By Frank M. Costantino
Over the last week or so people may have noticed (or surprised to see) a scale model of the Deane Winthrop House appearing to float above a walkway at the Highlands Park, along Crest Ave. This attractive structure is a scale-modelled replica of Winthrop’s own Deane Winthrop House; built by Noel Costantino, owner of FMC Built contracting company.
Noel had offered to make this unique book-drop after a Facebook request for a mini-library, which was posted on the “Friends of Winthrop Beach†site by Rose (“Roâ€) Mazzuchelli, former Veteran’s Bureau chief, and Barbara Bishop, our own WCAT videographer (& WIHA member). Anyone could donate such an item, perhaps one purchased on-line. Noel’s wife, Crystal, mentioned this request to her husband Noel, who came up with the idea of the Deane Winthrop House model for the book drop.
Noel’s inspired choice of the Deane Winthrop House was to provide a recognizable landmark-place for the book exchange, and celebrate this important historic part of Winthrop’s history. To create a reasonable size, he did some scouting on other book drop locations, to get a better idea of a suitable scale to hold the free books donated by residents for their neighbors to share, and come up with a size for his model.
Being a craftsman-contractor (who has also rebuilt wood boats), Noel figured out the size, suitably sturdy, weather-resistant materials, and a design for accessing the books, while accurately depicting the Deane Winthrop House features. His choice for the scale-design came from measured drawings provided by his Dad, who had arranged for measured to-scale drawings of the House for WIHA some years ago. The weather-proofed main “box†and frame for the house was readily put together; but all the details of windows, doors, siding, had to be carefully measured down for the modelling.
Noel early on decided to reproduce these windows, doors, clapboard siding and roof shingles (and even the Deane Winthrop Coat of Arms), to scale also. Once the rough box frame was done, and cutouts made for the window openings, each singular piece of siding and all trim pieces were applied individually, as were the numerous, individual wooden roof shingles. The windows were made of sturdy plexiglass, and the pane details painted on from the inside. All the roof components were actually prepared with rubber and silicone, and the shingles poly-sealed as if it were it a real roof job – including a metal roof ridge. The red painted chimney was also to scale & suggested the actual brick color. All the stain and paint colors for the new book-drop matched quite closely to the DW House as it stands now.
A key feature was figuring on a “door†for accessing the inside; so Noel created a drop-down design for the front (south) elevation of the House with magnetic catches to keep it secure; and attached two small, bronze drawer pulls, making it fairly easy to access the inside. Another of Noel’s design choices was the need for some kind of lighting for the shorter autumn & winter months; so he cut into the rear roof a small solar-powered light to shine on the interior; which would also make this new book drop easily seen in early evenings.
Initially the completed DW House book drop was to be installed, with the “Friends of the Beachâ€, on Shore Drive. However, the DCR eventually did not allow for this idea, so the completed model sat on display for a couple of months or so in the window of Noel’s dad’s office. After completing the house construction, and in the meanwhile, Noel, very skilled with welding too, also fabricated the hefty metal pipes and platform for the book/house to sit on, and painted these supports with heavy duty, rust-resistant paint; which when completed, also sat in his workshop during the interim.
The recent, exciting install of the finished Deane Winthrop Book Drop at the Crest Ave Park occurred during one of this summer’s hottest afternoons. Noels’ wife Crystal, their three children, his parents, Noels’ assistant Eric, Barbara Bishop, with video camera at the ready, and surprise guests Mike Herbert & Sandy Schiff were present for the install. Noel & Eric had to dig a pretty deep hole for the pipe supports, level them, and secure this frame with compacted wet earth. Then, the crowning moment of the effort was tightly attaching this wonderful replica of the DW House to the support.
Everyone who came to watch this install also brought bags of donated (including some kids’) books; and the interior of the Deane Winthrop Book-drop was quickly filled to the brim. The photos show Noel, Crystal and their young family, along with current WIHA President Mike Herbert, and former president Sandy Schiff celebrating the completed installation. Also in attendance was former WIHA President Linda Costantino and former VP Frank Costantino – a healthy representation for the Deane Winthrop House. Barbara Bishop continually shot a video of these pleasurable proceedings, and she may produce a program soon for WCAT. A small sign describing this unique Book-House will be attached later.
But the new DWH book-drop model quickly attracted a lot of attention at this noticeable spot, and within just two days, all the books had been taken. With a few more days it was filled again; and shortly thereafter emptied once more. We hope this kind of civic investment by residents, like the talented contractor-craftsman Noel (of FMC Built, https://www.fmcbuilt.com/), can inspire some other shared expressions for the betterment of our community. And we hope that whatever donated books of yours find their way to this convenient book drop, they will help with our neighbors’ reading enjoyment.