HISTORIC HOUSE IN WILLIAMSTOWN AVAILABLE FOR MOVING - Harper House c. 1854

54 Stetson Court
4,357 Sq. Ft.

Harper House, 2008
Harper House, 2008

This 4,300 sq. ft. building, originally a home and now college offices, is available to be moved.

Inquiries can be made with Rita Coppola-Wallace, Executive Director of Design and Construction, Williams College: (413)597-3230 or [email protected]

About Harper House

Purchased by the college in 1999, Harper House currently serves as home for the Center for Environmental Studies and the Zilkha Center for Sustainability Initiatives. By the end of November 2014, these organizations will be relocated to the renovated Kellogg House.

General Condition:

Harper is approximately 4,350 square feet and is wood frame construction, with multiple additions and modifications made over time.

Structure:

The foundation is fieldstone and brick masonry that is generally sound, but has areas where water infiltration has deteriorated the mortar. Interior bearing walls are supported by lally columns with steel plate connections to timber beams. Floors are substantial wood-frame construction with the capacity to carry the code-required live loads for residential use. In the basement, the joists are notched at beam connections, so are not supporting to their full capacity. There are isolated areas where the integrity of the frame is compromised by trade cutouts or other modifications. Assumed balloon of platform frame exterior walls with no diagonal bracing. Roof framing is sound,but inadequate to meet snow load requirements. There are no seismic connections at the columns, beams, walls, floors, or roof. The two-story concrete block and wood frame addition between the garage and house (basement and first floor levels) is disconnected from the main house and does not have the capacity to add a level at the second floor.

Building Envelope:

Harper has wood clapboard siding and wood trim that is generally in good repair but there are areas of rot and/or peeling paint. It is assumed that the existing building walls are not insulated. There is spray foam insulation in areas of the basement as well as blown in insulation at the attic floors. Windows are single glazed double hung windows with aluminum storm units on the exterior. The main door is the original wood door and is in need of restoration. It is very likely that there is some lead paint, both on the interior and exterior.

Mechanical Systems:

Some heating pipes in the basement of Harper are wrapped with asbestos insulation and it is likely that there are similar conditions throughout the house. Much of the piping and many of the plumbing fixtures are original. The existing heating system in Harper is an oil-fired boiler with steam radiator distribution. Harper’s electrical service, distribution wiring and emergency lighting are all outdated and inadequate for further use. The house has an older fire alarm system that is inadequate for reuse.