Ye old (125+ years) barn, 134 Montague Road, North Amherst
Another "historic" barn owned by W.D. Cowls, the largest private landowner in Mass, is destined for the dustbin due to age, disrepair and the arrival of Atkins Farms Country Market in a refurbished building only 35 feet away.
The Amherst Historical Commission could enact a one-year demolition delay but that's the extent of their power.
Three years ago the Commission did restrain Cowls from demolishing their trolley barn on Cowls Road, but six weeks after the expiration of the one-year delay the barn came tumbling down after an attempt to shore it up using a backhoe.
Rotting floorboards
The shortlist of reusing the (non rotting) barn boards include: Donation to Emily Dickinson Homestead for a project to recreate a historically accurate barn that was once on site; donation to the Porter Phelps Huntington House in Hadley for a similar historic project; or simply reuse the materials in the upcoming development of "The Mill" all along Cowls Road.
The Mill as envisioned by Kuhn Riddle Architects
This is great news. I hope the historical commission keeps their mitts off it. North Amherst is full of decrepit buildings (and residents) that need to be redeveloped.
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