On the agenda for tonight’s Newton Historic Commission “a demolition review” is listed for the Fire Dept Headquarters on Centre St. This is the first I’ve heard of a plan to tear this building down. Does anyone have any further details?
The public meeting is tonight at 7 PM at City Hall.
Interesting. What caught my eye was that after the fire department buildings discussion, there are 9 items for complete demolition of homes. Does anyone know if these homes have all been bought by developers? Does every meeting of the Historic Commission contain so many requests to demolish homes?
Just FYI, the picture you have with this story is of Fire Station 3 on Willow St. The Headquarters building is to the side and behind this station and fronts Centre St. It would be a real loss if this building is torn down but it is not really designed for modern services. The same can be said about Police HQ on Washington St. It too is a beautiful structure but just does not meet the needs of the Police Department.
@ThWholeTruth – Thanks. I think I’ve got the right photo up there now.
It was just pointed out to me that “reconstruction/renovation of Fire Station #3 and Fire Headquarters in Newton Centre.” was part of the designated purposes of Question #1 of last year’s override.
Email [email protected] if you want your comments expressed for the record at tonight’s Historic Commission public hearing.
@Jerry,
Right picture now!
Jo-Louise, nine sounds pretty average. There were 7 full demos on the January agenda when I wrote this: http://village14.com/newton-ma/2014/01/the-teardowns-just-keep-coming/#axzz2zqy7h7Dl
But now it’s spring, so it’s probably only going to go up. We are going to be a city of 3,000 and 4,000 sq. ft. and larger houses, because that’s what FAR allows, and single people like me who want to live in a small house, not a condo or apartment, and families who are looking for the kind of houses I grew up in, i.e. the kind where not every person has their own bathroom, and kids maybe even (gasp!) shared bedrooms, and the 35-year-olds that people are so worried about in the Austin Street thread, aren’t going to have a lot of options.
I made this glimpse of the future over on Parmenter Terrace the other day while I was checking on the gas leaks on Parmenter: http://www.tout.com/m/tceelm
[Right-click or Cmd-click on links and you won’t lose the thread]
The NHC voted tonight to preferably preserve both the HQ building and the NC fire station behind it. That means that the City cannot demo or make significant changes for one year. They did not intend to anyway since there is a working group that is still in the early planning phase. After a year whatever the working group recommends and the city provides funding for is able to be done including a demo and construction of a new building on that site. It seemed fairly clear to me that the fire department will be getting a new HQ building regardless, so the only question is whether the Aldermen and mayor can be convinced to preserve the old building and use it for some other purpose, and build the new HQ elsewhere. Ditto Cabot school tonight. Zervas school got the same treatment recently, and Angier school sometime ago. Any guesses or predictions about the eventual outcome for the fire department HQ building?
From what I have observed so far, our politicians may deem the land surplus and then sell it to the highest bidder.
I’m more concerned about the demolition of old houses than the fire department headquarters. That facility needs to be able to handle emergencies as efficiently and as effectively as possible so it may mean we need a new building. Just as Cabot School has outlived its usefulness as an educational facility, the fire department headquarters building may have as well.
As the building is presently placed, fire engines can’t even drive straight out onto Centre St., delaying response time and that’s unacceptable. I’m almost always on the side of preservation, but when a building that provides an essential city service (police, fire, schools) can no longer function as we need it to in the 21st century, then something has to give. If the building can be renovated AND provide for the safety of all citizens, then that’s an option. But if a renovation can’t accomplish this goal, then the building has to go.
Its reconstruction/renovation, along with the measures to accommodate increasing school enrollment, was the major reason for my yes vote on Question 1. The preservationists (and I count myself in that group) have to be realistic about the safety and well being of the residents of the city.
Jane,
I’ve heard that the FD Headquarters and Station 3 might share a new structure, but that nothing is settled yet. I know that some of the aldermen are trying to save the beautiful, historic FD Headquarters building for use as a museum and possible new home for Historic Newton artifacts, photographs and historic documents that will otherwise be housed in the damp and flood-prone City Hall basement. It seems appropriate that we preserve a beautiful, historic structure to house our historical materials. Of course, the FD headquarters must be modernized. If that can’t happen in the current building, the headquarters must be moved. But there’s no need to destroy that lovely building when it can be used in a very appropriate, but different way.
@Jo-louise. 32 houses have come up in front of the Newton Historical Commission for demolition since Jan 2014 (not counting partial demolitions). The overwhelming majority are bought by developers who hope to make a huge profit by building huge structures, regardless of the size or character of the other houses in the neighborhood and regardless of how many mature trees they will cut.
I know very little about the needs of a city fire department, so I’d want information and assurances that the new location wouldn’t compromise the safety and well being of any resident. A human life is worth more than the building. That being said, if there is another suitable location that provides for the safety needs of the city, I’m not opposed to moving it. I’m just more focused on having FD headquarters and fire stations that are 21st century facilities. It’s what I voted for and one of the reasons I spent many hours working for a Yes vote on Question 1.
I suspect Colleen is right. But some commenters still seem to be conflating Fire Dept. HQ on Centre St. with the fire station around the corner from it. The HQ building is an office building; the fire trucks are housed separately at the fire station. That’s how it’s been since I moved here over 35 years ago, and if emergency response time has been compromised all that while because the fire station is a few dozen feet off Centre St. rather than fronting right on it, this would be the first I’ve heard of it. If the Fire Dept. wants/needs new buildings, then that’s where the conversation with the public ought to begin, in a straightforward and factual way, not through the back door by way of a fine print reference to “renovation” on an override ballot followed months later by an out-of-the-blue demolition request before the Historical Commission.
2013 override, Question 1: Shall the City of Newton be allowed to assess an additional $8,400,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of funding municipal and school operating and capital expenses to support increased student enrollment, fund street and sidewalk paving, fund public safety personnel, address the condition and capacity of Zervas Elementary School, fund the relocation of the Fire Department Wires Division, and fund the replacement of Fire Headquarters and Fire Station 3 in Newton Centre for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013?
One sentence in length, 85 total words, printed on every ballot.
Jane, the ballot question does mention replacement that does not mean demolish the old building. This may be implied but is not stated.
By the way, it’s my understanding that part of the land there belongs to the state (MWRA?), not the city, and the mini-mall on the corner (formerly a gas station), largely underground, is privately owned. So there would have to be a good bit of horse-trading at the very least before development is a possibility. The incline might prove to be an issue too.
How do you replace a building without taking down the one that’s in that spot?
MMMmmagic !!!