HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-11-30-CPC-min
Community Preservation Committee
Monday, November 30, 2009
Room G-15, Town Offices
3:30 pm
Present:
Betsey Weiss, Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Marilyn Fenollosa, Jeanne
Krieger, Wendy Manz, Leo McSweeney, Nathalie Rice, Admin. Asst; Sandy Shaw, and
Dick Wolk. Mr. David Kanter of the Capital Expenditures Committee was also in
attendance.
Ms. Weiss called the meeting to order at 3:36 pm.
The purpose of the meeting was to listen to a presentation on four projects before the
CPC, and to receive updates on three additional projects.
1.Munroe Tavern Restoration and Rehabilitation –
Ms. Susan Bennett,
Director of the Lexington Historical Society, introduced this request for
$400,000 for restoration and rehabilitation work on the Munroe Tavern at
1332 Massachusetts Avenue. The five aspects of work and their respective
percentage of the $400,000 requested, included; repair and restoration of
historic fabric, including restoration of the historic Colonial fireplace (33%);
renovation of underutilized space to create a museum room and public
bathrooms (11%); handicapped accessibility to both the first and second
floors and site work to replace deteriorated stairs, landings and railings (9%);
systems replacement including installation of heat in the museum, climate
control to protect artifacts, complete re-wiring of the house and replacement
of the 90-year-old sprinkler system (29%); and curatorial storage
improvements (18%). Ms. Bennett explained that the Historic District
Commission (HDC) had approved an addition to the historic house, but that
CPC funds would not be used on this aspect of the project. In response to a
question from Mr. Kanter, she explained that the Historic Structures Report,
funded with CPA funds in FY 2009, is complete, and defined the needs for
the work proposed for FY 2011. She noted that that the request to the CPC
for $400,000, half of the project total, was based upon the Society’s funding
capability. The additional $400,000 to fund the restoration will come from
private donors with ties to England, and from the Society itself.
2.Cary Hall Signage
– Candy McLauglin, Organizational Development
Director, presented this request on behalf of the Town Manager’s Office for
$18,000 for interior and exterior signage. She explained that interior signs in
Cary Hall would be similar to those in the Town Offices, and that exterior
signs would be affixed to the front doors or facades of Cary Memorial Hall,
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Town Offices and the Police Station. In response to a question from Mr.
Kanter, Ms. McLaughlin explained that the HDC had been very supportive of
the project. Ms. McLaughlin also explained that she was looking into the
price of a free-standing sign for the semicircle in front of Cary Hall. This sign
would be informational and would be consistent with historic signs in Town.
She said she would like to submit an amendment to her proposal to include
this sign.
3.Amendments to the Library Archives Project, Cary Hall Venue
Improvements Study and the White House Historic Structures Report
–
Mr. Pat Goddard, Director of Facilities, addressed each of these projects. He
had been asked by the Committee to investigate the costs of various aspects
of the projects and return to the Committee with amended figures.
a.)Cary Library Preservation Project –
Mr. Goddard had been asked to
determine the cost of installing the climate controlled vault in the Library.
The Library Trustees had initially requested $10,000 for a study, and the
CPC felt there might be greater economy to doing both the design work
and the actual construction in FY 2011. Mr. Goddard reported that the
cost of the vault construction would be $90,000, making the entire project
$100,000. He said he based his cost estimates on the vault that was
recently completed in Cary Hall. The Committee agreed to accept this
amendment and asked Mr. Goddard to submit an updated application
form for this project.
b.)Cary Hall Venue Improvements Study –
Mr. Goddard had been asked
to investigate the cost of having a consultant knowledgeable in theatrical
venues work on this project. He reported that he had consulted with
Mendors, Torrey and Spencer, who confirmed the suggestion that he use
a theatre consultant for the Cary Hall Study. They also suggested he have
the mechanical system evaluated by a professional. These aspects of the
project, he noted would increase the study by $30,000, for a total project
cost of $60,000. Mr. Goddard agreed to submit an amended application
for the project. In response to questions from Mr. Kanter, Mr. Goddard
explained that there were no anticipated changes in use to Cary Hall, but
upgrades to the hall and its performance space. He said access would be
improved to various rooms, bathrooms would be upgraded and made
ADA accessible, and unused areas, such as the Bird Room would be re-
evaluated. Mr. Kanter brought up the need for a lift to the Bird Room, a
project for which there had been an appropriation made at the 2006 Town
Meeting. There was considerable conversation about the lift and the
Committee agreed that the lift could be added to the present proposal. Mr.
Goddard reported that the bid for the lift had been $75,000 under the
original appropriation. He said he preferred to request funding for the lift
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under a separate application to the CPC, and would do so in the coming
week. (The application for the lift was subsequently not submitted at the
advice of Mr. Valente, Town Manager.)
c.)White House Historic Structures Report –
Mr. Goddard reported that
he had met with Mendors, Torrey and Spencer regarding the White
House Historic Structures Report (HSR), and said the consulting firm
gave him a more realistic idea of the cost of a limited HSR. As a result of
his discussion, he will amend the application for this project to $18,000
from its original $25,000. He said the HSR will give the Town specifics
on the cost of stabilizing the building. Mr. Goddard said he would meet
with the Historic Commission and the Historic District Commission to
get their input for specific objectives for the Report.
4.Battle Green Master Plan –
Ms. Dawn McKenna spoke to a proposal for
$50,000 for a Master Plan of the Battle Green on behalf of the Battle Green
Master Plan Committee. She explained that the Green presently has issues related
to parking, lighting, use of the historic green, visitor access etc. She said the
Master Plan Committee had identified problems with the Green, but needed a
professional consultant to help determine appropriate solutions. She said the
Study would not included design and engineering, and anticipated it would not
cost the proposed $50,000. She will submit a more detail description of costs and
an amended application.
5.Comprehensive Cultural Resources Survey, Supplemental Funding
–
Ms. Fenollosa addressed this project, on behalf of the Historical Commission,
which requested additional CPA funding to complete the final phase of its
Comprehensive Cultural Resources study of Lexington, initially approved by
Town Meeting in 2007. Ms. Fenollosa explained that the Commission
initially understood that they had $10,000 in unexpended funds. They hoped
to use these funds to apply for a grant from the Massachusetts Historical
Commission (MHC) for the completion of work on its Comprehensive
Cultural Survey. In researching the matter further, however, it became
apparent that there was only $4,875 remaining. Ms. Fenollosa said the
Commission could do one of three things; (1) reduce their request to the
MHC to $5K and receive a grant of only $8-$9K; (2) ask the Town for an
additional $5K in CPA funds as a supplemental appropriation and thereby
take advantage of at $15K grant, or (3) seek all $10K from the Town as a
separate CPA article and apply for the $15K grant. She said the preference of
the Commission would be to seek a $5K supplemental appropriation. She
said she would be putting in substantial volunteer time to assist the project if
it was approved for supplemental funding. The Committee discussed this
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proposal and voted to approve $5,250 in supplemental funding to be added to
the existing funds, for the study of historic neighborhoods as part of the
Cultural Resources Inventory. (This amount was later amended to $5,300 to
reflect advertising costs associated with putting the work out to bid.)
6.Approval of Minutes
– Minutes were approved from the following meetings
in 2009; 5/5, 5/5 Information Session, 5/6 Caucus, 9/14, 10/26, 11/2, 11/12
and 11/12 Financial Meeting,
The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Nathalie Rice
Administrative Assistant
Community Preservation Committee
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