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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-12-29 Y ~ i HIS2~e nlsTRZCTS cOr~sslox The Historic Districts Commission held a meeting on Wednesday, 'Decenr- her 29, 1971, in 'the Selectmen''s Keating Room, Town Office Building, Coxing- ton. Present were Commissioners Wilbur M. Jaquith, Chairman; Philip B. Parsons. Secretary; George E. Graves; Donald J. Shaw; Georgia H. Williams; and Associate Commissioners George W. Emery, Albert T. Pitt; and. S. Lawrence Whipple. A photograph was taken to acoompany the article prepared by Mrs. Williams for Part I of the 1971 Lexington Town Report. A hearing was held at 7e 55 P.M. on the application of The Supreme County cil of The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and the Scottish Rita Masonic Library and Museum, Inc. for a Permit for Demolition or Removal of the dwelling at 1162 Massachusetts Avenue, which is within the Munroe Tavern District. Mr. Shaw asked that ha be excused from sitting on this hearing as he is a mbar of the Scottish Rite and Mr. Emery was appointed to serve for Mr. Shaw who then withdrew from the meeting. Mr. Jaquith read the legal notice, discussed briefly the background information on this proms feat including the Certificate of Appropriateness and Permit for Demoliti,an or Removal already issued, and than read the letter requesting the hearing. Present for the applicant were Stanley F. Maxwell, Executive Secretary of The Supreme Council; and William E. Hays and James Farr, Attorneys for the applicant. Also present were .Donald E. xickersan, Chairman of the Board of Appeals; John W. & Wilma E. Fray of 1133 Massachusetts Avenue, abuttors; Lawrence J. Sipe of 517 Massachusetts Avenue; Roland W. Gubisch of 627 Massa- chusetts Avenue; and Gordon C. Lawson of 362 Emerson Road. Mr. Maxwell said that they wish to sign a contract with the architects so can break ground in 1973 and dedioate the complex in 1975 and in order to prevent further delay they have decided to move the entire complex hack of the 200' boundary line thus removing it from the Historic Distriot. They do not plan to change the plans previously submitted in any great detail but will swing the complex slightly to remove from the District. In answer to Mr. Jaquith''s question as to whether they had gotten to the paint where they could swing the complex, Mr. Maxwell submitted a sketch showing the new proposed iocatian of the comma plox. The plan is substantially the same as what had been submitted earlier except that they have eliminated the angle, swung the complex slightly, and narrowed the courtyard somewhat in order to save the row of evergreens. Mr. Jaquith asked the members of the Commission if they had any guess bans and there ware none. Mr. Jaquith then opened the floor to questions. Mr. Gubisch asked what ob3ecti.on there was to removing the part of the house back of the 200' line and leaving the rest of the house and Mr. Maxwell said that it would leave a conglomerate of buildings. Mrs. Fray said that she would like to sea a conglomerate as she thinks it would add to the area and that, if the house is demolished or removed, it would be a loss to Lexington. Mr. I~xwell said that it is a].1 a matter of opinion and that the Masons feel they wilt build something that will be an addition to the Town. Mr. Jaquith stated that the Commission has from the beginning requested that the Masons make use of the house in their project and the Masons have consistently stated that it will not fit in with their projected complex and that they do not choose to do so. Ha added that what goes up will be there a long time and no one knows ,just exactly what it will look like. He said that perhaps you could leave the house and have it look all right but perhaps it would net fit in and would therefore not bok wall. Tha question the Commission has to de- is whether to permit demolition of the house or nat. r ~ • HISTORIC DISTRICTS CO1~II~SI3SION » Page 2 December 29, 1971 Mr. Frey asked, if the house has to be removed, would the owners be willing to sell the house. Mr. Maxwell said that they would be more than happy to sell the house for the nominal sum of $1.00 and he added that two persons have looked at it and apparently decid®d it was too expensive to move.. Mr. Whipple asked Mr. Jaquith if anyone had called him about this and Mr. Jaquith said no. Mr. Whipple then said that Mr. Lawson had called him about this and stated that he was interested but that there would be considerable cost because of wires, etc. Mr. Gubisch stated that tearing down this house to put up this type of museum which undoubtedly would be an attraction cannot be measured. He asked if the Scottish Rite would be will» ing to establish a fund to help restore other buildings and Mr. Jaquith said that this was not germane to this hearing and would not be a condition in any permit that might be issued. Mr. Jaquith said that the Scottish Rite has already stated that they plan to make space available to the Lexington Historical Society. Mr. Maxw®11 was asked to have Mx. Shepley run off three more plot plans with 200•' line drawn in. The hearing was closed at 8150 PM. Mr. Jaquith asked the clerk if she would submit her December bill to him by January 2nd and that he would then request the Commission approve this bill at its next meeting. He submitted two bills from Ingall's which xere approved for payment. It was stated that the photograph taken earlier this evening was to appear in Part I of the Torn Report along with an arti- cle and there xas some discussion as to whether the cost of the photograph would be paid by the Commission or by the Town Report Committee. Mr. Jaquith then read a letter regarding security of the Town Office Building which had been sent to every group using the Building. Mr. Jaquith read a letter from Robert Lyon of W. H. Lyon re extending the Historic Dis- i trios to include all of Massachusetts Avenue, Bedford Street, Waltham Street and Marrett Road from Massachusetts Avenue to Waltham Street. Mr. Jaquith stated that the Selectmen had referred the letter to the Commission for sug» gestions. Following considerable discussion, it was decided that Mr. Jaquith should advise the Selectmen that the Commission favored extension of Massa» ehusetts Avenue, Waltham Street, and Bedford Street and also the inclusion of individual historical parcels and buildings in the Town but that it would be extremely difficult .fora Commission of the present sire to handle the work whioh would be added if the Districts were enlarged. Mr. Jaquith stated that there would be a hearing in February on the ap- plication of the Lexington Maas Trust for a Certifioate of Appropriateness for the erection of a building and also for a Permit for Demolition or Re» maval of the buildings. at 10»12 Mu~zzey Street. Following a lengthy discussion on the application of The Supreme Coun- cil of The Ancient Accepted Soottish Rite of Freemasonry and the Scottish Rite Masonic Library and Museum, Inc. fora Permit for Demolition or Removal of the dwelling at 1162 Massachusetts Avenue, it was moved, seconded, and VOTED to issue a Permit for Demolition or Removal. Vo~i.ng in favor of the motion were Wilbur M. Jaquith, George E. Graves, and Geor is H. Williams; voting against the motion were Philip ~i/4 Philip B. Parsons, Secretary