Work abounds on Annapolis' historic houses

Work on the Maynard-Burgess House in downtown Annapolis, like most historic structures, can be a time-consuming - and costly - labor of love.

In the works since the city purchased it in 1996, the historic building is finally taking shape - inside as well as out - and city officials have big plans for the piece of African-American history.

But it's not alone.

Following calls for a renovation of City Hall, preservationists are looking over many historic buildings around the city. Whether it be for preventative work, such as at the Hammond-Harwood House, or a general overhaul such as at Maynard-Burgess, work on historic buildings is hot and doesn't appear to be cooling down any time soon.

The Maynard-Burgess house was home to two African-American families from 1847 to 1900 - the Maynards and the Burgesses. John Maynard purchased the Duke of Gloucester property in 1847 and improved it during the following decade, expanding the one-and-a-half story structure to a full two-story dwelling with entrances in the front and rear, dormers and a massive central brick chimney.

The work tripled its property value at the time.

City officials are hoping to turn the house into a museum detailing the lives of African-Americans in the 19th century.

"African-American history in the 19th century is not frequently addressed, especially the role of free blacks," said Donna Hole, the city's chief of historic preservation.

But the building still sits empty across from City Hall, nondescript and without an entrance. Its door is raised up off the sidewalk without the accompanying staircase.

Annapolis Architect Jeffrey Halpern is working to fix that. He plans to add both the front and back porches, as well as restore the windows and doors and make the building handicap accessible, Ms. Hole said.

Work had nearly come to a halt before being revived in 2003. By that time, nearly $500,000 had gone into renovations to bring the home up to museum-quality standards.

But at least $450,000 is still needed, Ms. Hole said. Recently, the project received a $50,000 grant from the Maryland Historic Trust and there are still several thousands of dollars in grants pending approval.

"All of that is very expensive stuff you don't normally see," she said. "We've got the shell of the house almost finished and we will move on to the interior work. The interior is major and will take a number of more grants and we will be looking for money from other sources and agencies."

At one point, officials considered turning the Maynard-Burgess House into offices for the Historic Preservation Commission. But dealing with several building code issues would have meant more time and even more money.

"Part of the problem of using it for Historic Preservation Commission offices would be a lot of issues with the floor load, bearing the weight of all our records," Ms. Hole said. "The kind of traffic we have in there would require changing the entire physical aspect of the interior and to change it to be able to withstand an office load."

Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said she hopes to have a celebration for the row of homes along Duke of Gloucester Street once the Maynard-Burgess House is completed, which could be as early as the spring.

"It's been more than a decade in the making," she said. "It'll be a pretty big occasion."

Also on Duke of Gloucester Street, the City Hall building will be receiving some much needed attention.

Following the collapse of a section of decorative molding in the City Council chambers in July, a committee was formed to examine restoring the building to its 19th-century glory. Headed by Alderwoman Julie Stankivic, I-Ward 6, the committee has been working to secure grant money, while researching the former look of the building.

Officials hope to have at least the council chambers renovated and restored by the city's 300th anniversary celebration in 2008.

Jewel of Annapolis

Officials at the Hammond-Harwood House also have big plans, beginning with work on the roof of the 232-year-old building. From there the sky's the limit, said Carter Lively , director of the house.

Workers just started this month to replace the roof on the building known for its architecture and rich history. The roof replacement is more preventative than anything, Mr. Lively said. The roof was worked on in the 1920s, but hasn't been replaced since St. John's College purchased it shortly after.

The home's current owner, the Hammond-Harwood Association, purchased the building from the college in 1938.

"It's a whole different world from restoration on one's home today," Mr. Lively said. "We don't have leaks, but you don't fix something under the gun - you move slow."

Mr. Lively said they believe the weight of the slate installed in the 1920s has weakened the base of the roof and officials are currently working to make sure the underside is structurally sound one wing of the building at a time.

Mr. Lively said he didn't have a cost estimate for the project since the foundation is still in the investigation process. But he said it won't be cheap with each of the five roofs to be fixed.

The association has already hit each of its members for donations and the Capital City Colonials have coordinated several fund-raising events, including a tea with Mattie DeNune, an 18th century woman portrayed by Donna Alves.

Mr. Lively also said the cost could rise is workers uncover other problems or situations that may require preventative maintenance during the investigation.

"This is one of the best Colonial homes in the world," he said. "This house is more important than a tremendous amount of people realize. It's a real jewel and we're going to do it right."