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2005-04-13 DRB Special Meeting MinutesDRB Minutes April 13, 2005 Page 1 of 5 DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MEETING MINUTES APRIL 13, 2005 A special meeting of the Salem Design Review Board (DRB) was held in the third floor conference room at the City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street, on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 at 6:00pm. Members Paul Durand, Chris Greene, and David Jaquith were present. Valerie Gingrich, Staff Planner, and Debra Tucker, Clerk, were also present. New Business 112 Washington Street & 237-245 Essex Street (TV Land): Review of Plans Valerie Gingrich reported that the Redevelopment Authority approved the proposed bronze “Bewitched” statue for Lappin Park as presented at their April 6th meeting and referred the matter to the Design Review Board for their input. Chris Sabin and Mike Blier appeared before the DRB to present the revised plans for the proposed TV Land sponsored statue of Bewitched planned for Lappin Park. Mr. Blier, a landscape architect from Landworks Studio in Salem, presented his revised plans for site changes proposed for Lappin Park. The plans included removing the brick wall, and installing granite curbing wrapping the park. He compared the plan to that of the nearby Essex Institute and Armory Park. A low fence would line the park and reinforce the urban edge. The paving pattern is still under study and a circular paving pattern is being considered. The fence will protect the park’s grass. Mr. Greene asked about the grading plan. Mr. Blier answered that there is a 13” slope towards the street with a 9” grade change and a 4% pitch from the circle to the path. Footing would have to be built and would be regarded when the brick is removed. There is no real change to the grading. Mr. Greene asked about park seating. Mr. Blier stated that there are benches planned for the pathway and none on the edges. He felt that this would center people in the park and keep the traffic flow around the corner and keep people from the traffic. Mr. Greene said that the path is not wide enough to have benches and foot traffic. Mr. Blier added that the path is 10 feet wide. Mr. Greene said that he felt that the path was still not wide enough. Mr. Jaquith and Mr. Durand said that they felt 10 feet was wide enough. Mr. Blier said that the current recessed notched areas attract detritus and that the outside sidewalk would be wider. Mr. Jaquith said that the grade is a problem and asked whether the circular base should be level. Mr. Blier answered that it is 9 inches over approximately 15 feet and is not dramatically steep or more than the path currently. DRB Minutes April 13, 2005 Page 2 of 5 Mr. Greene stated that he felt that the presentation was incomplete and said that he could not judge whether the grading problem had been solved. He said that it was a conceptual design. Mr. Blier stated that an actual sample of paving is being designed and he would be happy to share it with the board. Mr. Greene asked if the entire sidewalk was being rebuilt. Mr. Blier said that part of it at the corner was being rebuilt and was in bad shape now, as it was concrete poured without expansion consideration and is badly cracked. Mr. Greene said that the back end of the park is not being upgraded and that he is concerned. Mr. Durand commented that the original design of the park was with an idea for a possible café area. There is a school in the area currently, but that may not be so always. Mr. Greene said that from a design point of view, these improvements should enhance the City’s park. He said that he is waiting to see how the statue will enhance the park. Mr. Durand asked Mr. Sabin to address the board. Mr. Sabin said that the intention was to bring the statue to Salem. When looking around they did agree that the wall has to come down. He asked what the board would need from them to move the project along. He asked if the board was looking f or a whole new park. Mr. Durand stated that he thought that the park was a great location for TV Land and that the City would like to make the park more useable. Mr. Durand said that he would like to see the whole thing work. Mr. Sabin asked the board for any recommendations for the back end of the park. Mr. Greene answered that that was not the board’s role. He added that the board’s role is to review proposals. He also said that the transformation of this public park has a high degree of responsibility to the public. Mr. Greene added that he is not their designer. Mr. Sabin asked what the concern is now. Mr. Greene stated that he thought that the granite curbing and fence were fine. He asked about benches and lighting. Mr. Greene said that he did not see enough for him to make a decision. He wants to make sure that the project is good for Salem and that he felt that they haven’t reached that point yet. The changes were relatively modest, although they are heading in the right direction. Mr. Blier asked if it were a criterion that the whole park be redesigned. Mr. Durand stated that the building edge around the park has a hard-edged surface area. He added that he is not against that. From an urban planning point of view they want to give the park energy and to draw people in. He added that the board speaks to design issues and makes recommendations to the SRA in an advisory capacity. Mr. Durand said that it is not up to the Design Review Board as to whether the statue should be put in the park or not. Mr. Durand reminded the public in attendance that the DRB was performing design review. The SRA makes the decision as to whether the statue is approved. Mr. Durand opened the meeting to public comment. Ms. Gingrich asked that the public keep their comments to the issue of design only. DRB Minutes April 13, 2005 Page 3 of 5 Shawn Poirier said that the park is a rest stop for vagrants and skateboarders. Laura Lane added that she has a business across the street from the park and that she is constantly complaining to the City about this type of activity. Mr. Blier commented that the removal of the wall would displace the skateboarders and some of the vagrant problems. Mr. Poirier felt that anything would be better than the current situation and that the statue would bring paying customers in and get rid of the vagrants. Mr. Greene said that the public comments should be weighed by the SRA before a decision is made. He told the public that the Design Review Board is composed of professional designers charged with reviewing design issues and making recommendations back to the SRA. John Carr of 7 River St., formerly of the Historic Commission, stated that he felt that the issue was incredibly important. He acknowledged that the park as it exists now is not everything that it could be. He said that from a design standpoint the Design Review Board couldn’t divorce itself from the statue. He applauded Mr. Blier’s work. He added that he hoped that the tail was not wagging the dog. He said that he location is at a crossroads a t Essex and Washington Streets. He recommended another location for the statue be found. Ms. Gingrich stated that the SRA had approved the project at its last meeting and referred the design review to the DRB. Mr. Carr commented that he thought that the statue was in horribly bad taste. He compared it with erecting a statue of Colonel Klink at Auschwitz. He added that if the statue has already been approved then it should be made as invisible by moving it to the back of the park. Mr. Jaquith said that some of Salem’s other sculptures are in poor places. Chris Sabin said that Studio Ice is a national company who has done great work. Mr. Durand said that he had received many emails on all sides of the issue. He said that the statue is of TV pop culture and that he felt that it was a great way to uplift the park. The other statues done for TV Land were well liked. Valerie Gingrich reminded the public that the DRB was reviewing design only. Jean Harrison of 1 Orne Square stated that the newspaper stated once this is passed by the DRB then the project would go ahead. If witches are for the statue then it becomes a religious symbol. She felt it was deplorable to put it in the center of Salem in the park. Meg Twohy of 122 Federal St. concurred with Mr. Carr and Ms. Harrison and added that the DRB may want to see the statue and whether it is a bad rendering. She added that if it is a draw and people take pictures, and then she suggested moving it to the back of the park. Mr. Durand said that the statue is an artist’s work and that he felt uneasy telling a designer how to design. Mr. Greene said that based on content and form the statue is schlock and poorly done. Chris Sabin said that the statue will be 9 feet tall and bronze with a 50” base and will weigh over 1,500 pounds. DRB Minutes April 13, 2005 Page 4 of 5 Mr. Greene said that as far as he knew the DRB had not approved the design of the statue. Ms. Gingrich He said that what he had seen at the last meeting looked like schlock. Michael Blatty said that he had mixed feelings about the statue. Generally he liked the statue and thinks there is a place in Salem for it. The issues are important. The quality of the statue is important, as there is a fair amount of schlock in Salem. He was surprised at the location of the statue and added that he thought there was a bit of danger with the location and pedestrians crossing the street. He liked the idea of the statue being sited further back in the park. He asked about the rights of the City if they wanted to move the statue or give it back and asked how long it would be there. Chris Sabin said that the TV Land statue in Chicago had been moved from Michigan Ave. to Navy Pier. He said that TV Land owns the statue and is making a gift to Salem. TV Land will maintain the statue and clean it 3 or 4 times a year. Mr. Durand said that the quality of the statue is fine and that it will be top quality and made of bronze. He said that it is not Roger Conant and that it is a whimsical image and not an eyesore. He is not against it being popular. It will move people to that part of the City. Mr. Greene said that it is a small park and there are pros and cons to putting it all the way in the back. He added that the tourist season coincides with the school year. Mr. Durand said that it is a City park and not the nearby school’s. Mr. Greene commented on TV Land still being the owner with long-term interest. Chris Sabin said that TV Land would maintain the statue. He told Mr. Greene that the statue in Raleigh is in a park setting. Mr. Greene said that it is hard for him to imagine it being more likely than not being successful. Terry Colgren of Winter Island Road and the Director of Witches Education said that the statue is not a symbol of witchcraft and that it does not depict witchcraft. She said that basically it comes down to whimsy. She said that it is not a part of religion. Jean Harrison said that just because the statue is bronze does not make it art. Mr. Durand said that he trusts that it will be quality based on having seen the pictures of the past work. Mr. Greene asked to see pictures of other images. Chris Sabin said that there was apprehension in showing the pictures in order to keep the excitement. They do not want pictures to get out and ruin the “magical excitement”. Mr. Cox of 1 Webster Road said that he was deeply opposed to the project and that more of an effort should have been made to inform the public. He said that it is controversial and asked if the statue would say TV Land on it. There will be a separate plaque in the sidewalk approximately 24” by 36”. DRB Minutes April 13, 2005 Page 5 of 5 Betsy Burns of 22 Beckford St. asked what the context for having the statue in Salem was. Chris Sabin said that Salem is a magical City that has excitement. It is a chance to remember a time gone by. There were episodes filmed here. David Pelletier said that the Choate statue redesign is an embarrassment. This site is based on a modern medium. He asked what the budget is. Chris Sabin said that is in the thousands of dollars. Mr. Pelletier said that the site is a park and not the school playground. He said that there could be better placement in the park. He said that Mary Tyler Moore is probably the most photographed thing in Minneapolis. Mr. Pelletier said that Salem is not going to get away from the witch connection. He felt it would be ok if done properly but said that it could be dangerous if people take pictures and gave the example of the Conant statue and the Witch House. He cited the McIntire statue in the Common as an example of a long history of people wanting to give the City things. Ms. Gingrich reviewed the items to be considered as moving the statue back, drainage in the park, and photos or a visual of what the statue would look like. The SRA included the review as part of the approval. Mr. Durand added the hardscaping at the buildings to be considered as well. Mr. Greene spoke of the transformation of a portion of the park. He said that you couldn’t divorce the front part of the park from the rest, as it is an integrated space. Mr. Durand added that if the statue were pushed back that it might help. Michael Blier said that no one sets out to design half of a park. Ms. Gingrich asked about the existing lights. Michael Blier said that there had been some discussion of flush mounted ground lights and maybe a down-facing light on the statue. Mr. Durand asked that they consider the glare. Mr. Greene mentioned seating. Ms. Gingrich asked what the time schedule for TV Land was and said that the next regular meeting will be in two weeks. Chris Sabin said that he would touch base with the department. Michael Blier added that he would need two weeks to do his work. Adjournment There being no further business before the board, the meeting was adjourned.