HISTORIC RESTORATION.
The Rehabilitation of 558
The rehabilitation of the building will allow it to serve, once again, as the organization's headquarters, which will reignite the League's service in Boston. It will also provide much needed affordable housing to female graduate students attending Boston colleges as was done during the 1940's and 50's. The renovation to the building will open its doors to an even larger community, reaching out to local schools, agencies and colleges via educational programs and events.
Restoration
The League is currently involved in restoration of its historic home. During the 1980’s the Friends of 558, a consortium of African American women’s organizations with ties to the League, lent financial and moral support to the restoration. In 1997, the League received a matching grant from the Massachusetts Historical Society enabling it to replace a badly needed roof. It also received a grant from the City of Boston’s partners with non-profit program to complete the roof renovation. The League continues to work to restore this jewel to its former luster. As one board member aptly put it, “We do this because we are determined to maintain and restore this monument to the many unsung heroines whose work and dedication preserved 558 and contributed to the betterment of the community.”
Feasibility
The League won a competitive grant from the MA Historic Commission and combined with some other fundraising we have begun to move forward with a feasibility study to codify the repairs. The Conditions Assessment and Feasibility Study currently being prepared by the architecture and preservation firm Spencer, Sullivan & Vogt will precisely detail the scope of work and prioritize the phasing, by most important, all while assigning priorities of scope and cost to each phase. This process will allow the League to respond to the overall, much needed, rehabilitation of the building in a cost effective manner and within a realistically determined budget that can be folded into a larger capital campaign. All efforts will be made first to stabilize any deteriorating features that characterize the historic nature of the building. Care will be taken to preserve all salvageable details. A major priority will be to protect intact features that are adjacent to areas where stabilization work takes place. Missing details will be recreated to blend in with the existing detail with the greatest degree of artistry. Features such as the ornamental ironwork that has been removed from the building will be reinstalled to complete the restoration in its entirety and make the building look as it did when it was first constructed.
Sustainability
One of the results of the Feasibility Study and Conditions Assessment is that we will be able to determine the amount needed for a blended capital campaign. It will denote the funds that will be required and put in cash reserve for major improvements. The concept is to avoid the accumulated needs of deferred maintenance by saving money for major projects on an annual basis. In addition, there will be annual operating costs related to utilities, insurance, and minor maintenance (cleaning, etc.). Together, this will determine the annual recurring budget needs for the building and with it consideration of potential operating revenues. Invariably, complex historic sites are hard-pressed to cover their costs from their annual operating revenues; therefore, the ideal is to generate an endowment sufficient to cover the shortfall. The dedicated endowment for building maintenance along with the identified critical capital needs will be the basis of the upcoming fundraising capital campaign.
Timeline
The project is conceived of in three phases. The first phase of the project addresses the exterior and structural issues. Addressing any structural distress is a priority, followed by addressing compromises in the masonry and building openings in order to create a weather-tight envelope. Once building envelope and masonry issues are dealt with, the next step will be to restore all exterior architectural details. Another feature to be restored is the iron balcony that had to be removed from the building. New windows will be required at almost all locations as well as refurbishing the doors. An accessible entry route into the building will need to be created in this phase. Once the envelope work is complete, updates to the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection will be required to meet current code requirements. After the structural and mechanical upgrades, there will need to be a thorough repair of all moisture damaged elements at the ceilings, walls, and floors. There will need to be cosmetic work to paint and restore architectural details, restore and reinstall flooring. Another element of this stage of the project will be to implement vertical access through the building so that it complies with accessibility requirements, through installation of an elevator. Finally, the revamping of the building will include restoration of the existing front cast iron fence and rear wall as well as new landscaping in both the front and rear gardens.
Support the League
The League is currently involved in the restoration of its historic home. In keeping with its past, the restoration will enable the organization to present lectures and forums to the community, and accommodate other groups needing a meeting space.
In 1997, the League received a matching grant from the Massachusetts Historical Society enabling it to replace a badly needed roof. It also received a grant from the City of Boston’s partners with non-profit program to complete the roof renovation. The League continues to work to restore this jewel to its former luster and preserve the history of the service of women to the community.
Make a tax-deductible Gift to the League
Please visit our Donate page for more information or feel free to mail a check or money order to "The League of Women for Community Service" 558 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02118. Please note in the memo if your donation is for Historic Preservation or a League program. Thank you.
