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Commission denies demolition-delay waiver but grants financial-hardship certificate for 4 Westinghouse Parkway windows
Summary
The commission declined to waive the 12-month demolition delay for window replacements at 4 Westinghouse Parkway but granted a certificate of financial hardship, allowing state-subsidized vinyl window replacements with grids on front and side windows and no grids on five rear windows.
The Worcester Historic Commission voted against a waiver of the 12-month demolition delay for a proposed wholesale replacement of windows at 4 Westinghouse Parkway, then approved a certificate of financial hardship that allows the property owner to move forward under specified conditions.
Applicant Jennifer Veto told the commission she seeks to replace about 18 defective wood windows and that the work is part of a state-subsidized program that requires vinyl, triple-pane windows to qualify for funding. Commissioners questioned whether the windows are original to the 1915-era house and discussed whether grids should be included; staff said the state program will not pay for wood windows and that the contractor agreed to install grids to match neighboring properties where feasible.
On the first vote the commission found the demolition-delay waiver would be detrimental and voted unanimously to deny it. On a subsequent motion the commission found that issuance of a certificate of financial hardship was necessary to avoid undue economic hardship to the owner and approved the hardship certificate by roll call, with commissioners specifying that front and side windows should include grids while the five rear windows need not. The decision permits the owner to use the state program’s vinyl windows under the approved conditions.
