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ENFIELD HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING
JUNE 12, 2008
A Special Meeting of the Enfield Historic District Commission was held on Thursday, June 12, 2008 in the Council Chambers, Enfield Town Hall, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut. Chairman Tatoian called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.
PRESENT: Richard Tatoian, Chairman
Russell Meyer
Marie Troiano
Lillian Troiano, Alternate
Raymond Gwozdz, Alternate
Sonja Dean, Alternate
ALSO PRESENT: Roger Alsbaugh, Assistant Town Planner
Chairman Tatoian appointed Lillian Troiano as acting Clerk.
Chairman Tatoian designated Alternates Raymond Gwozdz and Lillian Troiano to participate in this hearing.
HDC#339 –(tabled 5/28/08, continued to 6/12/08) Request to remove front porch roof balustrade, side porch roof balustrade, and upper roof balustrade, and replace all components with vinyl replacement parts, at 1162 Enfield Street. EHDO Section 8.
Steve Polaski, the contractor, appeared before the Commission representing the Berger’s. Mr. Polaski read a letter from Eileen and Robert Berger stating they could not be present and requesting permission to do what the Commission permitted the owners of 1221 Enfield Street to do on April 28, 2004. The letter stated they have replaced the roof on their house, repaired the chimney, re-pointed the brick and replaced the windows in the room on the south side of the house. When the railings are completed, the other non-brick portions of the house will be painted.
Chairman Tatoian requested that Mr. Polaski give the Commission an overview of the presentation at the last meeting.
Mr. Polaski stated on Mr. and Mrs. Berger’s house, there is a cat walk system. It is a fake porch and there is no way to get to any of these porches. They (the three balustrade systems) are completely deteriorated and cannot be saved. When Mr. Polaski first looked at this job, it took about three months before he could find someone that would make the wood balusters. The first price he got was over $70,000. The most reasonable price he received was $64,000. They started looking for replacements that were acceptable aesthetically and would look just like the original. What they came up with is a very high end composite material railing system. They can make it with a CAD program so that it looks identical to what was up there. It came in at a price of $24,000 installed. This is what they are proposing to do.
Mr. Polaski stated they can make the baluster systems almost identical. Since then, he did put up a small piece of railing baluster on the house. It’s not the quality they are going to buy but just a sample piece for visual reference as requested at the last meeting by the commission.
Chairman Tatoian asked if the composite material is the same as is used for fencing. Mr. Polaski stated fencing can be vinyl, a composite or a mixture. This is a composite. It’s actually a thick synthetic plastic where the vinyl is the shiny hollow material. It is very thick, one quarter inch thick, and structurally sound. It is a different material from what is used for fencing. The fencing at Home Depot or Lowe’s is the bottom of the barrel that you would buy. These are custom made balusters that run $15 to $20 a baluster because they are as close as you could come to duplicating the originals using synthetic material. It is a very high end material and there is no way you can tell the difference from a wood column.
Chairman Tatoian stated this would be three separate sections for the house (front portico, side summer room, and widow’s walk). Mr. Polaski confirmed that to be the case. He stated they would be replaced in white.
Mr. Meyer asked if the Commission can assume that this particular photograph (staff file photo) which shows indentations on the posts and the ball on the top would be identical with what is now being proposed. Mr. Polaski stated they would be ninety-nine percent identical. There might be a small difference because some of the balls are hand made. There is the embossing (indented profiles & trim), the raised cap, the large ball on top (for the corner and section posts) and the same sized balusters and the identical bottom railings.
Looking at the pictures supplied by staff, Mr. Meyer asked if the balusters are square. Mr. Polaski stated most of them are square. Some of them have been replaced, but the original ones have vertical corners that are chamfered. The ones they will be replacing will be rectangular or 2 and one half by 2 inches.
Mr. Meyer asked if the caps would be identical. Mr. Polaski stated they will. He added that last year Mr. Berger’s roof failed and he ended up replacing it with an asphalt slate-look architectural design roof.
Mr. Meyer asked if the spacing proposed is going to be the same spacing for the balusters. Mr. Polaski stated the company that makes it will make it identical to what is there. They come out and do CAD drawings and make it to his specifications. Mr. Meyer asked if that would include the overhang and the smaller under piece. Mr. Polaski stated it would.
Mr. Meyer stated Mr. Polaski indicated there is no access to this roof. Mr. Polaski stated you would have to go out a window. He noted the front main entrance and the porch roof entrance through a 2nd floor window on the site plan.
Mr. Meyer stated the columns or shutters would not be done - just the balustrades. Mr. Polaski stated that is correct.
Chairman Tatoian asked about the mechanics of this replacement. Mr. Polaski stated the company has come to the home twice. Their factory is in East Windsor. It is Mercury Excel which is a good local company. They have a 20,000 square foot work space where they make this material. They will make it exactly to what is needed as far as a reproduction.
Chairman Tatoian asked if Mr. Polaski takes the original components to this company. Mr. Polaski stated he does and they use it for a form. Mr. Polaski stated he cannot believe how beautiful some of the stuff was. This material can be made in any kind of color, either satin finish or the shiny finish or the matte finish. The finish on this house will be a pearl. When this job is completed, Mr. Berger is going to have the rest of the exterior wood stripped, repaired and painted.
Mr. Gwozdz asked if anything is salvageable. Mr. Polaski stated anything that is salvageable will be put in the garage. He noted that when he touched a section of the balustrade last week, it just disintegrated. There are probably six or seven posts out of forty posts that will last. He would take them down, spray them with lacquer and put them in a bag so that they could be reproduced some day. Mr. Polaski talked to his brother and he told him it would cost over $30,000 to find the ash wood to make the posts and railings. That doesn’t include any of the milling or painting. That is just assembling the wood. At this point you can use any kind of wood for trim but for balusters you need a specific type of wood for them to last. This is an ash and it is almost non-existent.
Mr. Gwozdz asked if the architectural integrity will remain. Mr. Polaski stated it will. The way it slides together there are no exposed screws and everything is hidden.
Chairman Tatoian asked about maintenance. Mr. Polaski stated washing it is the only maintenance required. There is no metal so you don’t have any staining. Over time there may be bird droppings and some runoff from the roof which will be gray and need to be washed off.
Mr. Meyer asked what the material is that the railing will be made of. Mr. Polaski stated it is a polymer based resin or a synthetic material. It is a quarter of an inch thick and very, very strong.
Mr. Meyer asked if they propose to have any different attachment to the roof. Mr. Polaski stated no, it will go right over the old post bases. The bases have leaded caps that come up and the replacement posts will sit right on those original leaded caps. With all the hidden screws, it will look just like the original.
Ms. Marie Troiano asked if they will have to do anything to the roof. Mr. Polaski stated the roofs were set up to receive the baluster systems when they were constructed. They have leaded stumps that come up about two inches that the lead caps sit on to keep moisture and the post bottoms off the roof. The caps being made are going to be identical and will slide right over those.
Mr. Meyer asked if the dimensions of the balusters are the same. Mr. Polaski stated they will be dimensionally the same.
Ms. Dean stated in some of the photos you can see the face of the balls. She asked if the proportions of those and on the detail on the corner posts will be the same. Mr. Polaski stated the posts will be identical. The problem with the balls is some have been replaced over time and there are five or six different styles. Some of them are oval. What it will probably be is a ball and attached stem going to each big post. Some of the posts have a little saucer and some don’t. It depends on what was there.
Ms. Dean asked if they are going to be custom molded to what is there. Mr. Polaski stated they use a CAD machine to make a round ball. There are several different types up there now and it is a matter of which shape is most likely the original. Ms. Dean asked if Mr. Polaski has done any research to find which ones have been there the longest. Mr. Polaski stated it is hard to tell and the balusters are of different sizes because over time they have been replaced. In a five foot section, there are four different balusters, two different ball caps and the design of the posts are different. Mr. Polaski stated he would take the oldest original version and try to go with that.
Ms. Dean asked if Mr. Polaski has priced out doing this in cedar. Mr. Polaski stated from all the wood workers he went to, they didn’t recommend cedar at all. They all told him it has to be ash.
Ms. Dean asked how long this composite material has been on the market and is there any track record of how it weathers over time. Mr. Polaski stated thirty or forty years. This is the high end of it. The new computer generations have allowed it to be perfected where you can copy it. It makes it more efficient to replace it now.
Ms. Dean asked if there is any way to know how this material will hold up in twenty years or in fifty years. Mr. Polaski stated you would have to talk to the company but this is their top end, the highest line they make. There is a life time warranty on it. It has a very thick coat on it.
Ms. Dean asked if there is any information that it could turn gray with weathering. Mr. Polaski stated it won’t stain but will just have to be washed.
Ms. Dean stated her concern is will it be maintained. This house has not been maintained and it is a clear case of demolition by neglect. She asked what assurance the Commission will have that this won’t be in the same situation in the future. Mr. Polaski stated it will take care of itself a lot better than anything that is painted. Nothing is really going to stick to it other than bird droppings or tree residue. Mr. Berger and his wife are going to do a lot of work on the house. They plan to do scrapping and painting. Mr. Berger will be spending a lot of money and he is trying to take care of his house now.
Ms. Dean stated her biggest concern is this house is so historically important that a move to a material that is touted as durable not be seen as a reason to let the maintenance slide. She asked if there are any further plans for other areas. Mr. Polaski stated the first step is the railings. When they finish that, they are going to take care of the rest of the wood work. There are painters lined up to scrape all the pillars and all the wood work. The house is mostly brick. There’s only one room that has any kind of trim. That’s the next step – painting and scraping all the windows, and cleaning all the copper gutters out. The work is phenomenal and the plan is to restore the home. This is the first step for this summer.
Ms. Dean asked if Mr. Polaski has a sample of the material. Mr. Polaski stated he had a sample at the last meeting of a shiny pearl finish. He doesn’t have it with him today. The options for a finish are unlimited and it will match what they want to paint. They are going to have to figure out how they are going to paint it. A pearl satin is what they were looking at.
Mr. Meyer stated when it comes to replacing the ball caps, Mr. Polaski indicated that the balls are of different shapes and sizes. Mr. Polaski stated some people turned them on lathes and some people made them by hand. It would be up to Mr. and Mrs. Berger to choose the replacement. Mr. Polaski noted they are very similar and there are two or three differences between the thirty or forty balls. There are a couple of elliptical balls and those are the newest ones.
Mr. Meyer asked if it is Mr. Polaski’s intention to meet with the Berger’s and choose a round ball or an elliptical ball. Mr. Polaski stated he would go with the three solid wood ones which would be the oldest. The elliptical ones were made in the fifties. It is Mr. Polaski’s intention to make the balls round. Mr. Polaski noted with the round ones there are two different kinds. He will choose a size for the balls that is appropriate to the style of the house. Ms. Marie Troiano asked if the original finials will be saved. Mr. Polaski stated anything that is salvageable will be saved. Probably one-third of the material will be salvageable.
Ms. Dean asked how Mr. Polaski is defining what is salvageable. Mr. Polaski stated if it doesn’t disintegrate in his hands. If he can save a whole post, he will do so.
Chairman Tatoian opened this hearing to the audience. No one spoke in favor or against this application. Chairman Tatoian closed this public hearing.
Mr. Gwozdz made a motion, seconded by Ms. Lillian Troiano, to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to remove the front porch roof balustrade, side porch/sunroom roof balustrade, and upper roof balustrade, and replace all components with aluminum core, vinyl replacement parts, at 1162 Enfield Street – EHDO Section 8.
All proposed work is to include replacement parts as shown and discussed at the 5/28/08 and 6/12/08 meetings of the Historic District Commission, as detailed in any samples or sample sheets submitted to the application file, any elevations and any photographs submitted, and as discussed in the public hearing under HDC#339.
Mr. Gwozdz made an amendment to the motion, seconded by Ms. Lillian Troiano, that as much material as can be salvaged would be maintained and preserved by the property owners with verification by staff, that several pieces of each example be preserved and that this level of deterioration not be allowed again.
Mr. Gwozdz stated with the CAD technology and everything that is being done, he feels very comfortable about the architectural integrity of this home but he would like to insure that as much of the original of the home is preserved.
Mr. Alsbaugh stated he suggested to Mr. Polaski that they make a site map where the components that are being removed are located and numbered. They are numbered on the map and the things that are salvaged would be numbered so that you would know where things originally were placed. He added we should try to determine as much of the original dimensions as possible – the spacing, the locations and the most probable original posts, ball caps and configurations. Mr. Polaski stated when he does the drawings for the railings, he can put those on the plans. If he is supplied with a CAD plan, he will get a copy of it. Mr. Alsbaugh stated that would be good. Whatever he gets for a CAD plan, he will adapt to the home’s measurements. Mr. Polaski stated they can also do some photographing. Mr. Alsbaugh offered to assist Mr. Polaski.
Mr. Meyer would like some understanding that if this proposal is approved as dated May 19 that the railings, balusters, spacing, ball shape be as recorded on the photograph and that the town be empowered to overlook the reconstruction to make sure it complies with the original photograph and when it is completed it will look like what is in the photograph but with new construction.
Ms. Dean stated the Commission should stipulate that there shall be retention of multiple examples of each component type. For example, it would not be just one of the round balls and not one of each because there are variations so that it’s not just a check in the box but that several pieces of each example are preserved. It was added to the amendment to the motion that several examples of each component be preserved.
Mr. Alsbaugh stated he doesn’t create a letter any more but he takes the conditions and reasons and that is the approval letter that the applicant is required to work from. Mr. Meyer had a concern that the Commission discussed a lot of things tonight and the applicant ought to have a copy of what the recommendations are. Mr. Alsbaugh stated he will have such a copy.
Ms. Dean stated she has been thinking about this application since the last meeting and she thinks it is a very tough situation given the historic value of the property and the severe condition of neglect that it is in right now. Ms. Dean thinks as a condition it is critical to never allow this level of deterioration to occur again. It is demolition by neglect. Ms. Dean can’t bear the thought of losing more cultural resources in our town this way. She is hoping in preserving the components of this and being very careful with the replacement of materials that we preserve what we can.
Chairman Tatoian noted the Commission has their plan to promulgate regulations concerning what is expected of homeowners in the Historic District. Once that has been published and provided to the homeowners it will give further guidance as to what is expected of them.
Ms. Dean stated it is great to pull up examples and it is wonderful they are taking the steps. As a Commission, we are very aware of the costs involved and very aware of the challenges of preserving a historic home. She thinks there are tremendous challenges.
The motion, as amended, was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote with Alternates Lillian Troiano and Raymond Gwozdz voting.
Regarding the reasons for approval, Mr. Gwozdz stated he would like to see the architectural integrity maintained of the existing railing on the original application dated May 19, 2008. Also, the original materials can be stored where in the future if someone wants to restore the home, they are accessible.
Ms. Dean stated this is a clear case of demolition by neglect. Given the extreme level of deterioration and the huge historic and cultural loss faced by that, the Commission is put in a very difficult position of having to choose between the two choices. She thinks that the homeowner and the contractor have certainly put forth a good effort to be cognizant of the appearance and making it appear like what is there. Even though this is just a tragic loss, Ms. Dean thinks retaining the components at least gives the Commission a little bit of an insurance policy toward the future.
The reason for approval is although it is an example of demolition by neglect, and it creates a difficult set of choices to make, there was an attempt by the owner and contractor for creative solutions that were sensitive to the original design and components. This will also allow the retention of a good variety of the original components to ensure the best possibility for future restoration.
Ms. Dean emphasized that the Commission should not allow this to happen again. Mr. Alsbaugh noted the commission’s statement of concern regarding demolition by neglect is an appropriate action to clarify the validity of the problem and to indicate their intent to remove start a process to rectify that failure within the regulations.
HDCR2008-007, 1415 Enfield Street, Deziel, staff review and approval of normal repair and maintenance. Removal of bottom courses of existing siding, left side and left rear of 2nd residential structure, to access and replace rotted sills; re-install siding. No COA required.
Mr. Alsbaugh stated Mr. Deziel is proposing to remove the portions of siding as noted. He will then access the rotted sills and replace them and reinstall the siding. Even though it is a substantial job, it is normal repair and maintenance and will not change the appearance or the exterior materials of the structure.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Alsbaugh stated the Commission will have a regular meeting on June 25 at which time the sign for the firehouse will be considered.
Mr. Alsbaugh gave to the Commission the memorandum of decision for the Ingraham court case. Mr. Ingraham has at this point signed up for assistance on the project through the town’s community development. The judge is going to review what has occurred and what Mr. Ingraham has accomplished in sixty days to determine if the fines should be instituted. Fines were granted but they are stayed until the judge is convinced one way or the other that Mr. Ingraham is being cooperative.
Mr. Alsbaugh stated June 23, 2008 will be the first of quarterly meetings for board members and commission members. This is something everyone should plan to attend. The first meeting is going to be about dealing with a meeting. The Town Attorney will present the first session. If Commission members plan to attend June 23 at 7:00 p.m. they should advise Mr. Alsbaugh. Mr. Alsbaugh will contact the Commission via email as to the final location of this meeting.
Mr. Alsbaugh brought up the Plan of Conservation and Development. If the applications are not already on the web site, he will have them for the Commission at the next meeting. At least one person from the Commission will be on the Steering Committee. There will be a number of subcommittees and you can apply for any of the subcommittees that will be available. There is nothing to prevent more than one Commission member going on to one particular subcommittee. There will be an opportunity to deal with a number of issues. The commitment is for a year and it will probably be two meetings per month. It is pretty important that groups such as this make a point of getting their concerns into the process for final incorporation into the Plan of Conservation and Development.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Meyer made a motion, seconded by Ms. Marie Troiano, to adjourn. Following a unanimous vote, the Commission adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Nancy Smyth, Clerk
Enfield Historic District Commission
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