2026-08-20 - Historical Commission
Summary
All seven commissioners were present, meeting at 5:30 PM and adjourning about 6:04 PM. 1 Westminster Street's garage roof was continued 7-0 to September 3, and a window replacement waiver for 58 Elm Street, Unit 3 was approved 7-0. The longest item was 6 Ashland Street: Pleasant Street Baptist Church sought approval of a new side deck, door, transom and hood after a $1,400 fine for unpermitted work, and neighbor Nancy Quinlan objected on ownership, contractor and fence grounds; the waiver passed 5-2 and the Certificate of Appropriateness 6-1, but a vinyl fence still needs approval. The Commission voted 7-0 to send updated MHRTC letters of support for 1 Exchange Place and two groups of properties. Michelle H. Johnstone reported that the owner's counsel and Patrick Maloney had met about 20 Washington Square with no current plans, and the discussion was continued to the October 29 meeting. Minutes approval was again held.
Summary written from the official minutes; no transcript yet.
Issues discussed: 1 Westminster Street Garage Roof, 6 Ashland Street (Pleasant Street Baptist Church), 20 Washington Square Demolition Delay, MHRTC Letters of Support
Official Minutes
Posted on PrimeGov (summary of actions, not verbatim). Page numbers and the remote-participation boilerplate removed.
Historical Commission
Meeting Minutes
August 20, 2026
Worcester Inspectional Services, 2nd Floor, Room 109, 25 Meade Street, Worcester, MA
Attendance:
Commissioners Present: Erika Helnarksi, Chair
Ana Santos Restivo, Vice-Chair
Vanessa Andre, Clerk
Jeffery Burnett (remote)
Kristen Gutierrez Livoti
Michael Baker, Alternate
Daniel Forster
Commissioners Absent: None
Staff Present: Michelle H. Johnstone, Historic Preservation Manager
Amelia Clark, Intern
Call to Order – 5:30 pm
Old Business
Building Demolition Delay Waiver
1. 1 Westminster Street (01-013-00003) – BDDW-26-17
Petitioner: Luis Castro o/b/o Brian Major
Petition Purpose: Replace garage roof
Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Santos Restivo and seconded by Chair Helnarski, the Commission voted
seven (7) in favor and zero (0) opposed to continue discussion to the September 3, 2026 meeting with extended
constructive grant deadline of September 18, 2026.
New Business
Building Demolition Delay Waiver
2. 58 Elm Street, Unit 3 (03-28E-058-3) – BDDW-26-19
Petitioner: Glynn Norgan o/b/o Bob Michel
Petition Purpose: Replace windows
Robert Michel appeared before the Commission in person. Mr. Michel described the proposed project to replace
the windows in his unit to six over six, vinyl, double-hung windows. He stated that his proposed windows had
been installed by the same installer in his complex several times. Chair Helnarski confirmed that Mr. Michel’s
unit was at the back of the building.
Public Comment: None
Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Santos Restivo and seconded by Chair Helnarski, the Commission voted
seven (7) in favor and zero (0) opposed to close public comment.
Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Santos Restivo and seconded by Chair Helnarski, the Commission voted
seven (7) in favor and zero (0) opposed that the proposed demolition at 58 Elm Street, Unit 3, consisting of
replacing the windows, would not detrimental to the historical or architectural resources of the city of Worcester.
Having received a majority affirmative vote, the motion passed and the Building Demolition Delay Waiver was
thus approved.
List of Exhibits:
Exhibit A: Building Demolition Delay Waiver for 58 Elm Street, Unit 3, dated and received July 20, 2026.
Certificate of Appropriateness & Building Demolition Delay Waiver
3. 6 Ashland Street (03-028-00018) – COA-26-26
Petitioner: Charles Crovo o/b/o Pleasant Street Baptist Church
Petition Purpose: Install new deck and door
Charles Crovo appeared before the Commission in person. Mr. Crovo described the proposed project, which
consisted of a new deck on the site plan in which the door and roof will be removed and destroyed and then
rebuilt. Mr. Crovo stated that an initial fine was issued for $1,400, at which point the property owner came forward
and submitted the application. Mr. Crovo stated that the proposed new entry will consist of a new wood door
hood, paneled wood door, a wood and glass transom window, and a wooden stair and handrail. It is being proposed
for additional egress.
Commissioner Livoti inquired who determined the new location for the deck and hood.
Pastor Jhorman Rivera, pastor of the Pleasant Street Baptist Church, also appeared before the Commission in
person. He stated that there used to be a door further along the wall. Pastor Rivera also stated that the building
was used by the church for housing for the pastor and the worship minister. Pastor Rivera stated that the door had
been closed in at least two years ago. He stated that the current door leads directly to the second floor, and without
this door and staircase, the second floor residents would have to go through the first floor resident’s living space.
Ms. Johnstone stated that the Commission’s purpose was to determine the design for the existing egress door.
Public Comment:
Nancy Quinlan of the El Dorado condominiums appeared before the Commission in person. Ms. Quinland stated
that the residents of 6 Ashland Street are bad neighbors and suggested that the petitioner does not own the
property. Pastor Rivera interjected, stating that the church owns the property.
Ms. Quinlan expressed her concerns over the close proximity of the new door to the driveway and claimed that
the home was not cared for. She stated that there was an ongoing shared fence disagreement. Ms. Quinlan stated
that she was unaware that the building was a two-family home, and had thought it was a single family. Ms.
Quinlan stated that there was not a licensed contractor being used in the project and that the workers had claimed
that they did not need a permit to work on or around the building.
Ms. Johnstone stated that the owner of record is the Pleasant Street Baptist Church and that, according to City of
Worcester assessing records, the building is a two family.
Ms. Quinlan expressed her concern over potential non-compliance with the lead law and young children living at
the building and mentioned that there was also a vinyl fence that had been installed. She also said that the proposed
new entry doesn’t look historic to her at all.
Ms. Johnstone stated that the newly constructed vinyl fence required the Commission’s approval, and that the
petitioners would need to return to a later Commission meeting. Ms. Johnstone also stated that the petitioners
needed to figure out when the door was enclosed and may need to come back to the Commission for that. Ms.
Johnstone stated that the new door construction should not look historic but instead be compatible and
differentiated.
Pastor Rivera responded to Ms. Quinlan’s claims and confirmed that the building is a two-family home. Pastor
Rivera stated that Ms. Quinlan confronted him in public and said that he was only there for the money, to which
he disagreed.
Chair Helnarski stated that the purpose of the Commission was to discuss the architectural elements of the historic
buildings in the City of Worcester.
Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Santos Restivo and seconded by Chair Helnarski, the commission voted seven
(7) in favor and zero (0) opposed to close public comment.
Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Santos Restivo and seconded by Chair Helnarski, the commission voted five
(5) in favor and two (2) opposed that the proposed demolition at 6 Ashland Street, consisting of creating a new
opening on the side of the building to accommodate a new door and transom would not be detrimental to the
historical or architectural resources of the City of Worcester. Having received a majority affirmative vote, the
motion passed and the Building Demolition Delay Waiver was thus approved.
Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Santos Restivo and seconded by Chair Helnarski, the Commission voted six
(6) in favor and one (1) opposed that the changes at 6 Ashland Street, consisting of the construction of a new
deck, an associated stair and railing, and the installation of a door, transom, and hood, are appropriate for the
Crown Hill Local Historic District. Having received a majority affirmative vote, the motion passed and the
Certificate of Appropriateness was thus approved.
List of Exhibits:
Exhibit A: Certificate of Appropriateness & Building Demolition Delay Waiver application for 6 Ashland Street,
July 30, 2026.
Other Business
A. Policies & procedures.
B. Request from Heritage Consulting Group for an updated letter of support for MHRTC allocation for 1
Exchange Place.
C. Request from PAL, Inc., for updated letters of support for MHRTC allocations for the J.C. French
Building, Slater Building, Taylor Farley Organ Factory, and Worcester Boys’ Club (Lincoln Square).
D. Request from Ryan, LLC, for updated letters of support for MHRTC allocations for the Worcester Art
Museum, the Worcester War Memorial Auditorium, and 32, 42, 47 & 50 Lagrange Street.
Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Santos Restivo and seconded by Chair Helnarski, the Commission voted
seven (7) in favor and zero (0) opposed to provide updated letters of support for MHRTC allocation for 1
Exchange Place, to provide updated letters of support for MHRTC allocation for J.C. French Building, Slater
Building, Taylor Farley Organ Factory, and Worcester Boys’ Club (Lincoln Square), and to provide updated
letters of support for MHRTC allocations for the Worcester Art Museum, the Worcester War Memorial
Auditorium, and 32, 42, 47 & 50 Lagrange Street.
E. Invitation from City of Worcester Housing Division to comment on proposed projects at 26 Lanark Street,
3 Anderson Avenue, 14 Indian Lake Parkway, and 23 Orne Street.
No comment.
F. Invitation from EBI Consulting to comment on proposed project at 11 Lake Avenue.
No comment.
G. Invitation from Trileaf Corporation to comment on proposed project at 50 Murray Avenue.
No comment.
H. Discussion of status of ongoing demolition delay at 20 Washington Square.
Ms. Johnstone stated that she had heard from both the owner’s counsel and Patrick Maloney of Preservation
Worcester. Ms. Johnstone stated that the two parties met and that they are keeping their options open and have
no current plans, but conversations will continue. The discussion of future plans for the demolition was continued
to the October 29th meeting.
Approval of Minutes
May 14, 2026; May 28, 2026; June 11, 2026; June 25, 2026; July 9, 2026; July 23, 2026; August 8, 2026
All minutes were held for a meeting at a later date.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:04.
Transcript
Transcript pending: YouTube captions can't be retrieved yet (see the Worcester playbook).