Spring Decisions

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We have spent the spring making the usual determinations, as redevelopment continues to affect all of Medford’s neighborhoods. Here’s a summary, though more info is always available in our agendas & minutes.

202 Middlesex Avenue

Found historically significant at our October 2020 meeting, and preferably preserved at our March meeting. Between October 2020 and March 2021 the building’s owners reconsidered their plans and the building changed hands.

104 Harvard Street

Found historically significant at our March meeting, and preferably preserved at our April meeting.

34 Linden Avenue

Found NOT historically significant at our April meeting.

174 Fulton Street

Found NOT historically significant at our April meeting.

This spring we’ve also been making two other kinds of decisions regularly, and we’ll try to post more about those soon, but, in brief,

A) We have been working with the Building Department to review permits for projects that involve large scale exterior renovations & rehabs, or partial demolitions – to make sure that true “demos” do come before us. And . . .

B) We’ve been officially designating public buildings throughout Medford “historically significant” so that their stewards can apply for Community Preservation Funding from Preserve Medford, to preserve the historic beauty and detail of these buildings. These public buildings – all of them prominent neighborhood landmarks – have included the Chevalier Theatre on Forest Street, as well as the Curtis Tufts School in South Medford, the Groundskeepers’ Buildings at Oak Grove Cemetery, and fire stations throughout Medford. We have also deemed the tennis courts at Dugger Park part of a historically significant landscape – for similar preservation purposes.

Follow us, and Preserve Medford, for more on this process and to show support for historic preservation in your neighborhood.

Curtis Tufts School, Main Street, Medford

April Agenda

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April AgendaDownload

April Agenda is available for next week’s meeting – drop by the Zoom to hear the proceedings or let us know what you think! We will be determining whether or not the building at 104 Harvard Street is preferably preserved, and voting on the historical significance of three properties – on Linden Ave, Fulton Ave and Albion Street.

Medford Square
“High Street, Medford, 1860” by Jas. F. Murray.

February Agenda

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A busy agenda for next Monday; we will be reviewing applications to demo for 4 properties in Medford. If you want to see the demo review process start to finish, this is how it starts. Note – we are still looking for a new member to replace an outgoing commissioner and complete the commission. If you are interested and have any questions, or want to learn more, please stop by!

February 2021Download

Historical Commission Seeks New Members

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Medford Historical Commission Call for Letters of Interest

The Medford Historical Commission seeks letters of interest from qualified individuals within the Medford community to serve on our board.The Medford Historical Commission and the Medford Historic District Commission share the common goals of preserving and protecting the City’s historic character and heritage.

The Medford Historical Commission was established under Section 8d of Chapter 40 of the Massachusetts General Laws and Chapter 48 of the Medford Municipal Ordinances. The Commission is the official City body charged with the identification of properties and sites in the City of historical significance and is the principal adviser to the City on matters relating to historic preservation. The Commission is further charged with reviewing all requests for demolition of buildings 75 years or older, or are listed on the National and/or Massachusetts Registers of Historic Places, in accordance with the City’s demolition delay ordinance.

Applicants should have interest, knowledge, and experience in fields related to historic preservation and Medford history.  Interested applicants may contact the Commission for further information. Please include your name and contact information, as well as any supporting material.  Candidates may be contacted by the Commission for an interview. The Commission shall then present a list of nominees to the Mayor for final selection and appointment. Those selected to serve on the board generally serve three years.

Please submit letters & materials to:
Candidate Selection Subcommittee
Ryan D. Hayward, Vice-Chairman
Medford Historical Commission

Email (preferred): HistoricalCommission@Medford-MA.gov

Regular Mail:
Please contact us for regular mailing address (City Hall access is limited)

Preferably Preserved – January 2021

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At our January meeting we voted that both the property at 15 Hadley Place AND the property at 75 South Street should be preferably preserved. In both cases, neighbors expressed concern that the loss of these homes would be a detriment to the character of the street and neighborhood.

When a building is found to be “preferably preserved” an 18-month delay of demolition is imposed, to give the applicant time to consider sale, renovation, reuse, relocation and other alternatives to demolition. However, the demolition delay may be lifted before the 18-month period, if a plan is developed that addresses the concerns of the public and the commission. The applicant is always invited to return to the Commission’s upcoming public meetings to present plans and alternatives and to discuss the preservation concerns that their neighbors and the commission have.

Thanks to the Medford residents who wrote in, or attended in person, to voice their opinions for and against the preservation of these buildings.

We also voted that the building at 403 Riverside Avenue was NOT historically significant. When, after review, a building 75 years old or older is deemed NOT historically significant a demolition permit is granted.

To review all our demolition cases under review, see our index of Demolition Review Cases.

January 2021 Agenda

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This month’s agenda is now available, along with all Zoom info for remote participation.

MHC Agenda January 2021Download

At our monthly public meeting, this month on Monday Jan 11, the commission will be determining whether or not two properties – one on South Street, and one in Haines Square – are preferably preserved. We invite all residents and members of the public to share their thoughts on these properties with us – you can email, or attend the meeting next week.

Past posts and documents on 75 South Street, and 15 Hadley Place.

120 Jerome Street: Preferably Preserved

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Also at our busy December meeting – we voted that the property at 120 Jerome Street should be preferably preserved given its potential contribution to historic district that would preserve and highlight the neighborhood history of West Medford’s African-American community.

When a building is found to be “preferably preserved” an 18 month delay of demolition is imposed, to give the applicant time to consider sale, renovation, reuse, relocation and other alternatives to demolition. The applicant is invited to return to the Commission’s upcoming public meetings to present plans and alternatives – in this case, we voted to have a subcommittee communicate with the developer – and to discuss the preservation concerns that their neighbors and the commission have. If a plan is developed that addresses the concerns of the public and the commission, a demolition delay may be lifted before the 18 month period.

Thanks to the Medford residents who wrote in, or attended in person, to voice their opinions for and against the preservation of this building.

For more on the demo review process at 120 Jerome Street, the posts are collected here.