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Present: Jack Alvarez, Neal Boornazian, Matthew Bronski, Taya Dixon, Lisa Howe, Jack Glassman, Lisa Howe, Ellen Lipsey, Doug Manley, Heli Meltsner, Henry Moss, Cynthia Robinson, Deborah Robinson, Brian Roche, Deane Rykerson, Susan Schur, Malcolm Smiley, Jonathan Smith, Erin Tobin 1.Re-Siding Hell: Heli Meltsner focused her presentation on the aggressive spread of vinyl siding through the residential neighborhoods of New England. She questioned whether the BSA could find a way to add its weight to the pressure that some communities have brought to bear on purveyors and purchasers of re-siding systems. The architects at the table were nonplussed as they are seldom in a position to influence the decisions of individual homeowners and landlords who seek long-term relief from the twin scourges of painting costs for wood siding and of lead paint abatement. Heli described the political leverage of lobbyists for vinyl siding manufacturers who pressed the National Park Service to remove negative references to vinyl siding from Preservation Brief #8. An informative brochure explaining the destructive aspects of vinyl siding was withdrawn from circulation at the Town Offices in New Bedford. On a more positive note, Preservation Worcester commissioned a persuasive and down-to-earth brochure that exposes the hidden costs of re-siding and illustrates the advantages of paint and millwork preservation. Heli produced it. Heli also described intelligent initiatives in Galveston, Texas; Rock Island, Illinois; and Providence, Rhode Island. In Galveston, the city government provides free preparation, paint, and painting for low-income people in single-story houses. Rock Island is home of the "Great Unveiling", an annual strip, paint, and publicity orgy organized around a single house. Providence runs education sessions for Real Estate agents. Amesbury's enlightened mayor produced an ordinance to stop re-siding with vinyl. Ellen Lipsey described the loss of detail with the covering of shingles and removal of timber dentils, window trim, stringcourses and cornices that often accompany vinyl re-siding. She pointed out that Community Development Block Grants allow vinyl siding because it is reversible, but that Boston's Historic Home Improvement grants prohibit its use. Deane Rykerson, implacable enemy of The Vinyl Institute, described some of the environmental problems associated with this miracle polymer's production and near infinite half-life. The lead paint issue combines with painting costs to push many owners of wooden houses to the vinyl solution. Some building inspectors will accept only re-siding as an effective and affordable abatement strategy. Several architects noted that the thicker edges of Hardiplank and similar cementitious clapboards make it visually distinguishable from traditional wood clapboard (it casts heavier shadow lines), but for new construction, some see it as a reasonable compromise between low maintenance costs and traditional appearance (these cementitious products offer true cut edges similar to wood, as opposed to the paper-thin edges and hollow sections of vinyl which are ineffectively covered with vinyl "J-beads" at their edges.) Some building inspectors are reluctant to accept this alternative. Contact Jonathan Smith for Permit Delay atrocity stories about Hardiplank in Boston's western suburbs. [In February, Erin Tobin will present examples of earlier re-siding systems that used asphalt and asbestos-reinforced cement elements.] 2. Bostonian Society: Cynthia Robinson described "Where in the World Do We Come From" an exhibition the Bostonian Society plans to build on the basis of their magnificent collection of historic photographs and the revelatory images of Peter Vanderwarker's work. Starting in April 2002 and running for a year, the exhibit will explore the sources of inspiration for Boston buildings. Cynthia asked us to consider possibilities for collaboration on public programs with the Bostonian Society as well as that we contact her with ideas about developing the script for the exhibition. 3. Twentieth Century Exterior Metals Preservation Conference/AIA National Historic Resources Committee Boston Meeting: Susan Schur urged the committee's members to start thinking about "posters" to display case studies of their work at the April 2003 conference on the conservation of 20th Century architectural metals. 4. Aberdeen Area of Brighton: Ellen Lipsey announced the new conservation district proposed along with the Aberdeen Architectural Commission. This vital and varied assemblage of Commonwealth Avenue apartment blocks, houses in Queen Anne, Arts & Crafts, and Colonial Revival styles has strong neighborhood support as a local historic district and should be approved by the Boston Landmarks Commission at a public hearing in mid-November.
8: 00 a.m., Thursday, December 13, 2001 Focus Topic: "The Early Guys: 19th Century American Architect/Engineer/Builder Heroes" Talk by Sara Wermiel The Architects' Building 52 Broad Street, Fifth Floor, Boston |