2010-01-14-CPC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Community Preservation Committee Public Hearing Thursday, January 14, 2010 Cary Auditorium 6:30 pm Present: Betsey Weiss, Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice Chair; Jeanne Krieger, Wendy Manz, Leo McSweeney, Nathalie Rice, Admin. Asst; Sandy Shaw, and Dick Wolk. Mr. David Kanter of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) was also in attendance. Ms. Weiss called the Public Hearing to order at 6:34 pm. The purpose of the Public Hearing was to hear presentations from twenty project applicants who had submitted applications for CPA funding. 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. She explained that the Historic Structures Report for the Tavern was complete, and gave the Chair a copy of the report. Ms. Bennett explained that there were five aspects of work involved in the restoration of the Munroe Tavern, including; (1) the repair and restoration of historic fabric (including restoration of the historic Colonial fireplace); (2) the renovation of underutilized space to create a museum room and public bathrooms; (3) handicapped accessibility to both the first and second floors and site work to replace deteriorated stairs, landings and railings; (4) 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; and (5) curatorial storage improvements. The request before the CPC is for $400,000, half of the proposed project cost. Ms. Bennett explained that there will be an addition to the Tavern which will be constructed in the location of a former shed. She explained that there would be an archeological excavation before the foundation is dug, due to the presence of an old buttery and well in the area. (She stressed that the addition was not to be funded with CPA funds, since it was new construction.) It was the intention of the Society, she noted to make the archeological dig as user- friendly as possible, including ADA accessibility. In response to a question from Mr. Kanter, Ms. Bennett explained that the new construction for the addition would cost $278,000, while the renovations to the museum would cost $541,374. Ms. Bennett said she anticipated construction would commence in the fall of 2010, and that the building would reopen at its customary time in 2011. 1