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| Pitt House |
It’s been a challenging nine months for the Colrain Historical Society. According to a 2017 engineer’s report, needed repairs to the Pitt House and its outbuildings would cost an estimated $84,000-$120,000 if the property is classified as a museum/business, $68,000 if it is classified as a residence.
The town, which inherited the property in 1976 under the will of G. William Pitt, with the provision that it was to be used by the Historical Society, is financially pressed by the need to repair two bridges, among other demands. To cut expenses, the Select Board would like to sell the property, which would require agreement by the voters at the annual Town Meeting in May. At this writing, the town has asked consent of the state Attorney General to dispose of the property. Probate Court would also have to approve a sale, even to the CHS at a nominal fee.
Loss of the use of this property, with its storage for a large collection of artifacts, documents, photographs etc., and as a meeting place and a museum, would, of course, be catastrophic for the Historical Society and, we think, a loss for the town.
Historically the Pitt House was a residence and remained so until several years ago, when insurers suggested that for liability reasons it would be better if we ceased to have a caretaker/tenant in the house. At present there is no tenant and it appears that this change of use will require a new Certificate of Occupancy.
Without a Certificate of Occupancy, none of the buildings can be open to the public---no meetings or programs, no museum. Our architect, Joseph Mattei, tells us the buildings can be brought up to code one at a time. So we are focused now on lighting updates and handicap accessibility to the Stacy Barn, where we will again have our meetings/programs this summer. Next in order of priority is shoring up the foundation under the barn. And finally the Pitt House, which under code requires costly foundation work and handicap accessibility.
As historic buildings in the town disappear---first the Inn, then Memorial Hall, now the Blue Block---the Historical Society will work with the town to preserve and share what remains of the town’s material history.
The article above was reprinted from the 2018 Historical Notes, the newsletter of the Colrain Historical Society.
Below is an excerpt of an article that was printed in the April 30, 2018 edition of the Greenfield Recorder.
Colrain awaits AG opinion on Pitt House sale
By DIANE BRONCACCIO
Recorder Staff
Monday, April 30, 2018
COLRAIN — A recent state Supreme Court ruling that a Pittsfield art museum can legally sell a Norman Rockwell painting donated by the artist himself has resonance in Colrain, where town officials want to know if an 1840s home can be sold.
After receiving a legal opinion from KP Law, the Selectboard is seeking State Attorney General Maura Healey’s consent and approval of Probate Court to sell property that G. William Pitt created as a “public charitable trust” and willed to the town for a history museum.
The Selectboard would like to sell the building to the Historical Society, which would then be responsible for fundraising and making improvements to the property. But if the Society doesn’t buy the building, the Selectboard would like to see the property put back on town tax roles, and have the historic collections removed to another place for safekeeping.
Read the entire article on the Greenfield Recorder website: http://www.recorder.com/Colrain-awaits-AG-opinion-on-sale-of-Pitt-House-16978119
