HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-03-04-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Saturday March 4 2000 meeting in the Oval Room, Cary Memorial Library
The meeting was opened by Chairman Kelley at about 8:05 a.m. with other PBC members Jay
Lucker and Walter Pierce, both Library appointees, Philip Poinelli and Mary Lou Touart present.
Also attending were Library Director Carol Mahoney, Shirley Stolz of the Capital Expenditures
Committee Ann Wallace and Selectman Betty Eddison and architects for the library Oscar
Morales and Stephen Hale.
Renort of the informal meeting of March 2 with the Historic Districts Commission brought out
subjects on which agreement of adjustment of library plans would be possible as well as one on
which the PBC and library building committee agreed to stand firm- the handicapped access
ramp. The HDC offered to meet again informally to advance solutions to pending issues.
A review of various informal conversations with members of the HDC and the eastern abutter to
the library property elicited a reminder from Walter Pierce that the settlement of the suit will not
be finalized until 15 days from the issuance of the HDC Certificate of Appropriateness. This
means, he stated, that no informal negotiations or conversations should take place between
members of the PBC or library committee or staff and the litigating party or the HDC should be
taking place. A strategy of listening and learning only should prevail in conversations with the
HDC, it was agreed, and no conversations should take place with the litigants. It was also noted
that the HDC has quasi-judicial powers by state legislative authority
HDC issues that the library and PBC committees agreed could be satisfactorily fulfilled included
the following:
1) Roof materials and color probably could be asphalt of a dark grey with the same
basic material over-all. Also considered were stainless steel, copper and lead-
coated copper.
2) Window materials agreed to be wood in the original old building facing Mass.
Avenue and the northernmost segment of the Clarke Street side. The HDC agreed
that windows in newer building sections elsewhere could be metal, with all
windows of the same dark green color. Samples of metal windows and a section
of a typical wood window were displayed, along with drawings showing how two
story high windows would be stationary top and bottom, with small operable
awning window (with screens, Lucker emphasized) in the middle. A roll vent
would be part of lower level windows to provide ventilation between heating and
air conditioning seasons.
3) Wall materials of natural materials and stucco were distinctly preferred by the HDC.
Complying with this request appeared to be possible even though somewhat more
expensive than pre-case materials. HDC-preferred color is grey
4) Mechanical (air conditioning cooler) equipment placement has not be finalized.
PBC requested that a site plan be prepared for the March 30 HDC meeting.
PBC Minutes of Saturday March 4, 2000- page 2
Handicapped ramp location is the one unresolved contention between the PBC and HDC. The
HDC has requested the ramp be located at the northeast corner of the building, where the cooling
tower now stands. According the Carol Mahoney, an entrance at this location would require
rearrangement of the carefully-planned interior of the building program. The location at that
corner of handicapped access would also require relocation of the building's main entrance by
legal requirement of the ADA and the state access barriers board. This would also require
redrawing plans already approved by the state Board of Library Commissioners. Reading from
their approval for funding letter datcd May 29 1998, it was clearly stated that any deviation from
the already approved plan would require the library to reapply for funding that does not exist at
this time, therefore putting the library's state reimbursement (about one-third of the needed
funds) in jeopardy
A subcommittee of Mahoney and Lucker will prepare a position paper on the full compendium
of ramifications of the HDC's intended requirement to relocate the handicapped entrance to the
northeast corner An advisory ruling will be sought from Town Counsel on the authority of the
HDC to influence library interior design and functioning (to the extent of threatening state
funding) before preparing this position paper
Desien of the handicapped ramp should be set, architects requested. Four design sketches were
displayed. Poinelli and other PBC members expressed most pleasure with the third design, with
some of the fourth design incorporated for linkage to the historic porch restoration. This design
does riot use a wrought iron railing except adjacent to the porch, and the ramp itself rather
resembles the ramp at the front of Cary Memorial Building. Poinelli recommended that the
ramp's visual impact be reduced even more by a berm in front of it, bordered by a quarter round
curb such as the one holding the ground slope along Massachusetts Avenue. Other suggestions
to the architects were to have a post alongside the right side of the porch, but no posts along with
ramp and possibly setting the stairs slightly back toward the building, even though the Board of
Appeals has already a approved the presently-planned stairs location and reduced size of the
northwest corner entry garden.
Meeting adjourned at 1055 a.m. with the next meeting on the library planned for Thursday
evening; March 16 at 7 p.m. in the Oval Room.
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S Greene, Secretary