The owner of the mall property is the RLF, not Civico.
On Fri, Dec 1, 2023 at 12:36 PM ٍSarah Postlethwait <sa...@bayhas.com> wrote: > There are already 4 story buildings being proposed at the mall to be able > to fit the 100 units Civico is insisting on… the only way the mall could > add a community center is if another floor was added, making it 5 stories. > > At what point do we say that’s enough? > > Sarah Postlethwait > Lewis Street > > On Fri, Dec 1, 2023 at 11:53 AM Margaret Olson <s...@margaretolson.com> > wrote: > >> There is nothing that would prevent the RLF from providing or preserving >> the option of community center space. And, since it would likely be a >> long-term lease arrangement, it would spread the cost over the life of the >> lease with the upfront construction costs borne by the developer. >> >> On Fri, Dec 1, 2023 at 10:44 AM Lynne Smith <ly...@smith.net> 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 >>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/5+Tabor+Hill+Road+Lincoln,+MA+01773?entry=gmail&source=g> >>> Lincoln, MA 01773 >>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/5+Tabor+Hill+Road+Lincoln,+MA+01773?entry=gmail&source=g> >>> cell: 781-258-1175 >>> ly...@smith.net >>> >>> >>> >>> On Dec 1, 2023, at 8:53 AM, Jane Appell <jappell...@gmail.com> 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 <kenh...@keha.com> 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 Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >>> 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 Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >>> 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 Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >>> 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 Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >> 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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