Trolley Station on North Pleasant Street, built 1911 destroyed 5/29/12So I can't help but wonder if this inappropriate demolition of a historic structure is a reenactment of the murder of Thomas Becket by King Henry's stooges, who thought his highness had officially ordered it.
On Tuesday a construction crew trashed the historic little gem that state officials in Boston wanted to preserve for a while longer but local UMass officials made perfectly clear they wished it gone, gone, gone.
Gone without a trace
Interestingly, the dirty deed happens soon after thousands of students--potential witnesses-- leave campus and hidden from view by a new fence. The first time UMass tried to demolish it back in 1994, a faculty member blew the whistle--thus giving the structure a long reprieve.
Coincidentally enough this unauthorized destruction occurs only weeks after Amherst Town Meeting showed strong support for maintaining the integrity of historical structures by overwhelmingly passing the Dickinson Historical District zoning bylaw.
Yes, our local Historical Commission had requested this particular building be preserved but they have no authority over UMass, thus they could not issue a one year demolition delay. And even if they did issue that official restraining order, this despicable deed was supposedly done independent of owner (UMass) oversight.
Said historic preservation pit bull Joseph Larson, "Contractors can sense this indifference and are more likely to misbehave." Indeed.
looks nice,why did the want it down?
ReplyDeleteSupposedly in the way for the new $85 million academic building which, ironically, will house the Journalism Department.
ReplyDeleteBut even if it was in the way, it could have been moved.
Outrageous! These institutions always talk equality (and then pay their staff poorly), talk environment and then pollute (such as the coal pile), and teach history and preservation and then destroy artifacts.
ReplyDeleteThe construction company should be compelled to put the building back up (or one exactly like it) somewhere else. It was a beautiful little building. I always took note of it when I drove by.
ReplyDeletewhy is that ironic?
ReplyDeleteBecause job #1 for a journalist is to seek the truth and report it--especially when the Powers That Be wish to keep it a secret.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a proud moment...for anybody. Pass the word.
Exactly when will anyone at UMass get in trouble for breaking the rules?
ReplyDeleteWake me up when they do something more than just write a letter....
Can't wait to tell Umass Telefund when they call me why I'm not contributing. As an alumna and an Amherst resident, this really set me off. This is something that can't be undone... it was such a beautiful little buildling.
ReplyDeleteso now there are several hundred loose bricks sitting around - just itching to be pitched through the windows of the offenders.... but who *is* the offender? (it's like what tom joad said in the grapes of wrath: you can't shoot a bank that forecloses on your farm....)
ReplyDeletea few years ago a suburban land speculator bought the first house i built near a big city down south - the new owner promised to fix it up, but instead let it sit for several years before knocking it down - ten thousand bricks i would have loved to bury the fellow under, but better to think like a buddhist at such times....