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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-03-02-HC-min.pdf Lexington Historical Commission Lexington, Massachusetts 02173 MEETING MINUTES - MARCH 2 1988 Meeting convened at 7:30 p.m. in Room G-15 of Town Office Building. Present were Commission members Gilman, Gubisch, Hagelstein, McKenna, and Witthoft: members of the public: and owners of properties which are the subject of the scheduled hearings. Minutes of the previous meeting were not read. The meeting began with informal discussion of procedures for hearings scheduled to follow commission meeeting. Letters from various interested persons were distributed. Gubisch will talk to Conservation Commission about areas of common concern in connection with preserving historic structures. 1) Display case--Witthoft brought letter from Town Manager authorizing LHC display case in Town Office Building lobby. Hagelstein suggested that photos of Lexington Buildings in NYNEX phone book could form part of exhibit. Nature and precise location of display case not determined. 2) Warrant article 49, to establish single-lot historic districts, is in this year's town meeting warrant. Selectmen have notified owners of 9 properties on list drawn up by Gubisch for LHC and several have responded. McKenna will answer the concerns of one owner. 3) Preservation Month. The LHC does not have a firmly scheduled event to place in the Historic Mass. calendar but Witthoft will send them a notice that our commission plans to award or commend one or more persons/institutions which forwarded historic preservation in Lexington in 1987. Possibly award will coincide with Memorial Day weekend celebrations in Lexington. Considered: rehabilitators of houses like the old Bowman Tavern; saving of the Cutler Farmhouse; generators of helpful publicity like the Minuteman reporter. MEETING RECESSED AT 7:59 FOR HEARINGS SCHEDULED 8:00 & 8:30, to resume after hearing. MEETING RE-OPENED AT 9:15 (approx.) Motion: Gilman. Second: McKenna. Move, that the barn at 160 Wood St. be considered a preferably preserved significant building. Discussion: clarification of effect of the motion. This preserves the barn in situ for six months, unless the Commission suspends delay of demolition to allow relocation if the commission so decides. Motion carries unanimously. The commission expressed its appreciation to R. Liebhaber, representing the owner of the property where the barn is located, and to all those who brought or sent helpful information, for their cooperation and 1 assistance. Discussion: In informal discourse, the commission decided to postpone a vote on the property at 29 Allen St. to the next meeting to allow time for further investigation of options. NEXT MEETING, Wed. , March 23, at 7:30 p.m. ADJOURNED, 9:40 p.m. Respecfully submitted, Brucia Witthoft 2 Lexington Historical Commission Lexington, Massachusetts 02173 HEARING MINUTES - MARCH 2 1988 HEARING in the matter of a barn located on property at 160 Wood St, Lexington. Hearing convened in Room G-15 of Town Office Building. Present were Commission members Gilman, Gubisch, Hagelstein, McKenna, and Witthoft: members of the public: and a representative of the owners of property which is the subject of the scheduled hearing. Chairman Gubisch opened the hearing and read the applicable by-law (Article 39, 1986) . McKenna presented summary of communications favoring preservation of this structure from Anne A. Grady, SPNEA; Charles Smith, Architect; Frederick W. Lyman, of American Landmarks, Inc. ; Anne Mohn, of the law firm of Foley, Hoag & Eliot; and a letter supporting preservation in general, from Nancy Glenn. Since publicizing the issue in the Minuteman, McKenna has received 10 or 15 inquiries from persons interested in moving the barn and thinks it likely that the structure could find a new home, if necessary. Architectural site report from Anne A. Grady indicates that the barn is a highly significant structure dating from the mid 19th century on the evidence of details of construction. Barn was not inventoried. Anne M. Mohn spoke to support preservation of this structure. She introduced Gus Schumacher, son of the former owner of the farm, and called our attention to the letters from Lyman and Smith. Ruveen Liebhaber on behalf of the 170 Wood St. Trust spoke to express hopes that the building can be preserved either in situ or elsewhere, and is 'open to suggestions. ' Carol Milne, resident at 148 Wood St. , spoke to express her interest in preserving Lexington's farm heritage. Liebhaber, in response to question from Gubisch, asked the commission to continue efforts to facilitate a disposition of the structure via transfer or at present site. Owners can "work with" the delays which finding proper disposition entails. S. N. Appleman family, residents of Wood St. , expressed support for preserving the barn and wished to know if there was a time schedule for developing the site. Liebhaber replied that there is no scheduled date for construction. Gus Schumacher, resident at 148 Wood St. , expressed his hope that the barn could remain in its present site. Clearing some brush and trees would make the structure more visible from the street. He said that recent building had created a situation where Wood St. was now "built out." It is a heavily used street. Schumacher expressed a willingness to spend money to repair sills (as detailed in letter from A. Mohn.) He envisages using the building for storage. He provided information about the history of the farm. The Schumacher family bought the farm in 1939 3 from the Ballard family, whose ancestor had built the barn. The farm, with more than 80 acres, had been engaged in intensive vegetable growing. The barn housed work horses and the cellar was used for storage of root vegetables.The house and outbuilding at 148 Wood St.provided living quarters for field hands. At times additional land was rented. There were seven farms on Wood St. at the end of World War II. Lincoln Labs stands on land taken by the Federal Govt. by eminent domain from Shumacher farms. The farm was active until the mid-1970's, using rented land since most of the land had by then been sold. C. Milne , Wood St. resident, testified to the beauty of the barn , which she has photographed. Mohn asked whether moving the barn would cause destruction of the landscape. Liebhaber replied that the barn would probably have to be dismantled, not moved whole. Charles Smith testified that he thinks the structure could be moved, but did not have any estimate of the cost. Would prefer to keep it where it is, for the integrity of the neighborhood & because of the importance of the foundation. He stated that the barn would be an asset to the development and does not restrict access to the land to be developed. No details of the costs involved in restoring/stabilizing the structure are available: his letter indicates that the barn is not in a hazardous state at present. Schumacher stated that he would prefer the barn to stay where it is, but is not unwilling to accept its being moved. He stated that the house at 148 Wood St. is owned by the estate of August Schumacher and will belong to four children of whom he is one. Chairman Gubisch outlined role of the LHC and its disinterested status. Liebhaber expressed concern for the future maintenance of the barn, if it remains where it is. He wondered whether the Planning Board would take into consideration the fact that the barn reduces available development space and approve closer spacing for the units to be built. McKenna informed Liebhaber that the LHC is empowered to accept ownership of the building in order to facilitate its eventual placement, and that such transfer of ownership might have advantages for the present owner. Various preservation fund monies which the commission is working on might be relevant to the concerns about the future of the building. P. Rasmussen, resident of 148 Wood St. , spoke to express his admiration of the barn and of the foundation. THE HEARING ENDED AT 8:35 P.M. 4 Lexington Historical Commission Lexington, Massachusetts 02173 HEARING MINUTES - MARCH 2 1988 HEARING in the matter of the house located at 29 Allen St. Hearing convened in Room G-15 of Town Office Building at 8:40 p.m. Present were Commission members Gilman, Gubisch, Hagelstein, McKenna, and Witthoft: members of the public: and Mr. and Mrs. John Carroll, the owners of the property which is the subject of the scheduled hearing. Chairman Gubisch opened the hearing by pointing out that the house at 29 Allen St. is an inventoried structure and as such automatically qualifies for possible preservation. John Carroll spoke to say that he had purchased the property with intent to demolish the existing structure and build a new house for his family on the site. He reported that the house was in very poor shape, was "unheatable," and attempts to repair it would be "throwing good money after bad." He doesn't believe the house could be moved. He estimated that repairing or moving and repairing the house would cost far more than new construction. The house is not on its original foundation, having been moved from a location across the street. The original foundation is now on conservation land. Gubisch asked if Carroll would be willing to have the house moved, if someone wished to take it. Carroll replied that he would. McKenna stated that after the publicity in the Minuteman she had received three calls from persons interested in taking and moving the house, plus several inquiries, and had received one 1-eer from a new abuttor who felt the old house was an asset to the neighborhood. McKenna also mentioned that the owner might receive some financial advantage from giving the house to the LHC for subsequent conveyance to a new owner, rather than transferring ownership directly. The possibility of placing the house on conservation land (in its original location) was raised and it was suggested that LHC might be in a better position to present the issue than the homeowner. Gilman asked the owner what his time frame for construction is. Carroll has no definite schedule but wishes to begin as soon as possible. LHC points out that even as salvage the house has considerable "parts" value. Richard Serrato, resident at 34 Allen St. , spoke to mention that the original location of the house was adjacent to his property. He felt that the style of the 29 Allen St. house was not in harmony with the style of his house, and pointed out that the neighborhood has changed in recent years. Witthoft asked which way the house had faced when on original foundation. Carroll replied that the side now turned away from the street had been the front. Gubisch informed the owner that the heat could be turned off, if the pipes were drained and all normal measures taken to keep the house in its present condition during the deliberations of the LHC. The owner has the responsibility to preserve the present condition of the structure during the proceedings. 5 The hearing ended at approximately 9:15. Respectfully submitted, Brucia Witthoft 6