Interest generated for history group's art center

The Springfield Art & Historical Society has had a few inquiries from people interested in buying its home, Miller Art Center on Elm Hill.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140821/NEWS02/708219944

Originally built in 1827 and then rebuilt betwen 1861 and 1865 the Miller Art and Historical Society building that overlooks Main Street in Springfield is being sold due to the high costs of maintaning the structure. Photo: Photo by Len EmeryPublished August 21, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Interest generated for history group’s art center By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Art & Historical Society has had a few inquiries from people interested in buying its home, Miller Art Center on Elm Hill. “The status is, we are coming back and we have a lot of new members,” Jim Chlebak, president of the art and historical society, said Tuesday. But while the group is recovering some of its lost membership, the fact still remains that Miller Art Center must be sold, he said. “The consensus is, the building was not suited to our continuing mission,” said Chlebak, a music teacher at Springfield High School. Selling the building will allow the society to focus on its core mission, he said. “The de facto mission has been taking care of the building. That’s not part of our real focus,” he said. The building has been listed for sale since spring with local real estate agent Lori Muse. According to Muse’s website, the property, together with a two-story carriage house and two acres, is priced at $299,000. The main building is described as 5,185 square feet with four bedrooms and four baths. “It’s an iconic building,” Chlebak said. Muse said Wednesday that there had been a surprising amount of interest in the historic building, and most of that interest was coming from out of state. “I have been very pleased. There’s been a lot more activity than I anticipated, and it’s because of the significance of the architecture,” she said. Muse said there had not been any firm offers on the building yet. The building was given to the town of Springfield in 1956 by the Miller family. Edward Miller held many positions with the Fellows Gear Shaper Co., and personally held more than 100 patents for machine-tool designs. Chlebak said the society had been in touch with the Miller family about their intention to sell the house, which was originally constructed in 1861-65, then extensively renovated in the early 1900s. Chlebak said the dilemma of house museums had been the subject of a New York Times article earlier this month. “And we’re not even Mount Vernon,” he said, referring to the Virginia home of President George Washington. Chlebak announced the society would hold its annual meeting Sept. 18 at Miller Art Center featuring a concert by the Comtu Chamber Players. The group includes Stuart Stocker, tenor; Karen Engdahl, piano; Miranda Bogardus, cello; and Kathi Byam, flute. The group will perform love songs, a classical set, Irish and French tunes and Scott Joplin rags, Chlebak said. The brief annual meeting of the society will follow the 7:30 p.m. concert, which is free and open to the public.