HBInsights News From Historic Boston Incorporated • Winter 2005 Contents Reviving Two Greek Revival Houses Reviving Two Greek 1 HBI is in the process of performing engineering studies on two endangered Greek Revival Houses Revival houses in Roxbury’s Highland Park neighborhood with funding raised from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Boston Redevelopment Breaking News: 2 Authority (BRA). The Alvah Kittredge House and the Edward Everett Hale House Assessing Mattapan’s are significant not only as iconic examples of the Greek Revival Style, but also Fowler-Clark Farmhouse because of their association with important figures in Boston’s and America’s Letter from the Executive 3 history. Alvah Kittredge (1799–1876) was a prominent businessman and Roxbury Director alderman who helped found Forest Hills Cemetery. Edward Everett Hale (1822-1809), was a noted Unitarian minister who served as President of Harvard Supporting Churches 4 University, Governor of Massachusetts, United States Senator from Massachusetts, Through the Steeples Project and chaplain of the U. S. Senate; Hale also wrote A Man Without A Country and is Working to Preserve Boston’s 4 honored with a statue in the Boston Public Garden. Historic Roman Catholic Churches The most remarkable feature that the buildings have in common is their What's New at the Old Corner 5 monumental porticoes. Unfortunately, rotted wood column bases and an accident or two has resulted in the loss of two of the Kittredge House’s six ionic columns, HBI & Post-Katrina 7 and one of the Hale House’s four. Preservation Efforts HBI successfully lobbied to have the Kittredge House placed on PreservatiON About Historic Boston 8 Mass’s Ten Most Endangered Historic Resources list in 2004, and we have been working with the owner ever since to help develop a strategy to preserve this important neighborhood landmark. The recognition the listing brought to the endangered status of Roxbury’s Greek Revival buildings no doubt bolstered our fundraising efforts to help save them. So far, these efforts have yielded two grants from the National Trust Northeast Regional Office totaling $3,000 and one for just under $5,000 from the BRA to complete our studies. The 1836 Alvah Kittredge House and grounds as it The scope of the survey work includes assessing and preparing a written report on appeared in the 1880s. & ALVAH KITTREDGE HOUSE the condition of the entire building envelope (but focusing on the portico and CURRENT PHOTO - CAPTION: A current photo of the dilapidated Alvah Kittredge House showing the two roof) of each property, outlining the potential causes of any structural or other columns missing from its portico. deficiencies so that steps can be taken to help prevent future deficiencies, and preparing a scope of work and cost estimates for short-term emergency stabilization work as well as for long-term, permanent repairs. Armed with the facts that the engineering studies will uncover for both houses, we will continue to work with the owners to preserve these important buildings. U by Jeffrey Gonyeau 1 nineteenth century houses throughout Boston’s neighborhoods. Developers target these properties for redevelopment, because they are usually located on larger lots that can support higher density development if they take advantage of the minimum setback and maximum dwelling unit allowances available under zoning. This “tear-down epidemic” has plagued a number of the nation’s cities over the past decade and has made its presence felt in Boston in recent years. The new residences constructed in place of demolished historic structures are often unsympathetic to the rhythm, scale, siting, and materials of surrounding houses and thereby destroy the character and feel of their The front façade of the endangered Fowler-Clark Farmhouse. neighborhoods. Not only is there a danger of unsympathetic construction, Breaking News: Assessing Mattapan’s but Boston, and Massachusetts, would Fowler-Clark Farmhouse be losing an intact example of Boston’s early architecture and heritage. In a strong single-family housing market, In early November, HBI commissioned during the resulting demolition delay this building should not suffer tear- an emergency structural assessment of period, the BLC granted the property down in pursuit of maximizing profit Mattapan’s historic Fowler-Clark farm temporary landmark status. The with no acknowledgement of the house and barn to help the Boston Landmarks Commission then turned to greater loss. Landmarks Commission (BLC) settle a HBI to arrange for an independent dispute with the property owner assessment of the buildings’ structural HBI is proud of its partnership with concerning the structural integrity of status in response to the negative the BLC to help protect Boston’s both buildings. According to a BLC report of the home inspector hired by historic resources and is pleased to report on the property, the main house the owners and their representative. have volunteered its services in an on the Fowler-Clark farm was built as a Historic Boston’s executive committee effort to preserve the Fowler-Clark single family dwelling between 1786 responded by approving an emergency property as an important neighbor- and 1806, and the stable next to the expenditure for a structural assessment hood landmark in Mattapan. We will house dates to circa 1860. The report of the eighteenth century farmhouse continue to work with the Landmarks highlights the site’s significance by and nineteenth century barn/carriage Commission, the Boston Preservation indicating that “the house, stable, and house. HBI hired John Wathne, PE, Alliance, and other local organizations half acre of undeveloped land president of Structures North and individuals to do what we can to collectively known as the Fowler-Clark Consulting Engineers, Inc., to stem the tide of the tear-down farm remain among the earliest, intact, complete the assessment. The findings epidemic in Boston’s neighborhoods. vernacular examples of agricultural of his report and of the owners’ U by Eric Breitkreutz and Jillian Adams properties identified in Boston and in engineers’ report will be presented to urban centers across the the BLC staff on December 9th for Commonwealth.” review in preparation for the Commission’s January 10th hearing on The owner is seeking to sell the the fate of the historic structures. slightly more than half-acre property for multi-family development and has The Fowler-Clark farm house argued that the BLC should allow the demolition delay battle is the latest in a demolition of both structures given number of demolition attempts, both their alleged dilapidated state. successful and pending, that have As a result of the research completed plagued eighteenth and early 2 One improvement to our organizational experienced a major change in tenants at governance that has resulted from the the Old Corner Bookstore Buildings strategic plan is the creation of the (please see the article: What’s New at the Council of Advisors for HBI’s Board of Old Corner). Directors. Chaired by former board vice- Most exciting of all changes, however, is president Edward Lawrence, the Council the Preservation Priorities Plan for is composed of a combination of former Boston. In an effort to be more strategic board members, experienced in our approach to tackling the New Executive Director Eric Breitkreutz with Mayor Tom professionals, and community leaders Menino at the dedication of a plaque sponsored by The preservation and rehabilitation of Bostonian Society to commemorate the John Hurd that will offer guidance to the board and historic structures, the board and staff House and HBI's role in saving and rehabilitating the staff on key issues while helping HBI pivotal historic structure on Main Street in Charlestown. have embarked upon a year-and-a-half increase its influence and collaborative effort to study the state of historic opportunities throughout the city. As of preservation in the city and create a Letter from the this writing, former board members thoughtful, comprehensive William Osgood, Pauline Chase-Harrell, Executive Director programmatic approach (similar in Andrea Gilmore, and David Rockwell model to our successful Steeples Project) CHANGE. It’s such a small word, and have agreed to serve, joining architect to the most pressing of preservation does not seem dramatic enough to Lynne Spencer, non-profit director Emily needs in Boston. Through the use of four convey all the many different things that Axelrod, non-profit director and former workshops involving government have taken place with our organization city official Charles Grigsby, and Boston officials, non-profit organization leaders, since our last issue of HBInsights in the Parks Commissioner Antonia Pollack on private developers, and a wide range of winter of 2003. Yet, if allowed only one the Council. The Advisors held their professionals from Boston and the word to communicate to you the past two inaugural meeting in early November, eastern United States, our Projects years in the organizational life of Historic which was an extremely productive Committee and staff have narrowed our Boston Incorporated, I would have to review and advice session on HBI’s concentration to three critical areas of pick the word “change.” priorities for the next several years. need: historic neighborhood commercial We appreciate our new Advisors’ Our changes started with the retirement centers, historic residential resources, commitment to our mission and look of Stanley Smith