Present: Matthew Bronski, Susan Close, Michael DeLacey, Rick Detwiller, Taya Dixon, Leslie Donovan, Donna Harris, David M. Hart, John Hecker, Wendall Kalsow, David Kelman, Peggy Kutcher, Michael Lynch, Doug Manley, Henry Moss, Susan Schur, Caroline Schwirian, Jan Turnquist, Eric Ward, John Wathne, and Sara Wermiel 1. Potential Building Code Changes: Matthew Bronski mentioned a contemplated change to the Mass. state building code concerning wind loads on partially-preserved buildings. Chapter 34 currently gives an automatic waiver on both wind load and seismic load to both fully-preserved and partially-preserved buildings. The contemplated change may eliminate the automatic waiver of wind load requirements on partially-preserved buildings, and may require partially-preserved buildings to meet a modest Exposure A wind load (least severe), while exempting one and two family dwellings. Impetus for the contemplated change appear to be some large 20th century high-rise buildings that are partially-preserved buildings where gut-rehabs occurred, and the buildings could have easily been made more safe (stiffening floors to serve as diaphragms and increase lateral load capacity) without any additional loss of historic fabric. Eventual adoption of International Building Code (IBC) in Mass appears inevitable. The Mass. Code is BOCA-based, and the new IBC follows the current BOCA format (e.g., IBC Ch. 34 is "Existing Structures"). States can write their own amendments to IBC, just as they do with BOCA. In preparation for a discussion at a future meeting, Matthew Bronski asked us to think about these two possible code changes, and what they might mean to historic resources in Massachusetts. 2. Orchard House, Concord - The Movie: David Hart presented "The Restoration of Orchard House, 1999-2003," a video he wrote and directed that documents the renovations to Orchard House in Concord. The project team included McGinley-Hart - Rick Detwiller, project architect; John Wathne, Structures North, structural engineer; Ernie Conrad, Landmark Facilities, mechanical engineer; Yankee Steeplejacks, general contractor; Steve Carlson, Carlson Mechanical, HVAC contractor; and a great client, Jan Turnquist, Executive Director of Orchard House. Director Hart's cinematic reputation was established by this informative and interesting video. Former home of the Alcott family, and the setting of Louisa May's enduringly popular book Little Women, the house is a house museum and has been restored to the 1870s. It attracts many visitors - who add greatly to the loads on the building. The house has been altered many times over the years. The main house dates from the 18th century. After Bronson Alcott purchased it around 1858, he built an addition that joined a separate tenant house to the main house. He continued to tinker with the house, modifying the interior, until about 1880. These changes can be traced through Alcott's journal, in which he wrote down everything he did to the house. This house was a realization of Bronson Alcott's architectural and domestic vision. He refashioned it into his ideal house. The interior is a valuable historical artifact, full of nooks and crannies and decorations by Alcott's daughters. But since he had no architectural training, much less any engineering background, some of his remodeling decisions were unsound, such as removing bearing walls without replacing the supports, and deciding to raise the ceiling heights by lowering the house six inches, placing the sill below grade, and promoting rot of the sill. Moreover, much work was incompetently done. A Historic Structures Report in 1980 recommended HVAC updates in order to preserve the interior. But the house had no space for modern HVAC systems; it had no cellar, just a crawl space. Thus, a cellar had to be excavated in order to make room. Through Save America's Treasures, Orchard House received a $400,000 grant, which it used to plan for renovations. The project called for a new basement and foundation, new HVAC, and stabilization of the structure. Given the significance of the interior finishes, all structural work was to occur from the outside. Further, the inside was to remain open to the public while a full basement and new foundation were dug under the house (no small feat!) Total cost for this work was estimated to be $1.2 million. Construction began in 2001. Discovery of incompetently done work in the old structure convinced the team to remove all the clapboard to check all the walls for problems. They many problems, including small timber studs had been "scabbed" onto the original full height vertical supports within the wall to increase ground floor room heights. The exterior was shored to preserve the interior while the work was underway. Beams were threaded under the house and supported by cribbing. Then the basement was excavated under the entire house, largely by hand. Concrete foundation walls were poured in place to near grade and topped with (exposed) stone walls, above grade. After the walls were done, the cribs were removed. New foundations were built for the chimneys. The site was graded away from the foundation and new drains installed. Except for replacing the rotted floors of the north section, nothing structural was done above ground, although space had to be taken to install ductwork and the old heating registers were replaced. The project also included a new electrical system. The team did not insulate the walls and in fact removed existing insulation. The idea is that the house should breathe; rot from condensation in the walls was seen as a bigger danger than heat loss. While humidity was identified as a particular problem for preserving the structure, too low levels of humidity can be harmful for furnishings. There is a conflict between what's best for the structure and what's best for the furniture, but for now the HVAC arrangement gives the structure priority. The contrast between the rickety upstairs and the high-tech downstairs of the house is striking. Unbeknownst to the public, computers out of sight in the basement are constantly calibrating and adjusting the climate control for the upstairs. The theory behind the HVAC system is that high levels of humidity and great swings in humidity damage the fabric of the house, so the system is programmed to even out the fluctuations. The house is divided into 11 zones; in unoccupied rooms, the temperature can rise or fall to what would be uncomfortable levels, while the occupied rooms are kept comfortable. That's the theory, but the bugs in the HVAC controls have not been completely worked out as yet. Michael Lynch cautioned that the software for the HVAC system will have to be maintained and upgraded - another cost. He also noted SPNEA's practice of purchasing controls maintenance contracts to cover the first three years after installation. The project was completed in September 2003. The final cost was $1.5 million, reflecting the greater extent of deterioration discovered after work began. 3. Sprague Street Bridge: Henry Moss asked if anyone knew anything about this historic West Roxbury bridge across the Penn Central rail lines, for which a replacement has been proposed. David Kelman had heard of public meetings to discuss its demolition or alteration.
Historic Landscape Preservation Initiatives of the Mass. Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Jessica Rowcroft and Joanna Doherty 8: 00 a.m., Thursday, July 8, 2004 The Architects’ Building, 52 Broad Street, Boston – Fifth Floor
Henry Moss, Matthew Bronski, and Sara Wermiel co-leaders and scribes
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