H. H. Richardson House, Brookline, Massachusetts
Architect’s historic home in danger of being lost
The home and office of legendary 19th century architect Henry Hobson Richardson still stands. Located in Brookline, Massachusetts, the future of this historic structure is now uncertain. However, there are those who are taking action. The Committee to Save the H. H. Richardson House is working to preserve this treasured symbol of architectural achievement, and with it, the memory of Richardson himself.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Richardson House to its "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places List" for 2007 (see www.nationaltrust.org/11most for more information). The Committee to Save the H.H. Richardson House nominated the house to the National Trust's "11 Most" listing.
A full-day preservation development charette was held at the house in October 2006, in conjunction with Preservation Massachusetts, in an effort to develop a series of potential re-use scenarios beyond its historic use as a single-family house. Preservation Mass. included the house on its Ten Most Endangered List in 2004, but national attention is needed to find a buyer to save the house from demolition.
The house is at a critical moment in its history right now. A buyer must be found soon who will purchase the house with preservation restrictions to protect its historic features - either as the long-term steward of the house or as a short-term solution to provide immediate relief for the current owner while further options are explored. If a preservation solution is not found in the near future, the house will be sold without restrictions - most likely as a teardown.
For more information, please contact Allan S. Galper, Chair and Co-Founder of the Committee to Save the H.H. Richardson House, via email at agalper@mccarter.com , phone at (617) 449-6572 or fax at (617) 326-3061 . The mailing address for the Committee to Save the H.H. Richardson House is c/o Allan S. Galper, 69 Garland Road, Newton Centre, MA 02459.
"[Richardson was] a thoroughly domestic man. He loved his house above all earthly things." - Architect Peter B. Wight in an 1886 obituary for H.H. Richardson
Please click on the links below for additional information about the H.H. Richardson House and the effort to save it and visit www.preservationmass.org for updates on the status of the house.
Links :
National Trust 2007 11 Most Endangered: HH Richardson Press Release
H.H. Richardson House Email Newsletter, 1/27/07
National Historic Landmark Nomination, 12/06
Photo of Richardson House façade
