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Welcome to Barcroft Neighborhood
Restoration of the Barcroft Community HouseProgress!The dumpster arrived on December 29, day one of the contract.Here is a photo of the demolition stage taken on January 4 
Original GoalsThe Barcroft Community House is a small building erected in 1908 by the Methodist congregation. It has served as a focal point of neighborhood activity since that time. It may be the only original one room wooden school house in Arlington. It was sold by the Methodist Church to the Barcroft School and Civic League in 1914, and continues to serve as the neighborhood meeting house. The Community House is of great historical interest and extreme value to Barcroft citizens. It represents the pride and dedication of our ancestors, and is irreplaceable. Its construction and style reveal much about the community established here in the early part of this century. The neighborhood will make every effort to maintain this building in impeccable condition, and keep the grounds beautiful so that citizens passing by will be certain of the neighborhood's sense of pride. The house should serve as a meeting place to address local concerns and resolve situations that can only be done with community effort. It should also be used as a place for interesting activities that promote the community spirit that has been evident since the construction of the Barcroft Community House. Need for RestorationIn the 1970's and 1980's the BSCL had not kept pace with the building's needs. Exterior painting had been kept up, but other parts of the structure were deteriorating. In addition, community standards had moved beyond the conditions of the basement bathrooms, just as they moved beyond the outhouse which was replaced by those indoor bathrooms in 1935. The building had no hot water, a cluttered and inconvenient kitchen, poorly ducted heating, an old and oversized furnace, inadequate lighting and inadequate electrical wiring. Finally, the main meeting room had become shabby over the years as both the ceiling drywall and the beaverboard drywall on the walls had warped and cracked. The floor was covered with 1950's vinyl tile, detracting from the historic appearance. Even the signature mullioned windows in the main hall needed glazing and other repairs.The Barcroft Community House was in great need of thorough and careful renovation to fit it well for functions such as neighborhood dinners, concerts, art shows, wedding receptions, and other community get-togethers. These are the types of events for which it was used in the earlier years, and they helped to make it the center of community life. We have restored the building to that functionality level, but are not quite finished yet. For such events the kitchen must be fully functional and equipped with appropriate appliances, counter space, cooking utensils, and plenty of storage area. The bathroom had to be relocated in a place that was accessible for the handicapped. Handicapped accessibility was needed for the entrance to the building and main meeting room as well. We wanted the meeting room to have an attractive look with the original finished wood floors, and new drywall covering the walls. We also wanted to return the ceiling to its original cathedral configuration. The stage needed restoration. The heating system needed to be replaced, in part to take advantage of the smaller, more efficient furnaces now available, and in part to make space available in the kitchen area for the bathroom. A central air conditioner eliminated the unsightly window units which once damaged the exterior paint. The foundation needed repointing. Because of the historic significance of the Community House great care was exercised during the entire renovation project to maintain historical perspective as well as a functional approach. Some external repairs required approval by the Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board. From a historic perspective, this plan is intended to fit out the Community House to continue its role in the next century. Our original goal was to complete the restoration by the middle of 1996. That seems naively optimistic now. We decided not to incur any debt, but did expect to draw down our building fund substantially, if not completely. Fundraising has continued throughout the period of the restoration, using a tax-deductible fund set up as the Barcroft Community House Fund. (Tax rules prevent ordinary donations to the BSCL itself from being tax-deductible.) Here is more on the fundraising effort. The following sections outline steps taken and underway to restore the Community House. Stage One: Short Term Repairs - CompletedThe foundation needed pointing of the mortar and stabilization of one large stone which was loose at the NE corner of the building, We also needed to add soil around the foundation to create a slope for water drainage. The roof required replacment as well, and that was done. Our exterior paint jobs begin to blister and crack after a few years. We have improved their longevity by spending more on preparation, but have not fully resolved the problem. We now regard painting as maintenance rather than restoration. GroundsThe lawn surrounding the Community House was barren, with minimal grass cover and a few ornamental plants contributed by neighbors. Renovation of the Community House grounds began before the turn of the century through the efforts of neighborhood landscape designer Scott Brinitzer, but in March of 2000 it became a memorial work for his partnew Caroll Letellier, who died in the prime of life from a heart attack. Scott's plan for the landscaping of the grounds has now been largely executed, with the renovation of the grass, as well as planting of trees, shrubs and flower beds, some donated by the Woman's Club of Arlington. This plan included the addition of a new white picket fence and new plant material around the grounds, forming a screen from neighboring properties and a natural frame for the Community House. We also added a sprinkler system. Much of the labor has been performed by Scott's landscaping crews, but volunteers assist as well. Friends of Scott and Caroll contributed generously to the cost of the fence and garden renovation. A plaque inside the Community House door explains the memorial nature of the garden, and Scott continues to perform the lion's share of maintenance chores.The Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board provided a historic marker with a brief history of the Community House in front of the building.
Stage Two: Kitchen, Bathrooms, Utilities, RampA committee led by Jim Kerr consulted architects and worked up plans for the kitchen and bathroom, as well as the replacement for the heating and addition of central air conditioning. BSCL Board Member David Michaelson volunteered to be our General Contractor. We removed the huge old furnace from the kitchen, updated the kitchen with new appliances, counters and cabinets and installed a new bathroom in the kitchen area. This section of the building had been renovated in the past to improve functionality, and we retained that focus for the area. Under David's direction subcontractors also installed the new dual stage furnaces and air conditioners in the attic above the stage, including the necessary duct work. The central air conditioner used an outside unit which required approval by the HALRB, but they refused permission to remove the interior chimney installed for the old furnace. A new and very small hot water heater under the kitchen sink provides hot water for both kitchen and bathroom.The electrical system had been cobbled together over a period of 80 years, and was in need of some updating. The service head was be moved to the rear of the building. A few circuits were replaced with newer wire, some new circuits were added, and all switches and plugs were checked for possible replacement. The accessibility ramp was stalled for years until we received a grant from the Warren Stambaugh Foundation, an organization that memorializes the man who was our State Assemblyman and died much too young in the prime of life. Delegate Stambaugh lived in Barcroft, and was the Grand Marshal in our first 4th of July Parade. We have details about the ramp on this page. It is done in solid masonry whose mass comes close to the original feel of the historic building rather than looking like it was tacked on around the turn of the century. Final Stage: The Main Meeting RoomThis part of the building raises the most concerns about historical preservation, since it will affect the always-visible public areas of the building which largely give it its character. It is important that all renovations be faithful to the historical period to which the building is being restored: original schoolhouse, expanded schoolhouse, 1930's Community House, 1950's Community House.The "beaverboard" wallboard in the main meeting room has warped and deformed with age. Although liberal applications of calk to seal cracks and paint have improved its appearance, it needs to be replaced. The original walls were wainscoting below and plaster above. The wainscoting around the lower walls will be retained and extended a littl higher, with drywall replacing the current beaverboard above. The original floor was oak. It was covered in asbestos tile in the 1950's. We left the tile in place and covered it with a new oak floor in 2000. A crew directed by Barcrofter and master floor installer Mark Trone laid the new floor in a single day. On that same day another crew under master carpenter and craftsman Bruce Atkinson installed a new picket fence outside to replace the 1950's chain link fence. Scott Brinitzer designed the new fence, and the improvement in the exterior looks of the Community House was striking. Dancers find the new floor ideally responsive, although reinforcing was required below to accommodate the Bulgarian folk dancers who use the Community House weekly. The original ceiling was higher than the current one. Parts of it are still in place in the attic formed by the newer, lower ceiling. This stage of renovations will remove the more recent dropped ceiling and restore the older high ceiling. That will require adding ceiling fans to improve air circulation. Here is an elevation of the original and modified ceiling and roof bracing.
The lighting in the main room has never been adequate. We are planning to retain three chandeliers, and use wall sconces to provide more light. Barcrofter Wendy Jordan, a professional interior designer, volunteered to help with the design for lighting, ceiling fans and paint hues. Here is her final design, adopted in December 2012 just before renovation began.
Chandelier: Troy Alexander F2668
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