Phelps House fixes, Town Hall repair plan in line for $190K in Hadley CPA funds →

HADLEY — Community Preservation Act money for an initial phase of fixing up an early 19th-century farmhouse at the Porter Phelps Huntington Museum and hiring an architect to evaluate and prepare the 1840 Town Hall for renovations is being recommended by the CPA C0mmittee.

At its March 4 meeting, committee members unanimously endorsed spending a combined $190,000 from the CPA account to fund proposals that will come before voters at annual Town Meeting in May. The money in the CPA account comes from a 3% surcharge on property tax bills combined with a match from the state.

For the 1816 Phelps House, $150,000 would go toward about $250,000 in critical priorities, including roof stabilization, structural reinforcement in the basement and abatement of mold. Phelps House was built by Charles (Moses) Porter Phelps across River Drive from his childhood home and has been in disrepair since last being occupied in 1988.

“I think this is a fabulous proposal,” said committee member Andy Morris-Friedman. “I can’t think of a better use for CPA funds. I hope it can be first of many cooperative efforts to make a historical focal point of Hadley.”

If approved by Town Meeting, there would then be a grant agreement between the nonprofit museum and the Select Board, with the money available in July.

The only other CPA project proposed is repairs at Town Hall. Department of Public Works Director Scott McCarthy explained that exterior work is needed, including to the windows, siding and cement steps at the rear of the building.

“We’re looking to get some funding together and to make repairs,” McCarthy said.

The $40,000 in CPA money will pay for design services to evaluate the building and then prepare a design and construction bid documents.

“We’d like to keep the building as historically correct as possible, using modern materials,” McCarthy said.

Town Administrator Carolyn Brennan said a breeze goes through most of the offices in the building because of the failing windows, many of which are caulked in place and haven’t been washed or cleaned in many, many years. “They are not repairable,” Brennan said.

The front steps, side steps and the ramp also need to be looked at by experts.

Morris-Friedman said it is tricky to use CPA money when talking about replacing something historic, like windows, with possibly modern windows. But since the money is only being asked to pay for architectural work, not the actual purchase of windows, he didn’t see a problem.

“For this particular project, I don’t think that’s an issue,” Morris-Friedman said.

Town Hall has benefited from CPA money in the past. In 2006, the CPA Committee recommended and Town Meeting approved $150,000 for painting the building the following year, preparing it for the town’s 350th celebrations in 2009.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.