HISTORIC VERMONT
An on-line news journal about the
Preservation of Vermont’s Historic Architecture and Landscape
Number 3, April 2001
Published by the Preservation Trust of Vermont, 104 Church Street,
Burlington, VT 05401(802) 658-6647
http:www.ptvermont.org
For more information, to subscribe or to unsubscribe to the email
version, or to submit something for publication please contact Meg
Campbell, Editor. meg@ptvermont.org
HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE
HISTORIC PRESERVATION TOOLS:
Vermont's 7th Annual Historic Preservation Conference
May 11, 2001
Brattleboro, Vermont
The Latchis Memorial Building
Visit historic downtown Brattleboro for a full day of
workshops and tours focusing on the latest tools and resources
available for preservation. From old barns to organ factory
tours, to virtual preservation and urban open space design,
workshops will offer something for everyone. Richard Moe,
President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation,
will start off the day with a keynote address in Brattleboro’s
Art Deco Latchis Theatre, bringing a national perspective to
preservation in Vermont.
ABBREVIATED AGENDA: FOR COMPLETE AGENDA GO TO: http://www.ptvermont.org/confagend.htm
8:15 to 9:15 Registration and Coffee: Latchis Theatre,
Main Street
9:30 Keynote Address: Richard Moe, President, National
Trust for Historic Preservation
As president of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation, Richard Moe is responsible for directing the
organization in its mission to provide leadership, education
and advocacy to save the nation’s diverse historic places
and create more livable communities for all Americans.
Chartered by Congress in 1949, the National Trust is the
largest nonprofit preservation organization in the United
States. Under his leadership, the National Trust has become an
outspoken and effective advocate for controlling sprawl, has
launched efforts to demonstrate and document the effectiveness
of preservation as a tool for community revitalization, and
has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the organized
preservation movement. His remarks will focus on preservation
- past, present and future.
10:45 to 12:00 Concurrent Workshops
1. Saving 10,000 Barns in Vermont
Panelists will present tips for researching the history and
identifying structural problems as a first step toward barn
preservation. They will discuss funding for barn projects and
talk about what one Vermont community is doing to save its
historic barns.
2. Virtual Preservation
Learn about the latest use of digital technology as a tool to
enhance community planning, expand our cultural heritage
connections, and share information. This session will feature
the Orton Family Foundation’s new GIS-based CommunityViz™
software, the state’s new “Connect Vermont” website, and
the Division for Historic Preservation’s CD project for
managing National and State Register information.
3. What’s New?
Join us for a potpourri of recent research and current issues:
Sheldon Novick will discuss the challenges of balancing
varying interests in the clean-up of Elizabeth Mine, a
superfund site and cultural landscape. Wendy Nicholas,
Director of the Northeast office of the National Trust, will
talk about the issues that led the Trust to focus on the
plight of historic neighborhood schools. Michael Sherman will
present an overview of a two-year research project documenting
Vermont’s painted theater curtains. Beth Humstone will talk
about current issues and policy directing the Vermont Forum on
Sprawl. Michael Oman will present a summary of ongoing
research looking at British and European models for addressing
heavy truck traffic in town and village centers.
12:00 to 1:15 Dutch Treat Lunch
12:15 to 2:30
4. Naulakha Tour and Picnic ($20)
Enjoy a guided tour of Rudyard Kipling’s estate, a National
Historic Landmark in nearby Dummerston. Transportation
provided. Additional charge of $20 covers picnic lunch and
transportation.
12:45 to 2:30 Tours
5. Affordable Housing Walking Tour
Tour historically significant properties that have been
rehabilitated for affordable housing.
6. Brattleboro’s Downtown Facade Program
A sidewalk tour of some of the downtown buildings whose
facades will soon undergo restoration or rehabilitation. Local
architects who are working on these buildings will discuss
their designs.
7. Estey Organ Factory Tour ($10)
The Estey Organ Factory, built in 1870, is the largest
collection of slate-sided buildings in the world. This tour
highlights the industrial history of the factory until its
closing in 1960 as well as its gradual rehabilitation for
mixed use through public-private partnerships. The tour also
showcases a great window rehabilitation project.
8. Brattleboro Retreat Farm ($10)
For years, the Brattleboro Retreat Farm was integral to
patient care while at the same time serving as a park-like
natural area for the Brattleboro community. This tour will
highlight the extraordinary effort to save the farm as a
working farm and community space.
1:15 to 2:30 Concurrent Workshops
9. Urban Open Space Workshop
Review the design tools that make a downtown open space
successful. Participate in a mini-charette to explore
different alternatives for a site that’s been vacated by a
franchise in downtown Brattleboro. This workshop will begin at
12:45 to maximize creative time. Space is limited so register
early!
10. You Can Do It: Getting the Job Done!
You’re ready to start a construction project... now what?
This session will guide organizations through the process of
prioritizing and determining a scope of work, writing a work
description, finding sources for bid specifications, selecting
a contractor, providing contract management and project
oversight.
11. Community Action, Community Ownership
This session will highlight ways that local public and private
investment has worked to strengthen community centers, from
charitable investment to limited liability corporations.
2:45 to 4:00 Concurrent Workshops
12. Preservation for Homeowners
Join our panel of experts to discuss technical issues
regarding historic preservation in your building. Amy
Johnston, an historic preservation project manager will be
joined by architect, Denny Frehsee of Williams and Frehsee and
contractor, John Jessup for brief comments followed by a
question and answer period.
13. What’s New in Codes for Old Buildings?
What’s new in the rapidly developing field of historic
buildings codes? Find out about the just published NFPA 914
that offers new national model code language. Hear about how
Vermont’s code compares to New Jersey and other states. Pick
up your copy of the new Field Guide section on accessibility
solutions for historic buildings and see slides of successful
examples.
14. Funders Panel
Behind every successful preservation project is a generous
source of financial support. This session will feature a panel
of experts from some of Vermont’s most dedicated funding
sources.
4:00 to 5:00 Reception: Robert H. Gibson River Garden,
Main Street
TO REGISTER for Vermont’s Seventh Annual Historic
Preservation Conference, on May 11, 2001 in downtown
Brattleboro contact conference@ptvermont.org
or check out http://www.ptvermont.org/confreg.htm
OTHER EVENTS
April 29, 2001
Paul Hollister, international authority on glass, will speak
about the “Glazing of the Crystal Palace” 2-4 PM Norwich
Congregational Church, Norwich, Vt. Sponsored by Historic
Windsor’s Preservation Education Institute. Call 802-674-6752
or email histwininc@valley.net
for more information. Cost: $10 Reservations suggested.
May 3, 2001
The Vermont Forum on Sprawl Presents:
"Gone Today, Here Tomorrow: How to Rebuild a
Community"
7-9 pm, Winooski City Hall, 27 West Allen Street,
Winooski, VT
· The Demolition of Downtown
Winooski: A film by UVM Professor/Visual Artist
Dan Higgins
·Winooski
Downtown Revitalization Plan: Presentation by Bill Niquette,
Executive Director of Winooski Community Development Corporation
and Bill
Truex of Truex, Collins and Partners
·Visual
Preference Survey: Tell us what you want in your downtown
Discussion and Reception to Follow. Co-Sponsored by The
Preservation Trust of Vermont
June 1, 2001
Judy Hayward will lead a tour of Windsor, Vermont,
architecture featuring the work of three master builders:
Asher Benjamin, Alexander Parrish, and Ami Burnham Young.
Cost: $10 for lecture and $20 for lecture and box supper.
Advance reservations required. Sponsored by Historic Windsor’s
Preservation Education Institute. For more information call
802-674-6752 or email histwininc@valley.net.
PTV NEWS
With funding from the Freeman Foundation, the Preservation
Trust recently awarded the following grants:
Old West Church, Calais: $20,000
Barstow Memorial School: $20,000
Shard Villa, Salisbury: $50,000
Stowe Community Church: $40,000
Peacham Historical Society: $15,000
Berkshire Town Hall: $30,000
Town Hall Theater, Middlebury: $50,000
St Paul’s Church and First Congregational Church, Royalton:
$30,000
Peabody Library, Post Mills: $25,000
VERMONT NEWS
Shrewsbury, Marjorie Pierce’s House and Store
In 1997, Marjorie Pierce gave her house and store to PTV, with
the hope that the store, closed in ’93, would eventually be
reopened. She retained life tenancy. in February, Marjorie died at
age 97. As part of a process to plan for the best use of the
property, PTV hosted a gathering of neighbors to talk about PTV’s
understanding of Marjorie’s wishes and to gather community
input.
Waterbury, Railroad Station Restoration Project
Waterbury Railroad Station has been in use as a train station
since it was built in 1875 and is slated for rehabilitation by
Waterbury Revitalization, Inc. Complete restoration and
rehabilitation of the station for multiple commercial uses
(including continued use as an Amtrak station), is estimated to
cost $1,434,913. Phase One work, intended to stabilize and restore
the most significant historic elements including interim
rehabilitation measures is estimated to cost $381,874. The project
was awarded a Transportation Enhancement Activities grant of
$369,560
South Royalton, South Royalton Co-op
A group from South Royalton and Tunbridge have been exploring
the possibility of forming a co-op grocery store in So. Royalton.
The town has been without a grocery store since 1997, and area
residents have to drive ½ hour or more to Lebanon to shop. Kate
Fellows, a member of the ad-hoc committee, has been busy in the
community trying to get the project off the ground.
NATIONAL NEWS
For the latest on the HISTORIC HOMEOWNERSHIP ASSISTANCE ACT
visit: http://capwiz.com/nthp/issues/alert/?alertid=8159
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Ireland Bans Superstores
The Irish government has made permanent a temporary cap on the
size of retail stores in effect since 1998. The new law restricts
stores in the Dublin area to 3,500 square meters (38,000 sq. ft.)
and applies a 3,000 square meter (32,000 sq. ft.) limit to the
rest of the country.
The policy also requires that new retail stores be located in town
centers. If no sites are available, and the development is deemed
necessary by local authorities, then it may be located on the edge
of the town center (defined as within "convenient walking
distance of the primary shopping area of the town centre").
Out-of-town retail developments are strongly discouraged.
The policy was issued by the Ministry for the Environment and
Local Government. Its purpose is to foster sustainable
development, maintain competition, ensure that retail outlets are
readily accessible by public transit, and protect the viability of
town centers.
The policy applies to grocery stores and "hypermarkets,"
which, like U.S. supercenters, sell both food and general
merchandise. Non-food warehouse stores, such as do-it-yourself
home centers, are restricted to 6,000 square meters under existing
law.
Unlike the U.S., where land use is strictly a state and local
matter, Irish planning policy is determined at both the national
and local level. The national government establishes broad
policies and guidelines, which are implemented through plans
developed by local governments.
The policy outlines the importance of town centers as focal points
for community and civic activities, and notes that these functions
cannot be replicated by shopping malls. Moreover, the long-term
viability of town
centers depends on maintaining their commercial base. "Where
new developments compromise [downtown vitality], they should be
rejected," the policy states.
The policy also stipulates that local governments should enact
zoning policies that safeguard local shops, provided that they
substantiate the importance of such stores to the community.
In preparing the policy, the government commissioned a study by
Goodbody Economic Consultants, who concluded that "available
evidence suggests that economies of scale are exhausted at a store
size of approximately 2,000 [square meters]."
Developers and chain retailers lobbied intensely for an easing of
the size cap in the months leading up to the Ministry's final
decision. They were joined in their opposition by the Irish
Competition Authority,
which contends that larger stores would reduce prices.
Studies, however, have found that grocery prices in the Republic
are 5 percent lower than in England and Northern Ireland, which
have few restrictions on large-scale chains. Indeed, the Irish
grocery market is robustly competitive compared to most of its
heavily consolidated European neighbors. Independent grocers enjoy
a 45 percent market share in Ireland, up 10 percent in the last
decade. By comparison, independents have only 8 percent of the
English market.
Limiting the size and location of new retail stores has become
increasingly common as communities look for ways to maintain their
character and local economies. Dozens of U.S. cities have enacted
size caps. Many countries have them as well, including Norway,
France, Denmark, and Argentina.
-- To view Ireland's policy, as well as other examples of
retail size caps in the U.S. and abroad, visit the New Rules web
site at http://www.newrules.org/retail/size.html
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