks of bound Reading Chronicles and boxes of documents to be sorted and catalogued. SC suggested bringing non -Reading related 18th and 19th century documents (primarily deeds) to the Massachusetts Historical Commission to see if any would be of interest to the society. The group agreed. Page 1 7 Finance/Treasurer's Report SC provided ]EB with the invoice from Atlantic Framing ($2,700) for payment. (N.B. A motion to authorize up to $2,800 with Atlantic Framing to frame the historical photos was passed on December 10, 2025.] ADF presented an invoice for $59.98 for 3 mil archival polyester document sleeves from Gaylord Archival@ for the Archive. ]EB made a motion to reimburse ADF $59.98 for the archival sleeves. PD second Votes-0. Future Agenda Items • Branden Vigneault, Building Inspector Review minutes from the February meeting PD moved to approve the February minutes as amended. SC second. Vote 5 - 0. At 9:24PM, PD made a motion to adjourn. SC second. Vote 5 - 0. Next meeting: April 8, 2026, at 6:30PM. Town Hall Conference Room. Documents used • Form B 52 Salem Street • Form B 32 Lowell Street • Draft: One of Reading's Oldest Homes Faces Demolition; Historical Commission Imposes Six -Month Delay • Draft: Update on 186 Summer Ave. • Draft: Letter to historic homeowners about demo delay extension • Draft: Homeowners' Objections to Demo Delay Extension, with Refutations • Writing sample from RMHS history department • Proposal For The Adoption Of The Community Preservation Act By The Town Of Reading Page 1 8