The Trust has recruited volunteers to help with the “sidewalk assessment,” which will serve as a preliminary gauge of the extent of damage.
Trees and buildings on the campus of the MacDuffie School in Springfield's Maple Hill District were among the many properties damaged during the June 1 tornadoes.SPRINGFIELD – A local organization, in collaboration with Preservation Massachusetts, has begun a survey of properties damaged in the June 1 tornadoes with a focus on harm done to historic buildings.
The Springfield Preservation Trust has recruited volunteers to help with the “sidewalk assessment,” which will serve as a preliminary gauge of the extent of damage, said Benjamin Murphy, preservation trust president.
The local group will use the information, and working with Preservation Massachusetts, to bring in a group of preservation experts to conduct a more comprehensive assessments of identified properties, Murphy said.
“Springfield’s greatest assets are its homes and its history,” Murphy said in a prepared statement. “The twister cut a devastating path through several historic districts in the City of Homes and the City of Firsts.”
The Maple Hill Local Historic District was hit the hardest, Murphy said. Other districts, including Ridgewood and Lower Maple, were affected to a lesser extent, among districts affected, he said.
“In an effort to restore historic treasures damaged by the tornado – to save these irreplaceable assets – Springfield Preservation Trust has joined forces with state and local agencies to investigate the possibility of programs designed specifically to help repair historic buildings after a disaster,” Murphy said.
The Springfield Preservation Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation in the city. Its tasks have included advocating for the creation of historic districts and fighting against the demolition of historically significant buildings.
A survey in the South End has begun immediately, with volunteers assessing 481 properties on 25 streets, Murphy said.
Volunteers will not go on or inside private property, Murphy said.
The volunteers will identify all historic buildings in the neighborhoods and determine the extent of damage: minor, major or total loss, Murphy said.