The Historical Commission will determine if it will grant Michael P. Stolpinski, of Westfield Electroplating Company’s (WEPCO) request to tear down a building at 50 North Elm St., which will contain a loading dock for WEPCO’s shipping and receiving operations. The building being targeted for demolition is the former Foster House Tavern, left, a building with a long connection to the city’s railroad history and which was once a rooming house and tavern serving railroad workers. (Photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – A North Elm Street business owner is requesting the Zoning Board of Appeals to approve a special permit to allow construction of a 7,300-square-foot addition.
Michael P. Stolpinski of Westfield Electroplating Company (WEPCO), located at 68 North Elm Street, is seeking the special permit under Article IV, Section4-10, paragraph 3, which controls the expansion or alteration of preexisting, non-conforming structures by more than 10 percent of the current square-footage. The current WEPCO facility is 36,157 square feet in area.
Sage Engineering & Contracting of Servistar Industrial Way, is representing WEPCO in the ZBA appeal process that will be the focus of a 7 p.m. public hearing to be held tonight in room 315 of City Hall.
Sage submitted the special permit application that states that “The existing building is no longer adequate for Westfield Electroplating, Inc. to carry on their business, making it necessary for them to expand the size of their building.”
The addition would be a slab on grade foundation with conventional steel beam frame and concrete block, load-bearing walls.
Sage will also represent WEPCO tomorrow night at a hearing before the city’s Historical Commission slated for 6:30 p.m. in room 206. The Historical Commission will determine if it will grant the company owner’s request to tear down building at 50 North Elm St., to make way for the addition, which will contain a loading dock for WEPCO’s shipping and receiving operations.
The building being targeted for demolition is the former Foster House Tavern, a building with a long connection to the city’s railroad history and which was once a rooming house and tavern serving railroad workers. The Pioneer Valley Railroad yard is to the west and directly behind both buildings.
Historical Commission Chairwoman Kitt Milligan said the Foster House building, constructed in 1843, is on the city’s notable homes list.
“The owners have petitioned us to allow them to demolish the building, which requires the commission to issue a Certificate of Historical Review,” Milligan said. “If the commission chooses not to issue the certificate, the owners have to wait 90 days before they can demolish the building.”
