“Bartlett Historical
Society Museum”
Capital Campaign &
Building Renovation
Frequently Asked
Questions
Divided into four basic sections by topic heading:
1.
Transformation of the Church to a Museum
2.
Fund Raising
3.
Renovation
4.
Miscellaneous
Q: What makes this church
building so special that the Bartlett Historical Society (BHS) is working to
save it?
A: The
mission of the BHS is, in short, to preserve the history of Bartlett.
St. Joseph Church, located in Bartlett Village, was the first
Catholic Church in the Mount Washington Valley area.
Built in 1890, it provided worshipers a local church versus needing
to travel to Whitefield for services.
The church was built with donations from the local community and,
until it was closed in 1999, remained as a central point for local Catholics
to attend services and attend to their spiritual needs.
It was one of several churches in Bartlett to serve the religious
needs and beliefs of the community.
Saving this historic structure is in line with our mission as an
organization and important to the town of Bartlett.
Q: What does the Bartlett
Historical Society intend to change in the renovated structure?
A: Most
importantly, we intend to preserve the character of the church building with
this renovation while creating a museum for Bartlett history.
Aside from a sign on the exterior of the building identifying the
building as the headquarters for the BHS and our historical museum, the
building will look much like it does today with its crosses and same
physical footprint. With the
renovation, we intend to make the following changes:
·
The stained glass windows will be replaced
with new energy efficient windows but we intend to redisplay the stained
glass windows in a shadow box format in the church
·
The pews will be removed but we will restore
some pews and keep them in the museum area of the building
·
The altar will be kept but moved to a
different spot in the church; the traditional altar area will become a
presentation stage
·
We will make the museum building handicapped
accessible with a ramp and ADA lavatory
·
All mechanical systems in the building will
be updated and the structure will be strengthened as needed.
Q: During the renovation, what
items will be saved from the church and where will they be stored?
A: There
are four specific items what will be saved and removed from the church
during the renovation process.
They are the altar, the five sets of stained glass windows, the remaining
pews and the movable pulpit.
All of these items will be stored safely where possible in Bartlett and
under the care of one or more of the members of the BHS Board of Directors.
Q: What does the Bartlett
Historical Society intend to do with the building once it is renovated?
A: After
the renovation is completed, the St. Joseph Church building will serve as a
multi-purpose building and referred to as a “museum”.
The building will serve the following uses:
·
The headquarters for the Bartlett Historical
Society
·
A museum to display artifacts, records and
documents of Bartlett history, open to the public
·
An archive to safely store “The Bartlett
Collection” of artifacts, records and documents
·
A stage for BHS sponsored presentations on
historic topics and gathering place for BHS events
·
A research center for family genealogies and
Bartlett history.
Q: What will the renovated
building be named at the ribbon cutting ceremony?
A: The
Bartlett Historical Society Museum
Q: Where are the historical
records, documents and artifacts of the Bartlett Historical Society kept
today and why can’t that location be the BHS headquarters?
A: BHS
currently utilizes a chalet in the Glen section of town near Story Land to
store its records and documents but this building does not belong to the
society. Also, it is also not
suitable for a full time headquarters due to its small size and the fact
that it is in need of major renovation work as well.
The building holds no historic value.
Other than this site, records and artifacts are located in various
basements, garages, barns and other private homes in Bartlett.
We also have some items on display in the Community Room at the
Bartlett Elementary School. It
is important to note that there are other stores of Bartlett historical
artifacts currently housed and cared for in the Bartlett Public Library and
with a couple of private family collections.
It would be our intention to offer that these collections be stored
(on loan) in the renovated BHS headquarters to make a complete history of
the town available.
Q: Weren’t there plans to move
the building to a new location?
A: Yes, at
one point in time, there was an idea floated to move the building to the
Railroad Park but the selected location is already in use as a youth soccer
field. Additionally, the cost
of moving the building was approximately $40,000, adding to the cost of the
renovation. Finally, moving the
building would mean additional risk of damage to the structure as well as
added cost for a new foundation plus other incidental costs (e.g. special
permits, new utility connections, reclamation of the existing site to name
three). Moving the building
would not eliminate any of the proposed renovation projects.
For these reasons, the decision to move the building was abandoned.
Q: What will this renovation
project do for the Bartlett community?
A:
Currently, in its state of disrepair, the church building is considered an
“eyesore” in Bartlett Village by some people.
And, in fact, it currently does nothing to add to the community.
Renovating the building will revitalize a deteriorating structure,
provide people interested in Bartlett history a place to see documents and
artifacts related to the history of the town and, overall, add another
component to an effort to bring some life back to Bartlett Village.
It will make a basically abandoned structure useful again as a point
of interest for educational and cultural activities in Bartlett as a whole.
Q: What is the commitment of
the Board of Directors of the Bartlett Historical Society to this project?
A: The BHS
Board of Directors is 100% in support of this project both from an historic
preservation perspective as well as financial perspective.
Looking at this project from the historic perspective, this would be
the largest preservation effort ever undertaken by the society.
It will not only give the BHS a new headquarters but also be a major
step in preserving “The Bartlett Collection” of documents and artifacts.
It helps the Board fulfill their charge of protecting this collection
of documents and artifacts.
From a financial perspective, every member of the BHS Board of Directors has
made a meaningful financial commitment to the project.
Q: If someone donates the cost
of a particular renovation and the renovation is completed, what happens to
that renovated item if BHS ends the lease agreement?
A: If the
renovation is a fixed asset in the building and cannot be removed without
impairing the operation of the building, the renovation asset will remain
with the building. If, however,
the renovation asset can safely be removed from the building and the donor
would like it returned to their possession, BHS will work with the school
district representatives to see that the asset is properly returned.
Q: Were other properties
considered for the historical society headquarters that could be less costly
to occupy?
A: An
inquiry was made into the availability of one other property in Bartlett
Village but the owners were not interested in selling the property.
We have also looked at all available properties in the town of
Bartlett to see if there was a suitable alternative to the church building.
None were found. We have
specific criteria that need to be met to even consider a building option.
Key among these items is that the building must be sizable enough to
house a museum and presentation area, the building must be accessible to the
public and the building must be reasonably maintainable.
Q: Why should we give to the
Bartlett Historical Society Museum capital campaign to save a building when
there are so many other “human” needs in Bartlett and the Mount Washington
Valley area?
A: When
making a decision on whether to give to our project versus a “human” needs
effort, we encourage people continue to support the charity of their choice
but we also ask that people consider support our project that is designed to
preserve an important part of our local history and look to the future for
what this renovation effort will do for the community.
We acknowledge that there are many worthy causes to which people can
contribute and we would like to be one of those organizations.
Finally and simply said, history matters.
Our preservation of the history of this town provides educational,
cultural and personal opportunities for people to contribute to the
remembrance of the past and an opportunity to help shape the future of the
town. Put another way, we want
to give current and future generations the opportunity to understand and
appreciate the work efforts, talents, civic commitment and innovation of
their forefathers so they can pass that spirit along to their heirs.
Q: Can the cost of renovation
be reduced through volunteer efforts?
A: To a
certain degree, we can look at ways of reducing the renovation cost through
volunteer efforts. To show our
commitment to the project we are planning to put in a “sweat equity” effort
where possible. Things such as
painting, debris removal and other smaller tasks can be done by volunteers.
We will, however, have professional contractors with one central
project coordinator do the environmental, structural, reconstruction
(including finish details) and utility work involved in the renovation.
This approach provides better assurance that we have a coordinated,
efficient and consistently delivered product in the end.
Also, if there are follow up issues, we have one person to contact.
Finally, a professional contractor is licensed and insured so we
reduce our liability by hiring a contractor.
Q: What happens if the capital
campaign does not raise all of the money needed for the renovation?
A: We are
very confident that through the generosity of the community, we will meet
our campaign goal. However, in
the event that we fall short and cannot meet our campaign goal, we will look
at our options. For example, if
we have met 80% of our goal, we may look to scale back the renovation but
move forward completing the largest part of the project in the process.
If, however, we only secure less than 50% of our goal, for example,
we may offer to return all of the money actually contributed and eliminate
any pledges that are made to the campaign.
Q: What sources of funding are
you considering to achieve your campaign goals?
A: We are
looking at several potential sources of funding.
Potential donors or investors in this project are businesses and
corporations in the area as well as key community leaders and private people
of means in the area. We also
intend to apply for grants at the local, state and national level where our
project meets their eligibility criteria.
Finally, we are looking for support at the grassroots level from
people in the community, including BHS members.
All of these sources added together will hopefully bring us to our
goal.
Q: Would the Bartlett
Historical Society consider borrowing money from a bank or mortgage company
to close a campaign goal gap?
A: If we
fall short of our campaign goal and have exhausted all potential sources of
giving toward the project, we will need to look into options available to
us. For example, if we are
close to attaining our goal but still short of funds, we may look at our
renovation plan to see if we can cut or defer a particular expense and still
complete the renovation. If we
are considerably short of our goal, we may need to take an unwanted step and
stop the project. We are not
looking to mortgage the difference between the pledged and cash total and
the overall goal. We will,
however, most likely need to borrow the funds to cover the difference
between the cash total received in the campaign and the pledged total that
brings us to meeting our campaign goal.
The short term bridge loan would be paid off as pledges are received
over the term of the pledge commitments.
Q: How will the Bartlett
Historical Society pay for the ongoing maintenance of the building after the
renovation is completed?
A: We are
looking at different funding sources for ongoing maintenance.
First, we are looking to start a campaign to establish an endowment
fund for the society from which maintenance costs will be obtained.
Second, BHS will continue doing fund raising efforts such as working
with local restaurants who are willing to donate a portion of their receipts
on a specific evening to the BHS.
Third, we are looking into the options available for other fund
raising and charitable giving opportunities to support the building.
Finally, BHS may apply for specific grants that cover operational
costs for non-profit organizations.
Q: If someone contributes to
the project at a Leadership level, can they have something in the building
named after them or named in memory of someone?
A: Yes,
naming opportunities are available for people making a substantial
contribution to the project. A
list of naming opportunities is available.
Q: Have you talked with (name)
about contributing to the project?
A: We’ve
talked with several people about our project and will check our list to see
if we have them on the list or if we have talked with them.
Thank you for the possible lead.
Q: How
much of the money collected in the capital campaign for the renovation will
actually go to the renovation effort?
A: We will
direct all money gifted to the BHS Museum Fund directly to project
renovation and administration costs.
Renovation costs will be the materials needed to clean and transform
the church into a museum – physical components and mechanical systems.
A very small amount of the money raised will need to go into
administrative costs for running the campaign and renovation effort.
These things will be items such as office supplies, mailings,
announcements, etc. It is very
important to note that no money will be directed to compensation, wages or
salaries for the BHS Board of Directors or any other volunteers in the
campaign. BHS Board members
serve on a strictly volunteer basis and will remain in that capacity.
Nor will any money be directed to current operational costs for the
BHS organization prior to occupying the renovated museum.
Detailed records will be kept to show all income and expenses for the
campaign and renovation effort.
3. Renovation Section
Q: Why does this renovation
project have such a high price tag?
A: After
it was closed in 1999, the building was purchased by the Bartlett School
District but because of issues with exposure to asbestos and lead, school
children were not allowed to use the building.
As a result, the building was turned into a storage facility.
Over the past 16 years, little to no maintenance has been performed
on the building so all of its mechanical systems have suffered from aging.
In addition, the physical structure has been stressed.
On the positive side, the frame and foundation of the building are
sound so we have a good base from which we can work to save the building.
This renovation is designed to strengthen the physical structure as
well as update all of the mechanical systems to make the building safe and
efficient for occupancy.
Q: How much asbestos and lead
is in the building and what is being done about these things?
A: A
recent analysis conducted by a certified NH environmental firm concluded
that our lead, asbestos and mold status is as follows:
·
Lead:
Lead paint has been detected in the chair rail and wainscoting as
well as on the altar, pews and window trim in the building; paint on the
interior walls of the building, covering the plaster, was determined to be
lead free
·
Asbestos:
Asbestos was detected only in floor tiles in the altar area and area
where pews were located (all tiles are under carpeting at present); asphalt
roof shingles and horsehair plaster on interior walls were determined to be
free of asbestos
·
Mold:
Mold spores can be seen on the ceiling plaster as well as in other
areas of the building including the basement.
Our primary concern is the safety of all involved in
the renovation project as well as visitors and occupants of the building
after the renovation is complete.
To that end, we are working with a certified environmental contractor
who will remove all of the lead, asbestos and mold in accordance with state
and federal regulations.
Q: Will the vinyl siding stay
on the building?
A: Yes, at
least for the time being. The
renovation project for the building will focus on the interior of the church
for the most part. The current
siding will be repaired where needed, cleaned and painted but it will not be
removed. If we were to remove
the siding, we would be faced with the job of having the lead paint covering
the clapboards removed by an environmental cleaning firm and then repainting
the building. This would
represent another huge expense for the historical society that we just
cannot cover at the present time.
Exposing the exterior wood would also, over time, add to our
maintenance costs.
Q: Is this building really
worth saving?
A: We, the
Bartlett Historical Society Board of Directors, believe it is.
We have consulted with local contractors who have judged that, while
the building shows definite signs of age and needs a major renovation, the
frame of the building is essentially sound.
The mechanical systems in the building need to be updated for safe
operation. All of this building
deterioration is due to lack of maintenance for the past 16 years.
From an historic perspective, the structure carries a significant
historic background in Bartlett and the Mount Washington Valley area.
It is our position that with a major effort done now, the building
can be repaired and brought back to a useful life.
Q:
How long
will it take to do the renovation of the St. Joseph Church building?
A: We
estimate that the actual renovation project will take about nine to twelve
months to complete. The fund
raising effort could take 12 – 18 months depending on the response of the
prospective donors and community in general.
Q: Can this renovation project
be done in phases?
A: This
renovation project is a major effort involving every component of the
building. While we can do
things such as replace the roof, for example, and stop for a period of time,
we cannot occupy the building until we have safely upgraded the mechanical
systems and fully stabilized the building.
Therefore, while phasing is possible, it will prolong the renovation
project. We feel it is better
to do the full renovation effort in one shot while the contractor is focused
on the work and the building is unoccupied.
4. Miscellaneous Section
Q: Doesn’t the school need the
space now occupied by the church building for additional parking?
A: If the
church building was demolished, the plan was to use that space for
additional school parking and open area.
However, with the declining school population, the need for
additional parking space has lessened over the years.
The Bartlett School Board has no issues with the building remaining
in its current location and current parking situation.
Q: Will the building be insured
during and after the renovation effort?
A: Yes,
there are different policies covering the building.
The Bartlett School District (owners of the building) has the
building covered under a property and casualty policy.
The Bartlett Historical Society has the building covered under a
liability policy that is in accordance with the lease agreement we have with
the district. Finally, the
Bartlett Historical Society will ensure that all contractors working on the
building provide evidence of their liability insurance (including the
general contractor securing a builders risk policy) and workers compensation
coverage. We have already had a
thorough discussion of the coverages needed with our insurance broker.
Q: What are the terms of the
lease that the Bartlett Historical Society has with the Bartlett School
District for this building?
A: The
highlights of the lease are as follows:
·
We have a 25 year lease agreement beginning
on June 1, 2016 and ending on May 31, 2041; there are also two options to
extend the lease by five years to 2046 and 2051 at the discretion of the
historical society
·
Our annual lease payment is $100
·
BHS is responsible for the maintenance of the
building and has permission to conduct a full renovation of the building.
Obviously, there are many other terms and conditions in
the lease that are all focused on the Landlord / Tenant relationship.
The lease also contains language providing BHS the opportunity to
purchase the property if the conditions are right and all parties are in
agreement with a purchase deal.
Q: When
the renovation is completed, will the Bartlett Historical Society allow the
building to be rented for other functions or by other organizations?
A: If BHS
decides to rent the museum to another organization, the organization in
question will have to meet strict and specific criteria for the rental to
occur. At this point, we have
not developed those criteria but we have discussed this topic at a high
level.
Q: Why is
BHS considering moving out of the Chalet in Glen, NH where it currently
stored many documents and artifacts?
A: The
decision to move from the Chalet has several reasons.
1. BHS does not own the
Chalet but is allowed to use the building at the goodwill of the owner; 2.
The Chalet is, itself, in need of repair and renovation and no one is
interested in putting funds into the structure; 3.
The Chalet has worked as a good place to store BHS documents, records
and some artifacts but it is not suited for public visits as a museum, a
presentation hall or historical research facility so it will not meet the
needs of the society going forward; 4.
Finally, the structure holds no historic value.