Memorial Hall Library Entrance Construction Project 1994 and St. Francis Seminary: Difference between pages

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Dedicated in November of 1930, The St. Francis Seraphic Seminary, a Catholic school to train boys for the priesthood, was built at 459 River Road near the Tewksbury line. The seminary was closed in 1977.  The building then became part of the Franciscan Retreat and Conference Center. The Seminary building was razed in October 2016 to make way for a privately developed 55+ residential retirement community "Riverside Woods." The Town agreement with the site developer called for preserving a section of land along the river as open space. Access to the AVIS and town-owned trail systems as well as a parking are for hikers was planned.
[[Image:stfrancis.jpg|200px|thumb|right|St Francis Seminary With Christmas Lights - A popular holiday sight form the mid-1930's to the mid-1960's
''Andover Townsman'', December 25, 2014, page 14]]


In 1993, Memorial Hall Library undertook a front-entrance and foyer redesign project. The primary goal of the project was to return the building to a front landscape and walkway design closer to the original 1920's design. Local landscape architect Peter Hornbeck ([[Hornbeck, Peter]]) designed the entrance and Andover architect Jane Griswold supervised the installation which included native plants and flowers, an oval brick patio and granite curbing and park seating. Project funding included individual and corporate private donors, Memorial Hall Library Trustee funds and state funds.
'''See'''
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The front entrance project was originally part of a major 1987 renovation and addition project. Due to a state-funding budget shortfall, the front-entrance redesign project was not underway until  the summer of 1994. The Andover Historic Footprints Committee, led by Ann Constantine, Norma Gammon and Larry Lamagna raised more than $60,000 from private donations to ensure the completion of the work.  
* "St. Francis Seminary Lights Drew Thousands of Onlookers,"'' Andover Townsman'', December 18, 2008.


In addition to the exterior work on the property, the library's front foyer was enhanced with decorative painting featuring a border with the names of New England authors and ivy vines. A plaque comemorating the Historic Footprints donors was mounted in the foyer at the time.   
*[http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/x528363060/Elderly-housing-proposal-considered-for-River-Road/print Elderly Housing Proposal Considered for River Road, Franciscan Center Land.  ] ''Andover Townsman'' May 12, 2011


A small delay in the completion of the project was reported on in the September 1, 1994 edition of the Lawrence Eagle Tribune. The delay was due to the fact that the granite curbing company delivered pieces that did not fit as they were supposed to. The final dedication for the new park landscaping and stonework as well as a newly renovated foyer was held on January 8, 1995. The foyer was dedicated to  Nancy Jacobson who served as Director of Memorial Hall Library from 1974 to 1993.
* [https://preservation.mhl.org/439-river-rd 459 River Road, Andover Historic Preservation Profile.]
*[https://www.newburyportnews.com/news/regional_news/iconic-seminary-in-andover-torn-down/article_3a85a149-5da6-56cc-a6ab-713fdfb49630.html Iconic Seminary in Andover Town Down] ''Newburyport News'' October 26, 2016
*[[Media:200UnitPlanEagleTribune5_31_2015.pdf|200 Unit Plan for River Road in Andover]] ''Eagle Tribune,'' May 31, 2015


See


Andover Townsman, ''Library Park Foyer Dedication'' January 1, 1995
Andover Townsman, " ''Another Small Delay in Memorial Hall Library Construction''" September 1, 1994


[[Image:MHL94RedesignArticles.jpg|thumb|...''Front Entrance Redesign Articles''.... click to enlarge|left]]




[[Image:MHLFrontEntrance.jpg|thumb|...''MHL Front Entrance''.... click to enlarge|left]]


[[Image:1993MHLFrontEntranceRedesignBrickFundraiser.jpg|thumb|...''Brick Fundraiser Flier''.... click to enlarge|left]]








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Revision as of 11:40, 6 July 2021

Dedicated in November of 1930, The St. Francis Seraphic Seminary, a Catholic school to train boys for the priesthood, was built at 459 River Road near the Tewksbury line. The seminary was closed in 1977. The building then became part of the Franciscan Retreat and Conference Center. The Seminary building was razed in October 2016 to make way for a privately developed 55+ residential retirement community "Riverside Woods." The Town agreement with the site developer called for preserving a section of land along the river as open space. Access to the AVIS and town-owned trail systems as well as a parking are for hikers was planned.

St Francis Seminary With Christmas Lights - A popular holiday sight form the mid-1930's to the mid-1960's Andover Townsman, December 25, 2014, page 14

See

  • "St. Francis Seminary Lights Drew Thousands of Onlookers," Andover Townsman, December 18, 2008.







--Stephanie (talk) 11:13, 6 July 2021 (EDT)

--Eleanor 15:53, August 17, 2011 (EDT)
--Leslie 16:23, July 31, 2012 (EDT)
--Eleanor (talk) 15:33, 22 January 2016 (EST)

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