Historical Commission OKs Work On North Amherst Library And 37/41 North Pleasant Street, Discusses Civil War Tablets

Report On The Meeting Of The Amherst Historical Commission, March 25,2021

The meeting was held on Zoom and was recorded.

Participating :Jane Wald (Chair), Robin Fordham, Hettie Startup, Jan Marquardt, Patricia Auth Absent: Jane Sheffler Staff: Ben Breger (Planner)

The Commission considered the issuance of demolition delays on a portion of the north wall of the North Amherst Library and the total demolition of 37 North Pleasant Street. These hearings were only to determine the historical and architectural significance of the properties and not to consider the prospective development proposed for the sites.

North Amherst Library
Chris Farley of Kuhn Riddle Architects presented the plan to demolish a 15 x 15 foot area of the north wall of the library to permit an addition to the1893 building, which was designed by Roswell Field Putnam. The new addition will include restrooms, a meeting room, and a new entrance, and will make the building fully accessible. The utilities will also be upgraded during the renovation.

In addition to removing part of the north wall, the chimney and interior fireplace have to be removed to allow for the addition. The plans are to patch the roof with replacement slate and to retain to the greatest extent possible the woodwork around the fireplace. The full project has already been reviewed by the Design Review Board. The Planning Board will continue its evaluation on April 7.

Breger noted that the building is listed on the State Registry as the first free library in Amherst and is a contributing structure to the North Amherst Historical District. An application for the project is being submitted to the Massachusetts Historical Commission and may require a review of the entire project by the Amherst Historical Commission.

North Amherst resident Meg Gage said she is thrilled by the plan. The District One Neighborhood Association (DONA) had received a presentation on the project, and there had not been any objections.

The Commission evaluated the library according to the ten criteria of historical, architectural, and geographic significance spelled out in Article 13.4 of the Zoning Bylaw. It was deemed to meet seven of the criteria and was thus found to be of historical significance. It was only required to meet one of the criteria to be considered for demolition delay.

However, the Commission was unanimous that this partial demolition would not be detrimental to the historical or architectural heritage of the Town. In fact, Auth pointed out that it would be an enhancement. Breger will transmit this decision to the Building Commissioner and the Planning Department, so the project can proceed.

Demolition Approved for 37/41 North Pleasant Street
Owner Barry Roberts requested permission for the demolition of the two-story frame building currently housing McMurphy’s Uptown Tavern at 37 North Pleasant Street and the Amherst Typewriter Shop at 41 North Pleasant. The former also previously housed the Boys’ and Girls’ Club and, before that, the Knights of Columbus.

Attorney Tom Reidy of Bacon, Wilson and Roberts presented the proposal. Roberts said the building is not in good shape. The south wall is bowed out, causing the roof to sag, he said, and the foundation is a “hodgepodge” of different materials. The current structure has undergone numerous modifications including vinyl siding and modern style windows.

Former Planning Director Jonathan Tucker and Breger researched the history of the building. It first appears on maps in 1888 and was home to numerous small businesses, such as a bakery, a drapery shop, and a restaurant, none of historical significance. Breger pointed out that the structure is not in the Central Historic District, which ends at the building housing Antonio’s Pizzeria next door.

In public comment, Gage said she had confidence in Roberts and has no opposition to the demolition because the building is run down. Her only reservation is that the Amherst Typewriter Shop is one of the Town’s only Black-owned businesses. She hopes there is a way to support it with this plan.

In reviewing the significance of the structure, the Commission found only one criterion of the zoning law which might apply — that it “represents an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, village center, or the community as a whole.“ Only Startup considered this to be significant, so the Commission voted not to delay the demolition. 

Mill River History Trail Project
The idea of a trail tracing the sites of historic mills in the Mill River area was rejected for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 22. It was deemed that the Department of Revenue did not allow CPA funds to be used for archaeology. Gage, representing the District One Neighborhood Association, was eager to resubmit the project. In order to comply with the CPA guidelines, she has reduced the proposal to hiring a consultant to conduct archival research on the dozens of mills and factories that once existed along the river, provide field documentation of the remaining structures and ruins, and report findings and recommendations for effective management and stewardship of the sites. She noted that, as early as 1775, there were already six mills along the Mill River. Many of these ruins are being destroyed by the flow of the river and treasure seekers who disturb the remaining rocks.

Robin Fordham, the representative from the Historical Commission on the CPA Committee, has worked with Gage to make the proposal compliant with CPA regulations. The proposal will be resubmitted when the CPA Committee again calls for proposals, but probably will not be funded until FY 23. The amount requested is $16,500.

Civil War Tablets Displayed at the Bangs Center
The six 1883 Civil War tablets were moved from their storage space in North Amherst, where they have been for the past 25 years, to the Pole Room at the Bangs Center. These tablets were commissioned by the local Grand Army of the Republic post in 1893 to commemorate the 300 Amherst residents who fought in the Civil War. Each marble tablet weighs between 600 and 800 pounds and is roughly 7 feet by 5 feet in size. After the move, they were examined by Erving Slavid, who had restored them in 2011, and found to be in good condition, requiring only minor repairs. The tablets contain the names of the seven Black residents of Amherst who fought in the war.

Viewing of the tablets is currently limited due to COVID precautions and the fact that vaccines are now being administered in the Bangs Center. There will be a public display for the celebration of Juneteenth. 

The long-term goal is to find a way to permanently display the tablets. The walls of Town Hall have been deemed incapable of supporting them. In addition, they need to be protected from the elements and possible vandalism. Breger said the Town will seek advice from experts, probably a preservation architect and an engineer. For now, the tablets are safe in the Pole Room, which is locked when no one is there. There will be room for small gatherings to take place in the Pole Room when the Bangs Center reopens to the public.

The History of the Town of Amherst, Massachusetts by Edwin Wilton Carpenter and Charles Frederick Morehouse, first published in 1896, contains brief bios of many of the people named on the tablets. Startup suggested making a legend of the names on each tablet, including the bios, which could accompany the display. The Commission will discuss how it can be involved with the project at subsequent meetings.

Demolition Delay Bylaw
Breger said he has not had enough time to revise the Demolition Delay Bylaw, but  has submitted preliminary ideas to the Planning Department for feedback.

Writers’ Walk
Signs for the long-planned Writers’ Walk have been fabricated and will be installed soon. The idea for the Walk grew out of a class at UMass about ten years ago. Jan Marquardt has been working on a legend , including brief biographies, photographs, and maps, to accompany the signs. She is waiting for a few more pictures to include.

The next meeting of the Historical Commission is scheduled for April 21.