Does your house have outstanding exterior architectural features or social significance to the city—did, for example, a prominent city resident once live there?
In addition, is your house more than 75 years old?
The city has just received a matching grant of $10,000 from the Massachusetts Historical Commission to conduct a city-wide historic properties survey, according to local Historical Commission Chairman Carol Seitz. She said she received the grant letter Saturday.
Early this year, the City Council approved a special allocation of $10,000 requested by Mayor Scott Galvin for the project, Seitz told Woburn Patch yesterday.
The survey means an architectural preservationist will, for the second time, work with the city’s Historical Commission to identify houses with architectural or social importance, Seitz said.
The advantage of being listed, Seitz said, is having the property’s history. There are no disadvantages or limits placed on the property, she said.
The first survey of historical Woburn homes by a professional was done in 2008, according to Seitz. That survey placed buildings like the Burdett Mansion, the Armory and the Graham Funeral Home on the city’s inventory of historic properties.
This time, the consultant and commission will look for houses that are “still important, but not as fancy,” the local commission chairman said.
Out of the city’s 3,000 homes that are at least 75 years old, 162 were placed on the local inventory after the first survey, Seitz said.
At that time, the city received $18,000 from the state, Seitz said; the city contributed $12,000.
A crop of 210 more homes are in the final stage of being added to the inventory list, Seitz said.
After the next survey, as many as 200 more properties—”we hope”—could be added to the list, Seitz estimated.
The local historic commission researches properties’ histories for the survey, according to Seitz. The consultant does the architectural analysis, she said.
Members of the local commission are already keeping their eyes open to properties that “look interesting,” Seitz said.
Residents may also contact the commission themselves to find out about their house’s past.
“We’ll research it,” Seitz said. If the house meets the criteria, it could be added to the inventory, she said.
City officials must formally accept the grant, in writing, by the beginning of April, Seitz said. The commission will then prepare a Request for Proposals to hire an architectural preservationist. That person must have certain training, Seitz specified. “It’s expensive,” she said.
The Historic Properties Survey Study must be completed by May 10, 2013, Seitz said. The results must be submitted to the state Historical Commission by June, 2013, she noted.
City grant writers prepared the grant application for $10,000 from the state Historical Commission, Seitz pointed out.