HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-05-09 Historical Commission MinutesReading Historical commission Minutes
9 May 2000
Attending: Louise Sandberg
Virginia Adams
Kathy Greenfield, visitor
Jerry Kaper
Roberta Sullivan
Clay Jones
Ann Krieg, town planner
Ellen Watts
Bill Brooks, Pearson education VP for facilities
Bob Fishman, Counsel
Lorraine Ramsey Matthews
Sharlene Santo
David Fixler, architect member of DOCOMO New England
Peter Heckenbleichner, Town Manager
Rick Schubert,CPDC
Jonathan Barnes, CPDC
1. Call to order 7:35
2. The purpose of this meeting is to consider and then vote on whether
to put Building A of the Addison-Wesley corporate campus on the town's
inventory of historic and architecturally significant structures. The
owner has been properly notified of this pending vote. This is not a
hearing, but a regular commission meeting. You are invited
to make comments, but they should be as short as possible. We have
another important meeting after this one.
3. Virginia moved that Building A of the original Addison-Wesley
Publishing Co. (now owned by Pearson) located on Jacob Way, Reading
Mass., be included on the Town's Historical and Architectural Inventory.
Remarks were then made by Bill Brooks concerning Pearson's plans for the
property. The property will be vacated by January of 2001. The town has
led the owners to believe that development of the site will be preferable
away from residential areas and close to the highway. Pearson want to
work with the commission. Bldg A stands exactly in the center of the
area most useful for developing. Pearson has filed for permit t demolish
already. Helen Watts then presented Pearson's plans. Ms. Watts went
through the commission's criteria looking for a style for Bldg. A
classifying it as something akin to the International style. Ms. Watts did
not feel that Bldg. A fit our guidelines. She also brought out examples of
literal architecture. She felt that the book edge on Bldg. A is not eye-
catching, humorous, or obvious. Mr. Brooks closed with their desire to
cooperate with us.
David Fixler then spoke about the danger of pigeonholing any building into
any specific style. He feels that Bldg. A is significant because of its
place in the scheme of American commercial architecture as Hybrid
vernacular High Modern style.
Clay read quotes from the Society of Commercial Architecture.
CPDC presented possible ways of using the book and paying tribute to the
original use of the site.
Jonathan Barnes of the CPDC spoke about the effort of the commission and
Pearson to resolve the issue.
Anne Krieg suggested that the commission consider what the town loses
when the building goes. Will we gain from a restoration?
Pearson wants to free the site of all impediments to allow the marketing
of the site. Pearson does not want the building on the inventory because
it clouds the issue and makes marketing the site difficulty. It becomes a
marketing burden.
Clay asked Pearson that if they could resolve the demolition delay in 3 to
4 weeks would that be acceptable. Pearson said that it would not be
marketed until the end of June.
Virginia feels we need to take the building through the inventory
demolition process as a means of dialogue.
Jonathan asked that if town counsel drafted a memo that gave the
commission input into the development of the sight.
Rick Schubert suggested that the hearing for demolition delay would give
the commission the mechanics to negotiate with Pearson.
Vote: Is Bldg. A a significant structure? 5-0-0
4. Roberta made a motion referring to the application to demolish said
building dated May 4th, that we positively determine if the building is
significant. 5-0-0 Date of the hearing will be May 25?
5. 25 Auburn St. Public hearing starting at 9:50. The owners of the
property have applied to demolish said property. Owner (Barrett Homes)
did not attend. Owners did not supply a plot plan, photographs of facades,
description of property, reason for demolition, and plans for reuse. The
procedure of demolition delay started with the former owner Mr. Fontes.
(abutters attending: Russell E. Carter, Willis E. Carter, Nancy Matheson,
Lawrence Stefan, and Robert Murphy)
Hearing was closed at 10:25
Roberta moved that the commission vote to preferably preserve the
property at 25 Auburn St. and that we delay the issuance of the
demolition permit for up to 6 months effective tonight. Vote: 5-0-0 Six
months will be November 8th.
Virginia moved to release the existing demolition delay on 25 Auburn St.
March 20th to Paul Fontes (the former owner) conditional upon receiving
confirmation of sale of the property to a new owner. 5-0-0
6. Treasurer's report attached.
7. Adjourned: 10:57 Meeting May 16 Approved as amended 6/16/00 LS