1. “Preserving our past ; protecting our future.”
Peters High School Annex (1930)
Southborough Police Station
( ? )
Good evening, My name is Kate Matison, I am member of the Historical Commission. I need to point out that the HC has not taken a formal vote on this project.

2. Former Peters High School Annex was designed by well-known Boston architect Charles M. Baker ( c.1937)
In 2000 the Southborough Historic Resources Survey pointed out that this building has survived with “remarkably little change to the exterior despite its conversion to a police station.”
The Historical Commission fully supports the idea that the police facility needs to be updated to increase public safety. BUT the experience of other MA towns shows you can renovate an old building and create a state-of- the-art police facility.
Examples include a) the current police station in 1971 , b) Bayside Engineering renovated a police station in Brighton, c) Webster Construction updated the Town Hall & Police Station in Whitman MA.
So far Town officials have hired the firm of Durland van Voorhis in New Bedford who also have experience renovating police stations
As advocates for preservation we would like the town to try once more to look at the building and come up with a better solution.
These days, old buildings are routinely being retrofitted to make them more energy efficient.

3. Charles M. Baker
1. Fayville Baptist Church (1919) 2. Community House (1921)
3. Fire Station (1927) 4. Peters High School Annex (1930)
The Map shows Charles Baker’s ensemble of buildings, whicht he designed for Southborough.
Fayville Baptist Church on Central St. is a Greek Revival structure converted to an office building.
Baker was an important Boston architect who designed buildings all over New England . He graduated from Harvard, During his career he designed many schools including the Natick High School, the Marlboro High School, and the Danforth Museum, in Framingham, a former school and community center.
He lived in Framingham in a Colonial Revival House he designed which was featured in House Beautiful Aug. 1917

4. North / West Elevation Why keep the building?
Because a fine collection of historic, classical buildings makes the Town more attractive
It helps maintains property values.
It fosters civic pride.
It provides context for future development.
Does the Professional Building on Main Street add the same value to the town? Will a one-story new structure on Main Street add the same value to the town ?.

5. Why preserve this historic building?
Few remaining examples of Colonial Revival style in Southborough
Classical and Colonial Revival styles defined “American style” in the late 19th & early 20th centuries.
Popular for schools, municipal buildings, banks and suburban houses
Only building left of Peters High School complex.
One of three brick municipal buildings that survive on Main Street
“American style” and why it was created American designers created an architectural style based on an idealized colonial past.
If you read local School Committee reports in the 1920s, educators were very aware of the need to unify America after waves immigration & WW I.
!n 1919 Massachusetts passed the Americanization Law. Schools were partially reimbursed for organizing evening classes for foreign-born parents.
These classes taught English language and hygiene; women could learn to cook American meals. All these efforts were aimed at making American democracy secure.
Preservation is about saving the history of the town as told in its buildings and landscapes.

6. Rear Garage
This garage in no way detracts from the historic main block. Modern additions are acceptable as part of preservation projects.

7. Principal façade with typical Colonial Revival entrance
What we’re looking at is a classical façade that displays a pleasing combination of symmetry and proportion, the basis of classicism
The next few slides focus on the fine architectural qualities of the building

8. Main Entry
Main entrance has a bold classical pediment over the doorway, pilasters frame the entry --- this is vintage Colonial Revival ornament.

9. Colonial Revival Details
Close up showing decorative dentil course (like teeth)

10. Condition
After 78 years we have relatively little degradation.

11. South End
Large single Palladian window sometimes called round-headed window. There is another single Palladian window at opposite end.

12. Single Palladian Window
View of the window from inside . Palladio, Renaissance architect revived Greco/ Roman architecture 16th c. Italy

13. Colonial Revival Details
The bold keystone at the top of the window surround is typical of 19th century and 20th century American buildings.
Note the dentiled cornice which wraps around the whole building.

14. South / East (Rear) Elevation
Southeast corner where proposed addition could be attached

15. Fire Station designed by Charles Baker (1927)
Here is Baker’s design for the Fire Station now the Southborough House of Pizza.
This is an example of a very successful conversion that has become popular eatery in downtown.
Notice the cupola on the roof. There is a similar cupola on the current police station, and of course on the old State House in Boston.

16. Community House (1921) designed by Charles Baker
Under the current proposal a new one-story police facility connected to the fire station will cost 7 million dollars.
Under the same proposal renovating the current police station with an addition will cost almost 8 million dollars.
Again what price do you place on preservation and enhancing the downtown area, which residents say they value (Master Plan).
Can we bring the price down for the renovation? We need to try !. A costly proposal like this requires more options.

17. energy time cycle comparison demolition of existing building
How long does an efficient new building have to last to equal the total energy of an existing building if the existing building is demolished and partially salvaged ?
Embodied energy: 800 – 1,600 MBtu/sq ft (existing material)
Embodied energy: 800 – 1,600 MBtu/sq ft (new material)
Embodied energy: MBtu/sq ft (salvage/recycling)
Total Embodied energy: – 2,600 MBtu/sq ft
answer : 35 – 65 YRS
The concept of embodied energy as defined by Richard Moe, president of the National Trust
“ Buildings are vast repositories of energy. It takes energy to manufacture or extract building materials, more energy to transport them to a construction site, still more energy to assemble them to a construction site, still more energy to assemble them to a building. All that energy is embodied in the finished structure --- and if the structure is demolished and landfilled, the energy locked up in it is totally wasted. What’s more the process of demolition itself uses more energy --- and of course the construction of a new building in its place uses more yet.”

18. The End