Michael Tierney and Michael Tierney, Jr. of Landford Fowler Tavern with Architect Christian C. Carey. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – The Community Preservation Committee voted to approve a grant to restore the 1755 Landlord Fowler Tavern, located at 171 East Main St. during its regular quarterly meeting on Thursday.
Michael Tierney spoke on behalf of the request of $180,000 for exterior rehabilitation to the Tavern. Tierney said he is the previous owner, having sold the rental property to his son, Michael Tierney, Jr. He said they broke the restoration of the historic building into two parts; the doorway, for which they previously received a $28,000 grant, and the exterior. He said John Carlo Woodworking is reproducing the door, and Saloomey Construction will do the exterior.
Tierney said last March 22, the Tavern was hit by a car, which triggered the plans to repair the building, a low-income rental property for the family. He said when they started going through the building, they realized they had a historical gem on their hands, and had “one chance to do it and do it right.”
Tierney said he went before the Historic Commission to discuss the restoration, and the project started to get a life of its own.
The exterior of the Landlord Fowler Tavern on Main St. in Westfield is seen after damage was done to the historic doorway after a car accident in 2018. The original doorway is in the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. (WNG file photo)
CPC member Cynthia Gaylord, who represents the Historic Commission, said the Tierneys are currently reproducing the door to look like the original door when the Tavern was built. She said the original door is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and is considered a prime example of a Connecticut Valley broken scroll pediment front door. “We are delighted it’s being restored to its original look,” Gaylord said, adding, “This building is definitely worth saving. We’re in support of this.”
Architect Christian C. Carey of Westfield ran down the project to restore the exterior for the committee. He said it will involve re-siding, new trim and new windows, which will be replaced by true divided windows. He said the plan is to use a cementitious siding rather than wood, which is more durable, but looks and cuts like wood.
Carey said the roofing also needs to be replaced, and they are trying to get back to a slate look. “The idea is for people to drive by and not notice a thing, except for a cleaner, crisper look,” he said.
CPC members William Porter and Cynthia Gaylord. (Photo by Amy Porter)
CPC At-large member William Porter questioned whether the $180,000 would pay for the whole exterior renovation, and asked how much the Tierneys would be contributing to the project, other than the $10,000 insurance settlement from the crash. Porter said normally, CPA projects are 50% matching funds. “I’m a little uncomfortable putting 100% into this project,” he said.
“We’re doing the restoration because it’s going to be something for years to come,” Tierney said. He said the building is a six-unit one-bedroom low-income housing, and not worth putting in $90,000 for them. “This is something the city has to embrace or want,” he said, adding that they have put in a year of work and hired an architect, when they could have done the job in two weeks.
“As a member of the committee, do you think this is the best way to spend $180,000 of taxpayer dollars,” Porter asked the committee.
Tierney said they were there to do whatever the committee wanted them to do. Otherwise, they would go back to the original plan.
CPC Committee Chair Thomas Sharp asked Tierney if the city invested the funding, wouldn’t that increase the value of the building. Tierney said not to forget there are historic restrictions. He said there would be no financial gain for them, but in the long term, “absolutely” it would increase the value.
The committee then discussed the possibility of paring down the project, by restoring only the street side of the façade, or using less expensive materials.
Michael Tierney discusses the Landlord Fowler Tavern project with the CPC. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Tierney said the only way to do the restoration would be to strip it out, and get into the attic. He said when he started the process, he didn’t know the CPC guidelines. “Why waste our time? We can do something, but not 50%,” Tierney said, adding that he was a bit blindsided by the request.
Gaylord said the door was the Historic Commission’s number one priority, but, “I would hate to lose this building. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places, and we have so few.”
Muto asked Tierney if not 50%, how much could they contribute. Tierney said 20% is something they could live with. “The ball is in your court,” he said.
CPC alternative member John Bowen, representing the Planning Board, said the city has already invested in the building, referring to the $28,000 grant to restore the doorway. “It seems to me this is an all-in or all-out kind of thing. The front only is not helping the building,” Bowen said, to which Muto agreed.
Sharp said he was on board with a 20% contribution, which CDC member Dan Kelly said would bring their share down to $145,000, and the Tierney’s share to $35,000. Kelly then made a motion to approve, which passed unanimously.
Vinskey reminded Tierney that they would not get the funding until the historic restriction, which was already placed on the project for the previous grant, was finalized with the state. He said the funds would come out of the undesignated CPA funds, which has a balance of $808,000, with another $65,000 anticipated from the state this year.
“We’re very happy,” said Tierney, following the vote.
Later, Vinskey commented to the committee that actual matching contributions from applicants are all over the place, and not necessarily at 50%.
