Historic Holyoke homes look for official oversight

from The Republican
Wednesday, September 09, 2009

By MIKE PLAISANCE

mplaisance@repub.com

HOLYOKE - Stone walls frame the intersection. The road itself presents a median of trees and green grass bisecting a street lined with hulking Victorians, the old mansions standing on both sides of Fairfield Avenue like some heroic, hoary regiment.

Its median and houses of dusty elegance immediately show Fairfield Avenue to be different from most streets in the city.

Records from the Board of Assessors show at least two of the homes were built when the assassination of Abraham Lincoln was still a very recent memory.

Keeping Fairfield Avenue unique is presenting a challenge.

The City Council voted in December 2007 to designate Fairfield Avenue a historic district, which means exterior alterations must maintain the lane's historic integrity.

That means residents still can paint their homes any color they want. But permanent awnings are prohibited and utilities must remain in the back of homes.

Changes to siding must be approved, and residents are

urged to keep the shape of roofs, railings, porches and exterior door locations.

The issue is that the seven-member commission authorized to approve or reject proposed alterations of property on Fairfield Avenue has yet to be appointed.

The council on Aug. 4 referred to Mayor Michael J. Sullivan an order from Councilor Rebecca Lisi urging that he appoint the Fairfield Avenue Historic District.

"In the simplest terms, it's important because the city needs to do a better job with accountability and follow-through," Lisi said later.

Sullivan said the issue isn't simple. The ordinance establishing the Fairfield Avenue Historic District says that in addition to residents, the commission must include one member from two nominees submitted by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and one member from two nominees submitted by the local Board of Realtors.

City letters to both organizations seeking nominees have gone unanswered, and he is unlikely to appoint the panel until the organizations respond, Sullivan said.

Also, he said, while there was support from residents of Fairfield Avenue to make their street a historic district, there also was opposition.

"I was marginally supportive of it," Sullivan said.

A Republican story in February 2008 showed some residents embraced the historic designation but others weren't completely receptive.

In the meantime, Historian Kate N. Thibodeau said the city Historical Commission - which with the establishment of the Fairfield Avenue Historic Commission no longer has jurisdiction over Fairfield Avenue - nonetheless has been fielding questions as they arise about proposed alterations.

It is a myth, for example, that a homeowner cannot paint a house the color of his or her choice, she said.

Getting Fairfield Avenue declared a historic place was a yearslong and worthy effort, she said, hopeful that qualified commission members can be found.

The goal of preserving a community's historic nature is that such detail distinguishes the community, she said.

Some of the frames of Fairfield Avenue's homes are sagging and the siding on some is more chipped than whole. But most have a "look at that" quality, some with colors that pop like blue, yellow or aqua, others with two-toned detailing around windows.

Some have wrap-around porches and even a few turrets. Some were built as far back as 1870, 1880 and 1891.

"They're gorgeous houses," Thibodeau said. "They're close to what they looked like 100 years ago."

Council urges mayor to appoint historical review commission

from The Sun, August 7-13, 2009
by Amiee Henderson, Staff Writer, ahenderson@turley.com

HOLYOKE – The City Council voted at Tuesday’s meeting to urge Mayor Michael J. Sullivan to appoint at least five people to serve on a review commission for the recently established historical district on Fairfield Avenue.

City Councilor At-Large Rebecca Lisi said she filed the order after residents on the street expressed concern over the issue.

“They were getting no response from the mayor’s office,” said Lisi. “And, they were very concerned that building permits were being issued for that block with no historic review commission to look at them.”

Lisi said the residents spent a lot of time to see that the neighborhood became a historical district, and they don’t want to see that go to waste.

“There was a lot of work done to establish what the area would look like and what the flavor of the neighborhood would be historically speaking, and without a commission those are not being recognized,” said Lisi.

At Tuesday’s meeting Lisi explained to fellow councilors that after the establishment of the historical section on Fairfield Avenue a review commission should have been appointed according to Massachusetts General Laws (MGL).

“On December 18, 2007 we as a council unanimously voted to create a historical district, and under Massachusetts General Laws the mayor has to appoint at least five, but up to seven, to a serve on a review commission,” said Lisi. “I want to make sure the historical codes are being met because any permit that the building commissioner issues may be putting the city at risk of violation.”

Lisi cited multiple MGS chapters and sections which layout rules for historical districts, but MGL Chapter 40C: Section 4, “Study committees; commissions; establishment; membership; terms; vacancies; compensation; officers” discusses the appointment of said commission.

“Whenever an historic district is established as provided in section three an historic district commission shall be established,” reads the MGL. “An historic district commission shall be appointed in a city by the mayor…the members of the historic district commission shall include one or more residents of or owners of property in an historic district to be administered by the commission.”

At the council’s Dec. 18, 2007 meeting it voted unanimously on an ordinance granting the historical section on Fairfield Avenue. The ordinance states that the commission board would be composed of seven members, allowing two seats for outside professionals (an architect and a realtor). The remaining seats would be filled by residents. Councilor John J. O’Neill also made an amendment to the ordinance that night to include a clause under the “commission” section that read, “at all times no less than five members of the board be residents of Holyoke.”

Lisi said residents “feel slighted” for the lack of response from the mayor to appoint a board seeing historic preservation is something the community and residents are interested in.

“After receiving a blessing from the mayor and city council to go forward with the program, residents feel slighted that it hasn’t gone anywhere,” said Lisi.

As of press time, Mayor Sullivan was unavailable for comment.

Holyoke to demolish 'hazardous' building at 506 Maple St.

by The Republican Newsroom

Friday January 23, 2009, 4:30 PM

By KEN ROSS
kross@repub.com

HOLYOKE - A building deemed hazardous by city officials will be torn down as early as June using $400,000 of city funds.

"We have this (project) on a fast track," David A. Martins, chief procurement officer for the city, said Wednesday.

City officials wish they did not have to use city funds to tear down a privately owned, Maple Street building, but they insist the city needs to do something soon for public safety reasons.

"I'd love to let it sit there and rot," City Councilor Todd A. McGee said Tuesday, adding, "This building is a hazard and the potential for harm is high."

On Tuesday, the council voted 11-3 to appropriate $400,000 in free cash to demolish the building at 506 Maple St. Councilors John B. Brunelle, Rebecca Lisi and Donald R. Welch cast the three dissenting votes.

Free cash is a term used by the state for unused appropriations from a previous fiscal year. The previous fiscal year ended on June 30.

Councilors were advised by the city's building inspector and Fire Department that the Maple Street building should be torn down. They were warned the building was in danger of collapse.

"You have a building held up by straps," McGee said. And in one corner, the building is "actually pitching out" and on the verge of falling over, according to Councilor John J. O'Neill.

Upon hearing about Tuesday's vote, Martins contacted Forbes & Wheeler of Holyoke that same night to discuss doing an asbestos survey of the building. A contract with the company has not been finalized, Martins said.

The asbestos survey will likely take two to four weeks. Bids will then be solicited to remove asbestos. The actual asbestos removal will then take three to six months. During that time, demolition bids will solicited. Based on this timeline, Martins said he hopes demolition work will begin in June and take 90 to 120 days to complete.

Some city officials strongly object to using city funds to demolish a privately owned building. "There's no way I'm going to invest $400,000 to tear down a private building," Lisi said. "We need to reclaim the land for the city and get it back on the tax rolls."

The city has been trying to do just that, McGee said. But McGee and other councilors noted that the city's attempts have been thwarted by the property owner, a New York-based company listed as S3W Realty, LLP, according to city records. State records list the business as having a Springfield address but no phone number or person associated with the business.

The city took the company to Housing Court in Springfield, which Mayor Michael J. Sullivan said ruled that property owner was responsible for making repairs to the building. But officials have been unable to reach the property owner, Sullivan said.

Some city councilors Tuesday questioned why police don't arrest the building's owner. But since the company's owner has not committed a criminal offense, that person can only be arrested in this state, Sullivan said. Finding the owners of such vacant buildings is also extremely difficult, Sullivan added.

And because the building is privately owned, the city cannot use federal Community Development Block Grant money to tear it down as suggested by some councilors, Councilor John P. Brunelle said.

Either way, many councilors agreed the city needs to develop a city-wide plan for dealing with vacant and decrepit buildings on the verge of collapsing. "We have to try and find a way to keep landlords responsible," City Councilor Anthony M. Keane said.

More than 200 vacant and decrepit buildings in the city need to be demolished for safety and economic reasons, Sullivan said.