Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-11-23 • HISTORIC DISTRICTS CONAICSSION The Historic Districts Commission held a meeting on Tuesday, November 23, 1971, at 7050 P.M. in Room G5, Town Office Building, Lexington. Present were Commissionera Wilbur M. Jaquith, Chairman= Philip B. Parsons, Secretary; George E. Graves= Georgia H. Williams; and Associate Commissioners George W. Emery, Albert T. Pitt, and S. Lawrence Whipple. Mr. Emery was appointed to serve for Donald J. Shaw who was unable to sit on this case. Because the room was cold, the meeting was adjqurned to Room G15. Discussion was held on the application of The Supreme Council of The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for a Permit for Demolition or Removal of the buildings on the premises at 1162 Massachusetts Avenue and fora Certificate of Appropriateness for the erection of the museum and li- brary buildings on said premises. Mr. Jaquith submitted new drawings for the south elevation which showed four bay windows of glass with gable roofs and copper siding and either glass or oopper below, It was stated that this building of the complex is the closest point to Massachusetts Avenue and that it is 140' back from the Avenue. The Chairman stated that Mr. Maxwell. had asked the Commission to grant the applicant permission to demolish the house, if the plans were not to be approved, and they would build entirely outside the District. Mr. Jaquith said that he feels the plateau area where laid out is the best location and he said that the architects do not want mmuntins on the bow windows. Mr. Jaquith said that the Gommissioners would have to look at this as an entire project and asked, "if this is turned down, will the Commission get anything better?" Mr. Parsons said that it could but that the architects will not do anything that is colonial. Mr. Jaquith said that they have given the Com- mission four alternatives to select from and that he does not want to disap- prove the application on the basis of not getting an acceptable 40' section. Mr. Parsons said that he does not know if he will vote for it as he does not like the designs submitted for the most predominant building. Mr. Jaquith said that, if denied, it is very probable that the entire complex will be pushed back to beyond the 200' limit and thus out of the Historic District. Mrs. Williams asked if the Commission could give permission to demolish the house with the condition that the frontage on Massachusetts Avenue be given to the Town and Mr. Jaquith said that this could not be done. Mr. Whipple asked what will happen. to the house if the Commission does not approve demo lition. Mr. Graves, Mr. Jaquith, and Mr. Emery all said that it might re- main until it burns down. f The Chairman then asked for a motion and Mr. Parsons waved that we dis- approve the plans for the Scottish Rite library and museum comprising the East elevation submitted on October 27, 1971= the South elevation (facing Massachusetts Avenue and Marrett Road intersection) submitted on October 27, 1971, as modified by the partial elevation drawing for the Southeast corner of the museum building submitted on November 23, 1971= and the West elevation submitted on November 23, 1971 for the reason that the combined drawings as HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMt~SSSON - Page 2 November 23, 191 submitted are inappropriate for that looation and inappropriate for the purer poses of the Historic Districts Act." The motion was seconded. by Mr. Graves. Mr. Emery asked, if it was advisable to vote this, without asking if they will move the project back 60' to be outside the District. Mr. Jaquith said that, if this is voted, the Commission can vote to demolish the house with the condition that the entire project be moved back 60' or can just vote dew molition of the house. Mr. Jaquith said that, if the Commissioners do not like the plans but do vote for demolition of the house, then the project will undoubtedly be moved back outside the Distriot. The Chairman called for a vote on the motion. Four voted yes (Messrs. Parsons, Graves, Emery, and Mrs. Williams) and one voted no (Mr. Jaquith). Following discussion, Mr. Emery moved recondsideration and Mr. Graves seoonded the motion. Four voted yes (Messrs. Jaquith, Graves, Emery, and Mrs. Williams) and one voted no (Mr. Parsons), Mr. Graves then moved that the application for a Certificate of Appro•- pria.teness for the ereotion of the library and museum buildings for The Supreme Council of The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry be disc approved for the reason that the exterior architectural features of the ele- nation facing the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Marrett Road at the Southeast corner of the museum building as shown on all drawings of that elevation submitted to the Commission are inappropriate for the purposes of the Historic Districts Act, Chapter 44q, Acts of 1956., as amended. Mr. Emery seconded the motion. Following discussion, in which Mr. Emery stated that he feels the motion is conditional and shows that the other three elevations are approved, Mr. Graves withdrew the motion and this was accepted by Mr. Emery who had seconded the motion. Mr. Graves moved that the application for a Certificate of Appropriate ness of The Supreme Council of The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Free masonry for the erection of the library and museum buildings be approved subject to the following condition and a Certificate be issued in accordance with this vote containing in addition thereto the conditions set forth in the memorandum presented to the meet3.ng and attached to the Minutes of this meeting That new drawings showing a design deemed to be appropriate by the Commission for the windaKS of the 40' part of the south elevation at the southeast corner of the museum build ing facing the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Marrett Road be submitted to and approved by the Commission prior to the filing of an applioat3.on for a building permit for the library and museum complex. The motion was seconded by Mr. Emery and four noted in favor (Messrs. Jaquith, Graves, Emery, and Mrs. Williams) and one voted against (Mr. Parsons). I I~STORIC DISTRZCT5 CO1~AtISSION - Page 3 November 23, 1971 Mr. Jaquith asked if anyone had any ob~eotion to permitting demolition of the barn at this time and said that he feels the barn serves no purpose and that, if the pro3ect is not developed, it is unlikely that anyone would use the. barn. He said that he is willing to let them demolish the barn now amt the house when the building permit is issued. Mr. Emery said that he does not want to see the house demolished until the contractor is ready to start work, Mrs. Williams then moved that the application of The Supreme Counoil of The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of P4~eemasonry for a Permit to Demolish or Remove the buildings at 1162 Massachusetts Avenue be approved subject to the oomlition that the buildings shall not be demolished or removed until a building permit or permits have been issued by the Building Inspector of the Town of Lexington for the erection of all the buildings aompriaing the lip brary and museum oomplex, approval for the erection of which is being granted by the Commission under Certificate of Appropriateness No. 71 C-44 being issued concurrently herewith, or as said Certificate shall be amended by a Certificate subsequently issued by the Commission, Mr. Graves seconded the motion, Three noted yes (Mr. Jaquith, Mr. Graves, and Mrs. Williams) and two voted no (Mr. Parsons and Mr. Emery). The Chairman then stated that he wanted to be able to give Mr. Maxwell an answer to his inquiry about demolition if the applicant decided to move the pro3eot beak 60', Mr. Jaquith asked the members of the Commission if they will approve demolition of the house under these circumstances. The answers were as follower Mr. Graves - Yes Mr. Emery - Yes Mrs. Williams - Yes Mr. Jaquith ~ Yes Mr. Parsons -Not voting. The Wresting was ad3ourned at i~~j~~i«s->+-.¦-i~ Philip B. Parsons Secretary HISTaRIC DISTRICTS COI~ff93I0N November 23, 1971 2~N~ORANDUM This Certificate is issued sub3ect to the following conditions which, if the Certificate is acted upon, "shall ba binding upon the applicant, the owner of the property and his successors in title" 9rl.thin the meaning of Section 9 of Chapter 447, Acts of 1956, as amendedt 1. Prior to issuance of any building permit for the erection of the buildings approved under this Certificate, there shall be submitted to the Commission copies of all drawings showing the exterior architectural features subject to view from a public street' way or place filed with the application for such building permit for a determination by the Commission whether the exterior architectural features shown on said drawings conform to the exterior architectural features of the drawings referred to in this Certificate, or as this Certificate shall be amended by a Certificate sub- sequently issued by the Commission, said determination to be made by the Commission within twenty (20~ days of receipt by the Commission of said copies of drawings! and the Commission shall notify the building inspector of said determination forthwith in writing. 2. The location and layout of the buildings comprising the musenm and library complex for xhich the application for the building permit re- (erred to in condition 1 above has been filed conform to the aforesaid Site Plan submitted to the Commission on September 9, 19'71, or as such Site Plan shall be modified by subsequent drawings .submitted to acid approved by the Commission, provided, however, that no mayor change in the location and lay- out of said buildings shall be approved by the Commission except upon the filing of an application for an Amendment of this Certificate with the Com- mission and action thereon by the Commission in accordance with the proviv sions of Chapter 447, Acts of 39,56, as amended. 3. No changes are made in the existing landscape features of the premises which substantially increase the exposure to view from a public street, way or place of the .buildings for which this Certificate is I~ issued, except after an application for an amendment of this Certificate has been filed with the Commission and acted upon by the Commission in ac- cordax~ce with the provisions of Chapter 447, Acts of 1966, as amended. 4. The Commission shall have the right to request the owner of the premises to install reasonable landscape screening for any unbroken brick wall areas more than ten feet in length exposed to view from a public street, way or place. This Certificate shall become null acid void if not acted upon by the applicant or its authorized successor in title by January 2, 1975•