HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-02-12-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2000
Oval Room Cary Memorial Library
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Peter Kelley at 8:15AM.
Attending: Permanent Building Committee Members. Bill Kennedy, Jay Lucker, Walter Pierce, Phil
Poinelli, Marylou Touart.
Library Building Committee: Ann Wallace, Library Director Carol Mahoney
Architects: Stephen Hale, Oscar Morales.
The committee reviewed the meeting notes of January 22nd particularly those issues of concern to the
Historic Districts Commission.
Windows: the HDC is requesting wood replacement ytindows on the Clarke Street and
Massachusetts Avenue side of the library PBC mem.'ers are concerned about the maintenance
issues that would result with wood window Some members would like to see an aluminum window
used in place of wood
The committee discussed the profile of the windows in the older part of the library Usually when
wood is used the material is either redwood, teak, or mahogany
Peter Kelley asked Stephen to come back to the next meeting with a cost comparison for 1 ) Double-
glazed wood fixed window and 2.) extruded aluminum with thermal break fixed window
Maintenance costs for wood windows should be reviewed in the maintenance schedule/budget for the
new building.
Walter Pierce asked Stephen to show how the window designs relate to the interior plans for
furnishings and stacks.
Ramp. Chairman Kelley discussed the concerns of &, ople in town regarding the location of the ramp
On the Clarke Street side of the library Chairman Kelley reviewed the possibility of shifting the
entrance of the library to the side facing the Douglass building and the alleyway— East side.
Committee members discussed the impact of moving the entrance to the East side of the library-
• All entrances have to be equally accessible. Closing the Mass. Ave entrance does not eliminate
the fact that the entrance would still have to be accessible. Placing a sign on the door noting
people should use another entrance would look ridiculous.
• It would change the whole interior organization of the library building plan.
• It changes the control of the main circulation desk.
• The change would eat into the net square footage of the building reducing the library building
program.
• We would have to go back to the MA Board of Library Commissioners with a reduced library
building program placing the 3 million grant in jeopardy Reducing library building plans is not a
popular topic with the Board's construction staff members.
Permanent Building Committee February 12, 2000
Ramp (cont.)
Committee members commented on the town's moral obligation to make the entrance accessible and
the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act must be met. The HDC should not be changing
the interior design of the building through their exterior review
A motion was made Bill Kennedy and seconded by Marylou Touart that "the PBC has reviewed the
Historic Districts suggestion of relocating the current main entrance of the library to the front east
corner of the library It will not work for the reason's cited above Vote. 5 in favor with one abstention.
Chiller—the present location of the chiller along the Clarke Street side of the library was postponed
for another meeting.
Stephen Hale presentation
Stephen discussed three elements of the library
1 Reading bays — particularly those located on the east and south elevations of the library
2. East and south elevations.
3 South entrance.
Bay review— on the East Side two bays have been eliminated and on the one bay on the south side.
The interior floor plan has changed for the better with the increasing of square footage for the library
building program. Between the bays Stephen has added a sloped wall of glass creating a greenhouse
effect. Stephen was able to show how this demonstr4ied this on his computer and it is a very
attractive piece of the building.
Committee members suggested that the greenhouse area show a continuation of the building
material that is shown on the bays.
Stephen summarized the previous criticisms of the south entrance. The overall look of the building
was too chatty The roofline was not consistent with the look of the Mass. Avenue roofline. Too much
of a departure in the use of materials on the east and south sides of the library
The new part was upstaging the older building.
Roof lines
The mezzanine needs to sit more comfortably on the 2nd floor of the building. It should look like an
attic not a third floor Suggestion was made to ribbon the windows on this area of the building.
Concern over the multiple roof slopes.
Structural supports at the rear entrance need to be defined.
Clarke Street side should show the lowering of the rcpk and the elimination of the monitors.
Mass. Avenue side roof has also dropped down.
Cast stone/ore-cast stone
It is the different production methods that make the difference between cast and pre-cast stone.
A question was raised as to what is the history of the cast material in the field? Where has it been in
service for 3-5 years?
The next meeting of the PBC will be on Saturday March 4th at 8.00AM in the Oval Room at the
library
Meeting adjourned at 10.45AM. Respectfully sub itted
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Caro A. Mahoney Libfary Diireec�rl