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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-10-12 ~ III n Community Preservation Committee 14 Easy Street Nantucket, MA 02554 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMllTEE MINUTES- Tuesday- October 12, 2004 A meeting of the Community Preservation Committee, CPC, was held on Tuesday, October 12, 2004, at 3:00 PM at Washington Street Annex. Present were: Barry Rector, Chair, Ken Beaugrand, Vice Chair, Mark Voigt, Rich Brannigan, Polly Miller, Neville Richen, Virginia Andrews, and Stephanie Henke, Administrative Secretary. Linda Williams and Doug Bennett were absent. Barry Rector established a quorum and called the meeting to order at 3:04 PM. Upon a motion made by Ken and 2nd by Polly it was unanimously VOTED to approve the agenda. APPLICANT PRESENTATIONS 30 Main Street ($519,000) Richard Norton attended the meeting in order to present his application. Barry Rector recused himself from this part of the meeting, stating that he was a member of the Masons. He asked that Ken run this part of the meeting. Ginger Andrews recused herself as the Norton Company is currently working on her property. Richard Norton explained that 30 Main is owned by the Masonic Lodge and that they are requesting funds to restore the exterior to its original historic shape, putting the windows back in on the second floor and fixing the brickwork in the basement. They also are planning on building an archives room in the "shed" portion of the building, which will be open to the public and will house Masonic memorabilia. He mentioned that Nantucket's Masonic Lodge is thought to be the third lodge chartered in the country. Polly asked whether CPC money could be used to construct the addition, and Rich Norton answered that the money they are asking the CPC for would only go toward the preservation work. Ken asked whether theirs was an all-or-nothing proposal and if not, what their priorities were. Rich answered that the Masons can afford $60-70,000 a year towards this project. They could do Phase ( of the project if they did not receive full funding. He stated that it would be better if it were totally completed, and that it's better to get it all done at once as it would be cheaper. But he did state that that any amount of money would be a help. Richard Brannigan asked if the Masons owned the property and if they just have one tenant. Richard Norton answered that the Masons, a 200 member private fraternal organization, did own the building and the clothing store is their one tenant. Richard Brannigan asked how the building benefited the community of Nantucket if the Masons were a private organization and the building housed just one tenant. Richard Norton answered that the Masons are a quiet organization whose mission is to build a better person to build a better community. The Masons have owned the building since the 1880's, so there is historic significance on Main Street. They are trying to save it from deterioration and to bring it back to how it was originally built in 1847, that's the benefit to the community. (t will also be open to the public a few times a year and they plan to build the archives room also. Richard Brannigan then asked whether there was any debt on the property and whether they can re-mortgage it to help pay for the project. Richard Norton answered that they were planning on that for the balance that they did not receive from cpe. Richard Brannigan asked if there was a restriction on the property and Richard Norton answered that there was not one at this time. epe Minutes, October 12, 2004-Page 1 Polly asked if the archives room would be open all the time and how it would be accessed. Richard Norton said it would be open all the time and that it would be accessed through the front door and there would be a lift to get people there. Mark asked what the time line was for the phases of the project. Richard answered that they were hoping to get it done between October 2005 and May 1, 2006. Mark asked whether the Masons were a private non-profit and Richard answered yes. Mark then asked what the benefit to the public was, and whether the public could see the interior of the building. Richard answered that the only time the public was not able to see the interior was when a meeting was being held-that a member of the Masons could bring someone there any other time. Mark asked whether it would be feasible to open it to the public on 12 days of the year and Richard said yes. Mark asked whether they had solicited bids and Richard said that they had sent it to 3 companies but that the other 2 didn't want to bid on a project that had such a vague start date. Polly asked whether it was true that the exterior can't be done until the foundation is done. Richard said that was cOrtea. Ken asked whether it would be ok for the cOmmittee members to get a tour if necessary and Richard answered yes. Nantucket Atheneum ($88,500) frank jewell, Nancy Newhouse, Jim Kielawa, and AI LaFrance attended the meeting in order to present this application. AI LaFrance stated that the Atheneum was asking for funds this year to re-do the fence and public space at the Atheneum. It was last worked on 7 years ago. He stated that there are many posts rotten at grade; trees have pushed out fencing, too. Many truck.-s have hit the fence on the Oak Street side. They also plan to restore the open space area, with plantings in the garden. Nancy stated that they considered putting in a privet hedge where the fence is but people were upset because it's always been a fence. Frank added that he had had conversations with police regarding the vandalism in the open space and that making the fence higher would hinder people from jumping over the fence. Polly asked whether the edging mentioned in the grant was to correct the edging after the new fence was put in and AI answered yes. Neville asked whether the garden club planned on donating plants and Jim said no, just expertise. Neville asked whether they were aware that the garden club had a grant program and Jim answered that they actually have a grant application in to them right now. Nancy added that they did get one gift from them for the NE corner of the garden. Mark asked whether they had any other funding for the project and whether the budget they submitted represented a comprehensive list. Jim answered that they do not have any other financial assistance, but they do have some in-kind expertise assistance and AI added that the budget submitted was comprehensive. Ken asked if the project were not totally funded, how would they prioritize and AI answered that they probably would not rebuild half the fence. He stated that they raise funds annually just for operation, and that if they did not receive the full CPC grant, they would need to raise additional capital funds. Jim answered that the fence was the first priority and the plantings were second, but that the plantings would be disturbed in the renovation of the fence, and would thus look messy if not replaced right then. Barry asked for a breakdown of financial priorities and AI answered that the four items after the mason work would be considered toward the fence. Nancy said that the plantings would be about $30,000. Rich asked what the different figures were for the planting costs and Jim answered that one cost represented the bushes and one represented the trees. Rich then asked how the work was coming with the current CPC grant. Jim answered that they had just started it. They had to wait until the summer was over. The millwork people had started and the mason work will be starting soon. Frank noted that this current application would complete the outside restoration. Ginger asked how much higher the cap on the fence will be than the current pickets. AI answered that they were 3;10" and now they will be 4;2". Frank added that it was originally capped, from photos they have seen. Polly asked whether they will be able to close off the open space at night. Nancy answered that the police close the gate at dusk, so that it will be more prohibitive, but that there is a way to get into the space. Barry asked where the project will stand after this piece is done. AI answered that the exterior will be complete, but that the exterior of the new portion of the buiiding has some problems, and that is not part of the historical building. ere Minutes, October 12, 2004-Page 2 Barry asked that they submit the synopsis page as requested in the application by October 3'1. Ginger asked who had funded the landscaping in the past and Nancy answered that the garden club helped and a private individual. She ensured the committee that no significant or donated plants would be disturbed in the renovation. South Church ($43,677) Libby Oldham attended the meeting in order to present this application. Libby stated that the application was self-explanatory and no further presentation was necessary. Ken asked that if the work on the clock hands was flawed workmanship to begin with, what was the recourse with the man who originally did the work. Libby answers that he claims that he did everything he was supposed to do, and that they never tried to get him to correct the work. Ginger asked whether they were getting the same man to do the work again and Libby said no. She added that the primer he used Was wrong and the gilding Was done improperly. She said there had not been enough oversight of the project the first time as the work had been done off- site. The gold leaf is flaking off. She said the man who fixed the actual clock will do the work this time. Barry asked whether the work will be guaranteed and Libby answer~d yes, for 25 years. Barry asked whether the town contributed any money and Libby said originally, yes. Ginger asked about the beams mentioned in the grant and Libby said that the clock frame is bolted onto wood beams and that those will need to be replaced. Ken asked when the work would be done and Libby said in June of 2005. She mentioned that the man hired to do the work is currently restoring the original town clock on exhibit at the new NHA museum. Barry asked whether they had any other funding sources and Libby said not for this project, but for other things like the parsonage, last restored in 1982-1986, which could not be funded by the epc. Barry asked whether there were other projects for the future and Libby said that the interior needed work. Barry asked whether the exterior was sealed and Libby answered yes. Barry asked whether it was a decision of the church committee to not contact the man who had originally worked on the clock hands and Libby stated that it never came up to call him on it. But that he did insist that it had been done correctly. Mark asked what kind of material the hands were made from and Libby said anodized aluminum. Mark asked whether it was pitted and Libby answered that it was just the primer and gilding that was the problem. The metal is fine. Barry asked that Libby submit to the committee, by October 31, a warranty of work to be done form here on out on the hands. OTHER BUSINESS There being no other business of the committee, and upon a motion made by Ken and 2nd by Mark, it was unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting at 4:28 PM. Respectfully submitted by, Stephanie Henke Administrative Secretary ~. epe Minutes, October 12, 2004-Page 3