The Town of Ashland moves forward with renovating the barn at the Valentine Estate Property.

Driving past the Valentine Estate Property on Route 135, you will notice the construction fence on the property. 

Construction officially begins on the Valentine Barn to completely restore the structure. The goal of this project is to bring the barn to usable condition. This is a unique project as the scope of the work is indicated by the current conditions of the barn. 

Before the harsh winter months set in, Mill City will secure the foundation before beginning a complete restoration.  This project is estimated to be completed by the Spring of 2023. 

This construction plan is a new concept proposed by Mill City. Initially, the Town of Ashland created a bid opportunity, soliciting limited repairs to the roof and part of the foundation of the Valentine Barn. When Mill City was selected, further investigation revealed the necessity to increase the scope of the project. they reevaluated the scope of the project and proposed a new plan to secure the foundation and renovate. 

Town Manager Michael Herbert and Building Commissioner Doug Scott presented the recommendation to move forward with the full renovation at the Select Board Meeting on Sept. 21. The Board voted unanimously to approve Mill City’s proposal, allowing the company to begin working on the project. 

There is a very detailed process to transform the barn. First, Mill City will completely repair the foundation, which will encompass the existing foundation pieces in concrete, with the exterior section being poured below the exterior grade. A new concrete floor will be poured into the crawlspace along with new footings for new column posts. The heavily rotted back rear corner of the barn will be rebuilt using new timbers.

This work to secure the structure is imperative to complete before the harsh winter months set in.

The barn’s future plans for inside the barn include removing the horse stalls. One stall will be put back into place to keep the historic aesthetics of the barn. Additionally, the rotted floor joists will be replaced with new timbers, and the entire first floor will be replaced with new lumber. 

On the exterior, the roof will be stripped, and approximately 30 rafters will be replaced. The existing siding and trim will be completely removed. Windows that have been boarded up will be replaced with new replica windows. New siding and gutters will also be installed.

The entire exterior will be stained, including the trim, with a color selected by the Select Board.

The funding for this project totals an additional $578,000 from the original price point, $345,000. $750,000 in ARPA Funds and $120,000.00 in CPA Funds (some of which has been spent to clear the grounds) is set aside for this project. The Town Manager presented an article at the November Town Meeting adding money to fund the remainder of this project. 

“It is a significant investment, but at this project plan’s completion, the town will have a functional barn that is safe for the community to use,” said Herbert.

He continued, “I also want to thank our Building Commissioner, Doug Scott, who is a timber-frame expert, for sharing his expertise and guidance in overseeing this project.

Those who have driven by the property have seen the outdoor area transformed by the removal of invasive species, trash, and brush. Michael credited a number of volunteers, and specifically Carl Hakansson and Robin Hicks for the many hours of work on the property.