Option E is the only HCA option that would allow us to think about including the Community Center at the Mall.
Lynne Smith 5 Tabor Hill Road Lincoln, MA 01773 cell: 781-258-1175 [email protected] > On Dec 1, 2023, at 8:53 AM, Jane Appell <[email protected]> wrote: > > Ken, > > You make a great point. The community center and housing zoning came up at > different times as separate issues. But, For good planning and to provide > the most benefit to the town as we would like to see it, it makes sense to > look at them both together while we have the chance. > > Jane > > > Jane Appell, Ph.D. > Sent from my iPad > >> On Dec 1, 2023, at 7:54 AM, Ken Hurd <[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> Hello LincolnTalkers, >> With apologies for expressing yet again my strongly held opinion as an >> architect concerned with what we build in Lincoln, I want to remind everyone >> why I and many others believe we should not build a community center on the >> school campus. I still believe it should be located in Lincoln Station, >> particularly now that our small commercial area is in play because of the >> Housing Choice Act. >> >> As I wrote last year, "I fully support building a new facility, but it has >> long been my opinion that such a major investment by the town should be >> deployed where it is most needed - namely in the Lincoln Station area. For >> more than ten years since Town Meeting approved the Comprehensive Long Range >> Plan, in which the revitalization of Lincoln Station was overwhelmingly one >> of the highest priorities, the area has lain dormant and in serious need of >> a catalyst to jumpstart its transformation into the compact, vital, walkable >> village center that was a stated goal at the time. A community center in >> such a location would be the equivalent of an anchor store in a retail >> setting, and by virtue of attracting more people on a regular basis, it >> would create more opportunities for a clustered cross-current of activities >> spawning greater social interaction." >> >> As many will recall at last year’s Town Meeting, there was serious concern >> about the cost to build it, and I am of the opinion that there are better >> ways to accomplish this than spending anywhere from $18 to $24 million of >> taxpayer money to do so. As was recently suggested to me by an experienced >> urban planner, why not include the Community Center as a required accessory >> use in the development of a future residential project at Lincoln Station? >> >> As he said, “With clear program requirements and project parameters to guide >> the design of a new project, developers can be very efficient in realizing a >> good project on time and within budget.” Moreover, “It would be a plus to >> any potential developer's proforma to have a confirmed tenant (assuming COA >> long-term lease) for … an active community use in purposely designed ground >> level space. This strategy would minimize the cost to Lincoln upfront >> financing for design and construction, replace public project inefficiencies >> with professional development expertise, and as such the new Community >> Center facility may be more affordable to the town's stressed taxpayers." >> >> As I also wrote last year, I believe it would constitute the classic >> suburban planning error to create a new facility that stands alone at the >> school and, like the suburban mall, accessible only by car. In addition, >> because of school protocols, there would be very limited inter-generational >> co-mingling until after school hours, if at all. And, even if there weren’t >> a greater awareness about the effects of climate change, wouldn’t it make >> far more sense to locate a community center where there are already other >> crucial services such as the post office, grocery store, cleaners, a cafe >> and restaurant, not to mention the potential for more housing? >> >> Earlier this week I wrote the Selects about including an option to vote for >> “None of the Above” at tomorrow’s Town Meeting. Absent any response, I plan >> to vote for Option 3 ($12.5 million project cost) that has already been >> characterized as not sufficient to provide services comparable to what we >> already have at Bemis. >> >> Please join me in rejecting the more expensive options 1 and 2 in order to >> redirect our efforts to take advantage of this moment in time to be far more >> creative, innovative and holistic in how we design and fund a Community >> Center that can also help transform Lincoln Station to its full potential as >> a truly vital, walkable village center. Remember, >> >> we humans shape our environments at a moment in time, >> and then they shape us for decades to come. >> >> Respectfully, >> Ken Hurd >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ >> <https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/>. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln >> <https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln>. >> > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > <https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/>. > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln > <https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln>.
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