Mount Greylock Tower Project Seeks Code Waivers
 The state is seeking variances on accessibility requirements as it plans a nearly $2 million renovation of the Mount Greylock War Memorial. |
ADAMS, Mass. — The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is hoping for a $1.8 million renovation of the 80-year-old War Memorial atop Mount Greylock.
But the amount the project entails means the tower must fully comply with federal handicapped accessibility requirements.
Jeffery Harris, a preservation planner with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, met with the Historical Commission on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the alterations — and to ask for a waiver.
"Ever since the tower was built in the '30s there has been chronic water infiltration, and we are at another critical moment with the tower where the water infiltration has increased to the point where we had to shut down the tower to the public," Harris said. "We need to undertake some major improvements to make it functional again."
The stone tower has been closed since last year and isn't expected to reopen until late 2016. The renovation provides an opportunity to make the tower more accessible, said Harris, but full compliance would compromise the historical integrity of the structure.
Harris asked for a letter from the commission stating that and noting that variances would be needed.
"We are looking for some variances that would allow us to use some alternative measures that aren't meeting the full letter of the law in terms of code, but still will provide some level of access to the tower in light of the adverse effect that would occur if we have full compliance," he said.
The tower has one ramp that allows access to the terrace, but there is no access to the chamber. He said there would be a ramp at the entrance of the vestibule and one that goes down into the memorial chamber. He said access to the chamber itself will be provided by a curving ramp that would take the place of a utility room.
He said these ramps do not meet the slope requirement for handicap access but are close.
Another alteration Harris added was railings leading onto the terrace. He said for full compliance each entry would need a railing, however, Harris said they are asking to put one on the most used entrance.
He said these alterations would have minimal impact on the structure.
Harris said complete compliance to the tower would mean access to the observation level on the fifth floor of the tower. He said this is not feasible.
"We would have to build an addition to the tower with some sort of bridge over, which obviously would have a major impact on the tower," he said.
Harris said the plan is to put static images of the various views from the observation level on the lower part of the tower. He said the images would change every season and would be a good alternative because there is often no visibility from the observation level because of fog.
The committee agreed to write a letter approving the needed variances. The letter will go to the Massachusetts Historical Commission so it, too, can approve the variances.
Tags: DCR, handicapped accessibility, historical building, historical commission, Mount Greylock,
