LEVERETT — Various structural repairs to the North Leverett Sawmill, work that needs to be done to ensure the witness property to the American Revolution remains standing, could depend on action by Annual Town Meeting voters next month.
The Friends of the North Leverett Sawmill is seeking $391,372 in Community Preservation Act funding to do stabilizing work at the site at the corner of North Leverett and Cave Hill roads. The proposed work entails reinforcing, replacing and adding support masonry, beams, piers and posts on which the sawmill sits, and improving the framing, sub-floor joists and metal support members and beams on the stone foundations.
The Community Preservation Committee recently endorsed the spending so that it can be presented to Town Meeting voters on Saturday, May 2.
Susan Lynton, treasurer for the Friends group, said the CPA money is necessary before embarking on other work at the building that would allow for future adaptive reuse.
“It is very critical,” Lynton said.
Inside the 81-by-29-foot, post-and-beam building, on fieldstone foundations, the main saw remained functioning until the late 1990s. Besides dating back to before the American Revolution, the sawmill sawed the long wooden keels that were used as minesweepers during World War II.
Joseph Slarrow, who first owned the building, was a lieutenant in the Continental Army and later captain. The sawmill was sold in 1779 to Maj. Richard Montague, who fought in the French and Indian War and later served under George Washington.
The sawmill’s future, once the historic rehabilitation is complete, will enable education, community events and a gathering space. It is large enough for theater and musical productions, as well as possibly having movable walls for art and permanent collections.
Structures North of Great Barrington, the consultants hired using a portion of a $683,500 grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, determined that the building, without these improvements, could be susceptible to collapse should it be hit by a straight-line wind.
“We didn’t know it was so structurally unsound,” Lynton said
Construction estimates were then prepared by AM Fogarty & Associates of Hingham, which uses structural specifications compliant with historic preservation standards. Managing the construction process is Clark Green + Bek of Great Barrington and Foresight Land Services of Pittsfield.
The Friends group will enter into a contract with the town, should the money be appropriated.
“While it seems like a lot of money, we have other grants that are specific for other things,” Lynton said.
In addition to community donations, support from local banks and the National Park Service money, the Friends received a $196,000 capital grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to support adding a new well, septic and bathrooms. Meanwhile, the group is seeking $448,560 for dam repairs from the Mass Ready Act. Portions of the National Park Service grant can be used for new floors and windows, but not the stabilization work.
Lynton said the hope is that residents will see the value in the project.
“It’s on the town seal, it’s our town icon,” Lynton said.
The sawmill is also next to a mill pond that is a source of water for firefighters, who recently used that to battle a nearby house fire.
Over the past few years, the Heritage Park & Nature Trails have been built adjacent to the sawmill and feature informational kiosks along the walks, with a half-mile loop trail funded by $82,082 from the town’s Community Preservation Act account.
