HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-06-15 •
HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMI"LION
A meeting of the Historic Districts Commission was held at 8:00 P.M.
on Wednesday, June 15, 1983, in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office
Building, Lexington. Present were Commissioners John L. Davies, Chairman;
S. Laurence Whipple, Secretary; Ann Wallace; and Associate Commissioners
Stephen B. Cripps, Linda J. McAulay, Richard S. rorehouse, and Molly Nye.
At 8:00 P.M. Ms. P,arjorie McKean of 582 Massachusetts Avenue appeared
to request approval of vinyl siding to be installed at that address. Sam-
ples were submitted, and the sense of the discussion Has that tiie Commis-
sioners were generally opposed. to vinyl siding. Mr. Roland Gubisch spoke
against the request, stating that the house is a landmark in the area and
he believed vinyl siding would destroy its character. It was VOTED not to
approve the request, with Nrs. Wallace abstaining.
At 8:i5 P.M. Mr. Douglas Chapman, a representative of the Shell Oil
Company station at 1095 Massachusetts Avenue, appeared to request approval
for the replacement of his existing ~F foot cedar stockade fence with a
similar fence 6 feet high, tapering toward the street. He discussed the
possibility of another type of fence, but there was no definite proposal
for such change of type and no samples or drawings xere submitted. It xas
VOTED to approve a new 6 foot cedar stockade fence, the same type as the
existing, with pointed pickets and a taper to a lower height in the two
sections closest to each street. The fence will be left natural or
treated with a bleaching stain. The fence posts will be on the side away
from the station.
At 8:30 P.M. Mr. Morehouse stepped down and presented an application
on behalf of the Lexington Medical Center for afree-standing sign at 19
Niuzzey Street. The sign would be double-faced, mounted on each side of a
7 foot post so as to be seen from up and down the street. The sign xould
be white, the post black, and the lettering to be incised and gilded with
23 karat gold leaf. The logo may beE...a, figure of the Minute Man, but the
Commission expressed a strong preference for the logo shown on the drawing
submitteds the Old i3elf It xas VOTED to a rove the sin w th hi
ry. pp g i t s
preference expressed in the vote.
P.t 8:1+5 P.M. Nlr. Davies requested that a Chairman _'ro Tem be elected
so that he could step down in order to present the next application.
Mrs. Wallace nominated Mr. Whipple, and this nomination was seconded.
Mr. Whipple took the chair, and Mr. Davies stepped down.
Mr. Davies then appeared on behalf of the 1775 Realty Trust to
request approval. for the construction of a second story at 1777-1783 Massa-
chusetts Avenue. He introduced Mr. Joseph Trani and Mr. Hugo Maienza,
trustees of the Trust, and Mr. John Anderson of Marshall Bartlett, Inc.,
who will occupy the proposed second floor office space. Drawings of the
four elevations were presented, together with a plan drawing showing a
new entrance structure on Edison Way which will contain a stair and ele-
vator. The second story will be faced with brick to match the lower floor
r
Historic Districts Commission - 2 - June 15, 1983
as closely as possible. Trim will be wood painted white, and a parapet
of white painted wood will conceal air conditioning equipment. Double
hung windows will be wood, with muntins, painted white. Certain larger
areas of glass will be divided by steel mullions, painted white to match
the wood. The proposal includes the construction of a brick sidewalk
along Edison 'Jay, but no negotiations with the Town on that item have yet
taker. place. ASr. Roland Gubisch spoke ir. favor of the design. It was
YO'lED to approve the project as presented, Mr. Davies will return for
further discussions of any detail changes or specific materials or colors
as they are selected.
At approximately 9:15 P.M. Mr, Davies resumed the chair, and Mr, "aul
Sidman appeared on behalf of the Versailles :?estaurant to request approval
of an awning on the restaurant at ij)7 Alassachusetts Avenue, The awning
would be maroon, in accordance with the sample submitted. It was VOTED to
approve the awning as submitted except without lettering on the front bor-
der. The sides of the border will read. "Versailles", and the restaurant's
logo will appear on the sloped front.
It was then VOTED to approve bills of $73.20 from Beacon Minute-Man
and $118.0 from Barbara Gilson.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 P.M.
S. Lawrence ~dhipple
Secretary