Matters ▸ Attachment
CPC Funding Recommendation Somerville Museum FY22 — File 212880
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR
Somerville Museum FY22: Historic Collections Storage Renovation
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Somerville Museum requests CPA funds to complete the design and renovation of the museum’s
collection storage areas. Currently the museum’s historic art and artifacts are in storage in a warehouse
off site while the elevator installation and other renovations take place. To enable the collections to be
returned to the museum, the storage areas must be renovated to provide for climate control, flood
protection, and space optimization, and to upgrade electrical circuitry, lighting, and storage furniture.
ELIGIBILITY
Historic Resources: This project would rehabilitate a historic building, enabling it to be used for its
intended purpose.
RECOMMENDATION
On November 17, 2021 by a vote of 8‐0‐0 the Community Preservation Committee recommended
approval to City Council that the Somerville Museum be awarded $157,352 of Community Preservation
Act funds for rehabilitation of its collection storage area, as described in their application presented in
October, 2021 from the following accounts:
Category: Historic Preservation
Recommended Funding Source
Amount
Grace Baptist Church Historic Preservation
Improvements FY22
Historic Preservation Reserve
$157,352
FUNDING CONDITIONS
Where relevant, improvements must be compliant with ADA and MAAB regulations.
Upon commencement of the Project and as appropriate, the Somerville Museum will post a
sign stating that the Project was funded through the City of Somerville’s Community
Preservation Act program.
JOSEPH A. CURTATONE
MAYOR
CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
ALIGNMENT WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS
The Somerville Museum serves Somerville residents, as well as school students, researchers, artists,
musicians, historians, and cultural organizations throughout the city. The project will enable the
museum to continue to provide educational programming, community gathering space, and awareness
of Somerville history in a building which is currently undergoing accessibility improvements including
the installation of an elevator, which are also partly funded with previously awarded CPA funds.
PROJECT BUDGET AND SCOPE
CPA Expenses
Amount
Construction
$157,352
Soft Costs and Supplies
$0
Total
$157,352
Sources
CPA funds
$157,352
Private Donations and Grants
$285,944
In‐kind Contributions and Indirect Costs
$81,499
Total
$542,795
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
The goals of this project are to:
• Create a functional storage room that provides adequate conservation conditions and
collections access in accordance with criteria established by the International Center for the
Study of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property
The full original proposal is available at:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ifa.somervillema.gov/documents/cpa/somerville‐museum‐cpa‐fy22‐
application‐final‐1.pdf