HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter to YHC from W GlassG 2 ARC H rrFr r---r 11? lam' I m r-
April 26, 2023
Yarmouth Historical Commission
229 MA 6-A
Yarmouth, MA 02675
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Re: New Home at 6 Wellfleet Avenue, W. Yarmouth, MA (Yarmouth Campground)
Dear Members of the Yarmouth Commission,
I thought, as the Architect of Record on the above captioned project, I should draft a letter to the
Commission concerning the existing condition of the property and comment on the facade issue.
From your prior inspection of the property, it is too far gone for any level of responsible renovation; the
carpenter ants and termites have taken a huge toll on the entire structure. My understanding is that the
Commission's desire is for the front faVade to be maintained; my gut tells me there may not be enough
wood left in this wall to hold screws, let alone be lifted or moved. We would like to propose an alternative.
Though we have yet to do exploratory demolition on the interior it can be visibly determined that the facade
has been mutilated over time. The entry doors are possibly original, but perhaps not in the same location
as the original frame; it looks Iike the frame was moved. Also, the windows on either side look to not be
original; old, but not the original by virtue of the skirt board being on the outside at the window base. This
is an interior trim detail; the original would have been installed on a sill without the skirt base.
In my humble opinion, the new construction would be better served if we replace the facade out of new
material "exactly" the way the original facade would have looked. We will re -use the existing entry doors
and perhaps the upper window (if code allows), but replace the paired 4-lite side windows with new
casement units in the appropriate length. The vertical boards and exposed rafter jacks will be recreated and
the rain diverter over the door maintained. The decorative corner braces on the screen door would be a
great touch on a new wood screen door.
I lived for 18 years in Washington Grove, MD, an 1862 Methodist summer camp in suburban Washington,
DC. It was created at the same time with the same program as the Yarmouth Campground; train ride out
of the City for access, a center tabernacle and a lake for bathing, washing, swimming and ice farming. I
renovated several buildings there and became intimate with their idiocyncrasies; like 16 or 18/12 roofs!
Since this structure dates to 1875, it appears that its construction was motivated by being one of the first
tents to rot away. The building is about 2/3 scale; literally a wooden tent! The builder was perhaps pressed
into making it look like a tent since it was an early replcement. It was too early for the Gothic style of the
late 1870s and 80s to have been design determinant.
We can put this facade back to the original. Our suggestion is to preserve and prop up the existing facade
throughout the construction so that the Commission can approve the replica prior to demolition.
Respectfully submitted,
William K. Glass, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP — MA 953366
G2 Architecture, Inc.
3525 Bonita Beach Rd — 110, Bonita Springs, FL 34134 239-877-2500 wkglass@gmail.com