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2002-12-18Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2002 Page 1 City of Beverly Public Meeting Minutes BOARD: Historic District Commission SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: William Finch, Matt Lewis, James Younger, John Condon, John Frates BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Leah Zambernardi RECORDER: Cheryl Lamont Mr. Finch, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:10 P.M. Public Hearing: Demolition of Buildings and Structures at 2 Boyles Street, 28 Boyles Street, 30 Boyles Street and 252 Hale Street. Younger makes a motion to recesses for the scheduled public hearing, seconded by Condon. Motion carries 5-0. Chairman Finch explains that this meeting for an application to demolish certain buildings off Hale Street and Boyles Street by Henry Bertolon, owner, is a continuation of the last meeting. This matter was continued due to the Commission’s request for clarification relative to the specific buildings that were proposed for demolition. Chairman Finch states they have received additional information on buildings and this information has been on file in the Planning Office for the past five days and suggests that anyone interested in looking at this material take the opportunity to do so. Chairman Finch explains the purpose of the Demolition Delay Ordinance, which gives authority to the Historic District Commission to review the demolition of property that is fifty years old and older to determine: 1. if the property is historically significant; and 2. if the Historic District Commission determines the building to be historically significant then they will proceed to consider if the preservation of the buildings would be a public benefit and will make a ruling whether the buildings are preferably preserved. If the Historic District Commission votes that the buildings are preferably preserved then Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2002 Page 2 the Historic District Commission will instruct the Building Commissioner not to issue the applicant’s permit to demolish the subject structures for 6 months. Chairman Finch asks owner, Henry Bertolon, if he wishes to provide any additional information at this time. Mr. Bertelon has no additional information to present at this time. Chairman Finch clarifies, for the record, that it is the owner’s intention to demolish all the structures on the former Bartlett property and all the structures on the adjoining property including: at 2 Boyles Street, a mansion, stable, stone building, wooden building, gazebo and a stone arch; and also at 2 Boyles Street, the former caretaker’s house and garage; and, at 252 Hale Street, the art studio building. The property at 28 Boyles Street includes a mansion and 30 Boyles Street includes a two-story home and garden shack. Chairman Finch asks the public for their comments. Harold Pinkham, 35 Thorndike Street, states he has been a Beverly resident for the past thirty-five years and was a professor at Salem State College. He has written a book and has recorded the residential development in parts of Beverly by cataloging various mansions located on the eastern shore. He spoke about the history and development of those properties. He spoke of how the Bartlett property is equal to any other property of this type along the eastern shore. He feels that demolition would be a very serious mistake on the owner’s part. George Alsberg, 4 Boyles Street, states he moved to Beverly from Marblehead and purchased his home thinking it would be a great place to live and he is at a loss as to why anyone would want to demolish such structures, which have been useful in the past. Mr. Alsberg reads into record a letter to the Board from James W. Igoe, Executive Director of PRESERVATION Mass (formerly known as Historic Massachusetts) who supports a demolition delay. Susan Oleksiw, 122 Hale Street, states that she was able to tour the buildings and is familiar with the property since she grew up in this area. She was able to do some research on the artwork of Mr. Bartlett who was a very gifted artist and found that at this property in Beverly was where he made his great art contribution. She found this property to be very unusual and unique. She suggests that things old should not be wiped out but should fit into the landscape somehow. She would not like to see the demolition of this property since the buildings seem to contribute so much to the City of Beverly and she would like to see them protected. John Bowden, Vice President of the Beverly Historical Society (BHS), speaks about the success of the Cummings Center where the original building was incorporated into a new design and that it worked well. He encouraged the new owner’s to look into that option. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2002 Page 3 He states there is a public interest factor to this project. He also states that the BHS previously owned the art studio building. The BHS sold the building with a preservation restriction on it so that the buildings appearance on the streetscape would not be altered. Joanne Avallon, 17 Boyles Street, states that there are certain structures in Beverly that speak to the heart of the City and represent what the City is. She is a life-long resident of the City of Beverly and feels that the art studio “is” Chapman’s Corner and feels that it should be preserved. She encourages a 6-month delay so that there can be discussions for future plans. Mike Oleksiw, 122 Hale Street, asks if the Commission could provide a waiver if there were certain restrictions on tearing down the Studio for a certain number of years. Chairman Finch responds that this public hearing was about the demolition permit and that the deed restriction and the demolition permit are independent of each other. If, for instance, this building was not found to be preferably preserved by Board Members tonight, the owner still has to address the restriction held by the BHS. Mr. Bowden asks if the proposal is still on the table to demolish the studio building. Mr. Bertolon states that the property is for sale and could be moved. He also asks the BHS why they did not restore it themselves when they owned it. Ms. Oleksiw states that she is aware of someone who might be interested in purchasing this piece of property. Chairman Finch interjects that when institutions are given properties without endowments to maintain them, it is common practice to sell the property with a preservation restriction in perpetuity in hopes that future owners will preserve them. He also states that the issue before them tonight is to make rulings on whether the buildings are historically significant or preferably preserved. Chairman Finch asks if there are any additional comments/questions. Renee Mary, 274 Hale Street, states that Mrs. Bartlett was the heiress to the Eli Lilly fortune. She had the opportunity to walk around the property and she states that Mrs. Bartlett would not have lived in a shack. The house is historically significant. Jarl Salmela, 233 Hale Street directs his comment to the continuity of the neighborhood in that there are a number of houses on either side of this property that are as old or older than this property that are lived in to this day and are probably in worse condition. Chairman Finch asks for more comments. There are none. Younger makes a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Lewis. Motion carries 5-0. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2002 Page 4 The Board Members discuss whether to consider all buildings collectively or individually. They conclude that each structure would be voted on individually. 2 Boyles Street, Former Bartlett Mansion – ( Building 1) Younger makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street, Stable – ( Building 2) Lewis makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Younger seconds. Motion passes 4-1 (Frates opposed). 2 Boyles Street – Stone Building – (Building 3) Younger makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Lewis seconds. Motion passes 4-1 (Frates opposed). 2 Boyles Street – Wooden Outbuilding - (Building 4) Younger makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Condon seconds. Motion passes 4-1 (Frates opposed). 2 Boyles Street – Gazebo – (Structure 5) Younger makes a motion that this structure is historically significant. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street – Stone Arch – (Structure 6) Younger makes a motion that this structure is historically significant. Lewis seconds. Motion passes 4-1 (Frates opposed). 2 Boyles Street, 2-family residence – (Building 7) Younger makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street – Garage associated with 2-family residence – (Building 8) Younger makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 252 Hale Street, Art Studio – (Building 9) Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2002 Page 5 Younger makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 28 Boyles Street – (Building 10) Younger makes a motion that this building is historically significant. Condon seconds. Motion carries 3-2 (Frates and Lewis opposed). 30 Boyles Street – (Building 11) Younger makes a motion that this building is NOT historically significant. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 30 Boyles Street, Garden Shack – (Building 12) Younger makes a motion that this building is NOT historically significant. Lewis second. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. Chairman Finch asks the Board Members to consider if each property is preferably preserved. 2 Boyles Street, Former Bartlett Mansion – (Building 1) Younger makes a motion that this building is preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street, Stables – (Building 2) Condon makes a motion that this building is preferable preserved. Lewis second. Motion passes 4-1 (Frates opposed). 2 Boyles Street, Stone Building – (Building 3) Younger makes a motion that this building is preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street, Wooden Outbuilding – (Building 4) Younger makes a motion that this building is NOT preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street, Gazebo – (Structure 5) Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2002 Page 6 Younger makes a motion that this building is preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street Stone Arch – (Structure 6) Younger makes a motion that this structure is NOT preferably preserved. Condon seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street, 2-family residence – (Building 7) Younger makes a motion that this building is preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 2 Boyles Street, Garage associated with 2-family residence – (Building 8) Younger makes a motion that this building is preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 252 Hale Street, art studio – (Building 9) Younger makes a motion that this building is preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 28 Boyles Street – (Building 10) Younger makes a motion that this building is preferably preserved. Condon seconds. Motion passes 3-2 (Frates and Lewis opposed). 30 Boyles Street – (Building 11) Younger makes a motion that this building is NOT preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. 30 Boyles Street, Garden Shack – (Building 12) Younger makes that this building is NOT preferably preserved. Lewis seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 5-0. Younger leaves at 9:10 p.m. Approval of Minutes Frates makes a motion to accept the minutes of the November 26, 2002 meeting as amended. Condon seconds. All in favor. Motion passes 4-0. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2002 Page 7 Other Business Leah Zambernardi updates Board Members on the status of the recently installed vinyl windows at 61-63 Front Street. She states that she has sent a certified letter advising the owners that they are in violation and they need to apply for a certificate of appropriateness. Lewis makes a motion to authorize a follow up letter if no there is no response from the certified letter. If there is no response to the second letter, this matter may be forwarded to the Solicitor’s Office. Condon seconds. Motion passes 4-0. Condon makes a motion to adjourn the meeting. Lewis seconds. Meeting adjourned at 9:20 P.M.