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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee for Revitalization of Lexington Center charge, 1964-06-22 Officer Shaughnessy retired Members of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Scheublin, of the Lexington Trust Company, Mr . William Potter of the Lexington Savings Bank, Mrs. Riffin and Mr. Zalesky of the Planning Board, arrived at Downtown the meeting . business The Chairman explained that the meeting was to do area with the downtown business area. Mr . Kolovson and the Chamber of Commerce has had a meting . The reaction of the Town has been good as far as he ha; been able to determine, and asked if anyone had heard unfavorable action. 284 z �TMa Mr. Kolovson said in 1961, March 9, he cut an article out of the Boston Traveler about Williamsburg and thought it might apply to Lexington . He said it has long been his f:eling, six years, that the center of Lexington would be in trouble as a result of the people going to shopping centers. He said every time a shopping center opens , whether successful or not , busi- ness is taken away from someone doing business before. He said the time to do something is to start as soon as possible There have been two ways in which downtown business areas have fought to keep alive . One has been for the merchants to get together and go on a promotional campaign and out-price their competitors He said some of this may be necessary and good, but he has not felt this is in keeping with what the people of this Town would like. He said he feels the way to keep people shopping in Town is to offer them something the other centers do not haN, e He said he did not feel that the center, as it now stands, is in keeping with the image of a town of its heritage. He has written Williamsburg, St. Augustine, Scottsdale, but he feels a restoration would not be proper because it would entail too much work. In disaussing this for the past three years, they have been working for a face lifting, giving Lexington Center an historical image Two weeks -go tomorrow, they met with several people of the Arthur D. Little Company who worked in this general a: ea of putting a new life into the centers of larger cities . They feel Lex- ington would have to do something dramatic and that Lexington should put up a facade He said they have explored several different ways of getting the project done and would like to do it through private financing. He said he was seriously concerned about the future of retaining in Lexington Center unless a major project is undertaken. He said any survey would show that Lexington Center is not getting its proper share of the retail dollar. As a resident, he would not like to see the day when there are many stores for rent in Lexington Center He said some action should be taken before it is too late. The Chairman said a meeting had been held with re- presentatives of the National Historical Park. Mr. Brown reported that it did not prove too fruit- ful. It was thought that through it , it might be possible to get financial aid. However, there is nothing in the way of financial assistance through the National Park Service He said the group should not only be talking in terms of the downfall of Lexington Center, but should be thinking ahead of what is being told about the opening of the National P rk He said a week ago, the Board voted that Mr. Gray would work with the Chamber of Commerce to see if this can be kept going He stated tha tomorrow he, Mr. Gray, Mr. Trani and Mr Kolovson have an ap- pointment with a foremost urban renewal architect working with Ha_•vard who has displayed a very general interest. The Chairman :sked(.if the Planning Board had dis- cussed this . Mr. Zalesky replied there has been no meeting since the Board heard of this . Three members of the Board are out of Town. The Chairman said the Selectmen feel this is some- thing that should not be dropped, and asked if the merchants had indicated any unfavorable reaction. A gentleman, who d-d not give his iiame, said he has not heard anything that would undermine the plan of what little they have obtained through Mr. Kolovson. He said there is great consideration given to renewal of leases in Town and several a_ e coming up. They aie pursuing the thought of shorter term leases. This would lend itself as to what happened in North Carolina. He said he be- lieved the merchants are 100% behind anything like this, and with the exception oi. two landlords , he did not know how they feel about it . The Chairman asked if there was a list of the land- lords who would be involved Mr Kolovson replied he has a list that is 90% com- pleted. The Chairman asked in what manner this would be pursued, that very shortly some concrete action would have to be taken. Mr. Tarbox said this is something whighLJall the Boards are bound to be inter.)sted in; the Town is bound to be interested for the assessed valuations which are bound to go one way or another and the Chamber of Commerce is interested from its members ' point f view. He said the Planning Board is bound to be interested because it will affect the planning over the year s, and he thought most of the organizations in the Town are vitally interested and it would seem as though a committee must be formed which would comprise of someone from most of these organi- zations so that the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Selectmen and Planning Board would not be duplicating the work, and that some plan could be worked out to obtain the necessary information. He said a committee of some type must be formed Mr. Adams said the committee should be able to go beyond planning and set up some action as time is short He said there will be the shopping center, and in five years, the park will be in operation. Mrs . Rawls said that if the group is trying to have the Center look like something in the R evolutionary days, she did not think it is the type of thing that attracts 286 . Crl Cz" people to a store to spend money This keeps everything away except tie tourist trade She said care should be taken not to let this go too much in the "Ye Olde Lexington" renovation. She said she sent ques ionnaires to forty Boston stores that have more than one branch to see how they felt about moving to a town near a large shopping center. She received from twenty to forty answers and one half said they would be glad to move to Lexington if there was adequate parking. They want four parking spaces per front foot and Lexington does not have this and never will . She said she did not know if business would be attracted by making the front of the stores better or not. Mr. Kolovson said they hope to have a professional economic survey to tell whether or not this project is feasible. He said they would be out to make this a better town, provide for more facilities than are now existing for the residents. He said he thought the approach Mr Trani has taken would be the approach. Mr. Bateman said after the survey, they would need a plan that would be a guide to all those who desire to make a change. He has already started plans for a renovation of his store, and if there were a theme, he would make sure he complied with the general theme. If there is no theme, he would continue on the theme he has ' started which is semicolonial. He said if there is a whole general plan for the Center, it would be a help for those who want to change to get co-opeation. He said he has heard figures as to the number of cars ex- pected in Lexington Center per day when this Park is opened, and if parking facilities are not available, the Town will be so filled with cars they will not be able to move. He has heard 5,000 cars a day. The Chairman said he heard 250,000 cars a year. Mr. Cataldo asked if the Chamber of Commerce was thinking about restoration of the existing stores or a new layout of the Center Mr.Kolovson said the survey would have to tell them what is needed in the way of new space, new facili- ties and new service. They ale not thinking of radical demolition it' on of the Center . Mr. Adams said a survey will have to tell them. There will be some changes. Mr Cataldo asked if the Chamber of Commerce was thinking of just the business land. Mr. Kolovson said some of both would be involved. He would like to make the Center compact rather than spread out . He said none of them are qualified to say what is lacking in Lexington Center. They know they r , need a nice department store but what else is needed The library is the biggest attraction for people who come to Lexington Center. He read a comment from the Burlington newspaper made by Mr. Gummery of Filene 's. The Chairman asked what the usual cost of such a survey is . Mr. Kolovson replied in 1961 they had an estimate of $37,000. One method used in several towns would be that of forming a Fifty Club whereby fifty interested individuals give $1,000 a year in the interest of improv- ing the Town . He said the State has also issued grants for cities. Mr. Adams said, if this is going to be done, it would be necessary to spend some real money. The Chairman said the first thing would be to form a committee. Mr. Kolovson said they feel the Chamber of Commerce has done as much research as possible and notr it has to try and get the survey. The Chairman said this is not going to be done by any one group, but by a cross section of the citizens of the Town and there should be a representation of all elements concerned. group Mrs. York said this is larger than any individual can handleshould not go one way and another group going another way. He said he liked the suggestion of the Arthur D. Little Company in not trying to be in competition with the shopping center going in Burlington. Mrs . Rawls said the Capital Expenditures Committee and the Planning Board have hopes of making a start on some type of long range financial plans in the future. They have not been able to determine whether they can do it without an outside consultant If they do this, and a consultant is going to be hired, they would like to find out if his efforts could be used for a wide study The Chairman asked if she was speaking of a consultant for the Town as a whole. Mrs Rawls replied if a consultant is going to be hired, one to do the whole study would be less expensive than hiring two . Mr. Moore said whatever is done should be restricted to the Center of the Town, because if the whole Town is included, this can get lost. He said he thought the committee should be small and should be appointed quickly. The Chairman said if they want a real cross section of the Town, it might be as large as nine members Mr. Cataldo said the Chamber of Commerce has put in three years now, and it should be determined whether money b 288 al is going to be available and where it is to come from before wasting everyone 's time . He said the most important item is to find out where the money is cominc prom. The gentleman who spoke earlier without giving,his name said people have been thinking what kind of a center are they trying to plan, what kinds of stores would be there, who would the customers be, what would the Size of the district be and what kind of overall plan is in the minds of the people proposing this . The Chairmansaid an economic survey is proposed From an architectural point of view, some of the group is meeting tomorrow with an urban renewal architect to get some of his thoughts. Mr. Moore said there are five people om the Board representing the people of the Town and asked why they could not represent this. Mr. Adams said the committee should not be limited to five and groups that will be backing this should be represented Mr. Bevis said he has not heard anything mentioned of private plans . People make a specialty of this and asked if consideration should be given to investigating using people who do this in private industry Mr. Cataldo pointed out that the property owners have to be contended with. The Chairman suggested a committee consisting of representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, Planning Board, or Director, Board of Selectmen, Historic Districts Commission. Mr.Kolovson said a representative from the League of Women Voters should be represented and a representi.- tive of the citizens of the Town. One gentleman suggested the Capital Expenditures Committee. Mr. Adams stated too many Towngovernment repre- sentatives should not be on the committee Mr. Sheldon asked about the property owners . Mr. Moore said there should be one individual re- presenting the property owners The Chairman asked the group who it expected to take the lead in this , and if they felt the Selectmen should take the lead and appoint the committee. Mr. Rooney asked Mr. Kolovson the purpose of this meeting. Mr. Kolovson said the Board of Selectmen wanted to discuss this with the members of the Chamber of Commerde. Mr. Adams said the Chambercf Commerce has done most of the work and asked for its recommendations. Mr. Kolovson suggested three from the Chamber of 289 Commerce, one Selectman, one from the Historic Districts, one representing the property owners, a citizen and a representative of the League of Women Voters Mr. Gray said he thought the committee should be twelve or fifteen if everyone is to be represented. He suggested an executive committee of three or five who could enlarge . The Chairman suggested a main committee of five people, one from the Chamber of Commerce, one from the Planning Board, 6ne from the Board of Selectmen, one from the Historic Districts Commission and one of the owners . He said then there could be an auxiliary committee consisting of repre- sentatives from the League of Women Voters, Chamber of Commerce, Jaycees Mr. Cataldo asked the purpose of the committee. The Chairman said the big thing is finances Mr. Howard said the role of this committee should be a committee of action Mr. Tarbox said, starting with a working committee of five or seven as the needs increased, the committee could be increased if necessary Mr. Kolovson said they are looking for someone to tell them how to proceed; they need guidance at this point The Chairman said this committee would not need any money to start with, and once it had guidance, it would have an idea of the amount of financing needed. Mr. Gray said they should explore with the Urban Renewal Ford Foundation and should find out where they are going to get the money Mr. Adams said the Town Meeting could not be asked to put money into this, this would defeat it at the start. Mr. Cataldo pointed out that only one property owner has been suggested for the committee Mr. Adams said he thought the ball should be carried by the business representatives . If the Chamber of Commerce is willing to put in two or three men who repre- sent good financial backing, that is the key to this. He recommended that they stay away from a committee of elected Town officials. Mr. Cataldo pointed out that the property owners are the ones who will be spending the money. Mr. Howard said what they need is a person willing to devote himself and all his energy in pushing this pro- ject forward Mr. Kolovson suggested a small working committee which does not require money which would be limited in time to three or four months to explore the possibilities, find out where the money would come from, what is being (1 PA 01 done, and then at the Town Meeting, the recommendations could be made by the Selectmen. He said the small com- mittee would be able to devote some time and give a report. He suggested a small committee now and then a committee representing the cess section of the Town whidh would have the power and authority to go to Town Meeting and ask for action The Chairman asked who should appoint this committee Mr Kolovson said when the time comes if this com- mittee has the Town backing, it will have more power and influence The Chairman suggested a basic committee of two from the Chamber of Commerce, one from the Board of Select- men, two property owners and an auxiliary committee of one from the League of Women Voters, one from the Jaycees, one citizen, one from the Capital Expenditures Committee, one from the Planning Board or its Director, and the Board's Executive Assistant. Mr. Rooney asked why the Jaycees would be repre- sented. Mr. Kolovson said five members should be involved on the major committee Mr. Sheldon asked if the Chamber of Commerce wanted the Selectmen to appoint such a committee, and Mr. Kolovson replied in the affirmative. Mr. Moore said the Town has to play a basic part in this and he thought the basic structure should stem from the Board of Selectmen. The Chairman suggested two members from the Chamber of Commerce, two property owners and one Selectmen. Mr Adams sgggested that this committee of five be a steering committee which would determine the number of additional committees or enlarge its own. The Chairman asked if the group wanted the Board to appoint this five-man committee to consist of two from the Chamber of Commerce, two property owners and one Selectmen with the authority to make recommendations and explore the situation. Mr. Howard said he would prefer a member of the Plan- ning Board, Board of Selectmen, property owner, Chamber of Commerce and Historic Districts Commission. Mr. Kolovson asked if Mr. Gray represented the various Boards in Town and the Chairman replied he represents the Boards and groups under the Selectmen's jurisdiction. It was finally agree-d by all present that the Board of Selectmen should appoint a basic committee of five to consist of two members from the Chamber of Commerce, two property owners and one member of the Board of Selectmen. The meeting adjourned at 10 :10 P.M. A true record, Attest: C e l