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Historical Commission continues All Saints Church window request after staff says plan won't meet federal rehabilitation standards
Summary
The Worcester Historical Commission continued a request from All Saints Church (10 Irving Street) to June 5 after staff said the proposed window changes would not meet the Secretary of the Interior standards required for Community Preservation Act funding.
Chair Diane Long convened the discussion May 22 after Sam Smith, rector of All Saints Church, asked the commission to approve higher-grade replacement windows on the Irving Street elevation.
The commission continued the application to the June 5 meeting with a constructive grant deadline of June 20 so the church can await results of a Community Preservation Act (CPA) grant application and revise its proposal if needed.
The persistence of the issue centers on standards tied to CPA funding. Michelle Johnstone, staff to the Historical Commission, told commissioners, "To qualify for CPA funding all of the planned work needs to meet the secretary of the interior standards for historic rehabilitation, and this plan does not." Johnstone also read the city design review guideline that replacement windows must match the historic sash, configuration and operation: "Install replacement windows of the same type, sash, configuration, and operation as the historic windows. Historic double hung windows should be replaced with new double hung windows. Historic casement windows should be replaced with new casement windows."
Sam Smith said the church had submitted a CPA grant and based its bid on replacing the front (Irving Street) elevation windows — about 20 openings — with higher-grade, wood-clad units with exterior grids. He said the vestry still needed to decide whether to proceed and that the church had hoped to replace some casement windows with double-hung units for maintenance reasons.
Commissioners and staff explained the practical effect of CPA funding and the commission's guidelines: CPA-funded projects typically require in-kind replacements and preservation restrictions, and a change in window operation (for example, casement to double-hung) generally would not meet the Secretary of the Interior standards or the city's design guidelines. Staff suggested phasing the work if the congregation wants higher-grade windows but must meet the SOI standards under CPA.
The commission voted to continue the item to the June 5 meeting. The motion carried by roll call: Commissioner Santos (yes), Commissioner Holnarski (yes), Commissioner Thierman (yes), Commissioner Northway (yes), Commissioner Andre (yes), Commissioner Taylor (yes), Chair Diane Long (yes).
The continuance preserves the church's ability to revise its scope after CPA decisions are final and avoids starting a new application if the commission denies the current request.
