A look back
April 5th, 2010There is an office building next door to our house that I don’t usually think much of. It’s big and has a parking lot all around it. For the most part it’s ugly, but harmless, on occasion the people coming out of the parking lot take a left instead of a right and go down our one-way street in the wrong direction (which is dangerous considering it’s only one of two streets for ambulances to use that are leaving the hospital) but that’s another post. There are two entrances: the front, facing Myrtle St. and the back, facing Thurber (and Marian High School).Â
I walk by the back of this building all the time and just assumed it had always been a place just to store the trash cans and for the tenant that lives above the offices to park.
I didn’t know if this building was built as an office or what but one day a very nice reader whose grandparents lived in this building wrote to me and sent me a photo of her grandmother standing outside and I was amazed by how different it looked. It has a much more pleasant appearance as a home before converting it into a big white block of office space surrounded by a moat of pavement.
It made me realise what a crime renovation can be. I would love to live next door the building in the second photo.Â
I know people buy properties and have to make them rentable and they can do whatever they want, but I’m so curious as to what a lot of places downtown would look like if they hadn’t fallen victim to vinyl siding and the landlords cared a little more about maintaining the character of a building.
Thank you Judith for the photo!
*I’m noticing from the comments that I might offend people by my mention of vinyl siding. but I just wanted to point out that it’s common when the siding is installed over wood, that decorative woodwork is often just sawed right off. And I agree vinyl siding has come a long way but unfortunately, sometimes the end results take away from the building’s original style. So it’s more than just the siding itself, but the ornamental details used in older architecture that end up getting destroyed because of that process. These are just a couple pictures I took on my walk this morning:
These buildings are across the street from my house:
I don’t know how, but from what the person who sent me this photo, the building in the background of this photo is one of the two buildings above:
Unfortunately you live in a community that does not care about the look of the property as long as it is taxable. Who would let one paint a house extreme bright yellow (Concord Street near Route 9)? The town needs to get back to its roots and encourage owner-occupied and perhaps some tax breaks for those who “tastefully” improve their properties. Ironically, some of the social services agencies have actually improved properties - old nursing home on Framingham Green (next to the Historic Society) and the upgrade to the old home on Winter Street. A good example of ugly is the two new houses built on Salem End Road between Winter and Temple. Why the town approved these makes me wonder.
Comment by Chris Martin — April 5, 2010 @ 9:33 am
As a guy who lives in a vinyl sided house, I think vinyl siding gets a bad rap. When we first moved in 23 years ago, it was sided with asbestos siding from the 1940s and looked horrible. Underneath the siding is white clapboard, but it would need to be painted every 2-3 years. NOW, as far as the house next door to you, I’ve driven by it a million times and I agree that as a house in the distant past it looked 100% better. What’s sad also is the 2-3 old houses on Lincoln St which are owned by the hospital and are unoccupied and in disrepair.
Comment by Rev. Bob Baril — April 5, 2010 @ 10:29 am
The problem with the remodel isn’t the vinyl siding (which has come a long way from the old days and, now, can be almost indistinguishable from painted wood, unless you get right up next to it), it’s the removal/reduction of the windows! That’s what’s turned it into an ugly box.
Comment by Sandra S. — April 5, 2010 @ 8:51 pm
I agree with Chris Martin on both points: the two new houses on Salem End are ugly (and the one closer to the street is the uglier); and there should be an incentive in Framingham for making a property look a little nicer.
But since we’re on the issue of ugly new properties, the worst example has to be that prefab monstrosity masquerading as a ‘Colonial’, just off of rte 9 on the north side of Temple St. This was the nice wooded corner lot where the owners illegally removed six or seven beautiful old majestic hardwoods (oops!), replaced them with a garish row of cheap evergreens which summarily died in six months, and wedged this two story, barely windowed so-called home onto the postage stamp lot. Gross, I say, and all too indicative of the lowest-common-denominator that Framingham lets greedy people get away with.
Comment by Matt — April 5, 2010 @ 10:00 pm
It is not a new house that I am commenting on, but talk about the town not caring what people do to their houses. Has any one seen the grotesque green house on the back side of Bowditch Field? Not only is the color awful, but the fake bricks painted on the chimney are awful as well. Not to mention the tall reflectors and candles that surround the house. And the yard strewn with junk. I pass it once in awhile on my way to Whole Foods via Rt .9 (near Ski Market) and am floored every time I see it.
Comment by s — April 6, 2010 @ 11:18 am
My father has a vast collection of old Framingham postcards. It’s interesting to look at a card and try to figure out where the picture was taken given all the changes. Some of the changes are scarey but they’re all inevidable.
It would be nice if there was a “historic district” like in towns like Concord where home owners are required to adhere to certain regulations when doing renovations or remodeling.
Comment by Susie — April 6, 2010 @ 1:02 pm
Susie,
Framingham has a historic district in the town center and homeowners are required to go before the historic commission before getting approvals.
As an owner of an antique home, over 200 years old, my family has inherited the ‘errors’ made by previous owners. Many of these cannot be corrected since it would violate modern building codes to restore homes with the proper windows and doors, let alone the interiors which the public doesn’t see. Surely we can paint our houses period correct colors but that is about it. Over time, the trees on these properties mature and die, fall victim to nature or car accidents (yes on my property 3 trees have been damaged by car accidents) or are cut down (legally or illegally) or brutally limbed by utility companies.
One thing that people need to remember about antique houses, they require a lot of TLC. Most homeowners do not want to give them the attention that these houses need. So, there is a much smaller number of potential buyers and the owners often find ways to modernize their homes.
So while it would be nice to keep antique homes in their original condition, it is not practical nor is it economically feasible.
Comment by Mark — April 6, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
I’ve seen old pictures of houses on Waverly street–which are still there–and it’s a tree-lined oasis! And it wasn’t wealthy people who lived there back then, either. I think historic districts help both directly and indirectly.
Incidentally, if your house is more than 50 years old it is considered an historic property and any exterior renovations are supposed to go before the Historic Commission for review.
My grandfather put aluminum siding on his old dutch colonial farmhouse in New York state–it preserved the structure and saved him some money, but as for aesthetics–not so much!
Comment by Kevin Swope — April 6, 2010 @ 4:16 pm
Right, Kevin. Any house over 50 years old requires Historic Commission review before the owners can do *anything( that changes the exterior. People with older houses should review the Town By-Laws, in particular regarding Demolition Delay.
Comment by Perry — April 6, 2010 @ 7:23 pm
If this is correct “. . . any house over 50 years old requires Historic Commission review . . . ” there has to be tons of violations. I live up by the college and my home was built 1915. I have spent 20 years in restoration (special milling, stone/brick work, rebuilding windows etc). It is a labor of love (most of the time), but feel it is my obligation to the community ensuring my property stays within the original character. I realize this is not possible for those without the income to support historic restoration, but often owners do not do not investigate possible economic but tasteful improvements. Most seem to be landlords (not living in town) looking for the fast buck and could care less about the quality or visual look of their rental property. There should be a free/volunteer service in town made up of local professionals (architects, master carpenters, masons, landscape, designers etc) willing to come out to those without any idea what to do and guide them on what can be done and how to remain in character to the region (offering suggestions, referrals etc). I am fortunate to possess the talent to do my own work plus have relatives that are master carpenters, masons and architects, so I was able to get professional advise. The town has many great properties that should be restored. I would love to see the village common brought back to original configuration including gardens, granite/wood fencing and a decent Gazebo.
Comment by F.A.Martin — April 7, 2010 @ 9:13 am
I grew up on the north side of Framingham, but have lived on the south side now for 30 years. This is a great website and it brings back lots of memories of good times and old places from way back when, when I was growing up. Thanks for doing this. I graduated in ‘74 from North High and I can tell you now, those were the good old days!!! Thanks again. Jo
Comment by JoEllen McNeil Jones — April 7, 2010 @ 8:35 pm
Ever consider volunteering to be on the Framingham Historical Commission?
Comment by Perry — April 25, 2010 @ 7:29 pm
What’s odd is that in Framingham people ruin classic homes that have character without penalty. But then Framingham will enforce ordinances like the signage rules which effectively amputates a lot of the character from businesses in the town. See this site’s Fun&Games entrance photos for a quick example.
Comment by Nostalgio — April 26, 2010 @ 7:32 am
I’ve noticed that house in the first two photos and a few others in that tiny area between the hospital and Marian. They’re all beautiful structures, many of them (badly) altered or neglected. I think for years people were waiting for the hospital to expand and turn them into parking lots or raze them for new medical structures. I hope they come back.
Comment by Gene Cassidy — August 9, 2010 @ 7:47 am