So when it comes time for the community center vote, residents can ask that "a none of the above" option gets written in.
Kind Regards, Scott Clary 617-968-5769 Sent from a mobile device - please excuse typos and errors On Fri, Dec 1, 2023, 10:52 AM Chris McCarthy <[email protected]> wrote: > But none of the community center voting options options include the > possibility locating at the mall, right? Nor do I believe there was any > discussion about this beyond "ain't happening". > > > > On Fri, Dec 1, 2023, 10:44 Lynne Smith <[email protected]> wrote: > >> 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]> 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]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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