City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Prescott Park Master Plan Implementation, 8 Jun 2022

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From YouTube: 6.8.2022 Prescott Park Master Plan Implementation

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6.8.2022 Prescott Park Master Plan Implementation

A

Yeah great there, you go okay, so hey success. Thank you, joe.

B

So three out of the five committee members are present and one is on june. So I declare the.

B

Quorum, I understand that the sister mayor will be joining us soon. I would next.

B

Ask for a motion for the approval of the minutes of the december 13 2021 meeting.

B

Which were distributed electronically before today, did anybody have a chance to review them.

C

I did not sorry, okay.

B

And I asked for a similar motion to approve the minutes of the april 5th 2022 meeting.

B

The most interesting april 5th.

D

Second: okay: any changes, corrections, additions, deletions to those men.

B

Hearing that I'll call that question.

A

Yes, yes, yes, okay, now we'll get into the.

A

When we were here on april 5th, the primary purpose was to approve a.

B

Letter to be issued by this committee in support of the grant application, as you know,.

B

The state of new hampshire department of environmental services and the other.

B

To senator sheen's office as part of the federal budget, we have not heard from senator.

B

No decision has been made one way or another with respect to the federal.

B

Application, but we did receive word that our request for funding from the state has been.

B

Rejected we have a very nice letter indicating that our project is a great idea and we'll do what.

B

Hopefully will do what we believe it would accomplish, but they.

B

Had too many applications to be able to afford us, do you know what got funded? I I don't know.

D

At some point, it'd be nice to know what did get funded yeah not aware. I have not heard either.

E

So I will update the committee if I do here: okay, thanks at some point that will probably.

B

Be posted, but if anybody would like a copy of the letter from the state I haven't sent that out.

B

Okay, all right so now um this brings us to the real thrust of today's meeting, which.

B

Has to do with how we go forward uh in light of the fact that we don't have that.

B

Grant funding and in light of the permitting obstacles that we face and timing issues that.

B

We're already sitting here the first week of june, so I'm going to allow cassie to.

B

Take the mic and lead us to where we are as of today before I do that. Let me just have.

B

Everybody in the room identify themselves for the record of anybody watching this later on. Don't you.

B

Tell us who you are sure my name is ted talukian, I'm the founder of talukian talukian and I'm.

F

An architect and urban designer hi, I'm carlos guzman and I'm an architect at tolucan toolkit.

A

Stephanie c cord public information officer for the city.

E

Cassie bethany landscape, architect and project manager from weston sampson.

B

Thank you. I apologize that at the beginning go ahead. Cassie. Can we no all right.

B

All right um chop, liver, uh joe almeida facilities, manager, city of portsmouth, uh peter rice, director.

G

Of public works, I see you guys right here, which is background noise. I get it okay, now.

B

And the materials are handed out at the beginning of the meeting.

E

I'll share screen in a moment, but I just wanted to give either peter or.

E

Joe an opportunity to say a few words before we presented the slides if you'd like, if you'd like.

G

There's been a lot of activity um associated with this project. Trying to you know, refine the phase.

G

One and getting a move forward and unfortunately, there's been a number of items that have have.

G

You know caused us to have to to step back and and revisit uh what is part of phase one.

G

And you know it's driven a lot by uh costs. um The the escalating costs are really um making more.

G

Difficult, um some of it is, uh is regulatory in nature in terms of the duration to get permitting.

G

um And the some of it, too, is as we as we do work we become more informed.

G

And certain things become apparent um in terms of sequence of construction and and types of things.

G

And it makes us step back and say: okay, you know we thought we were going to include this in this.

G

First direct first stab at it, but then we realized that there are pieces that need to be done.

G

First or in a sequence so that we don't uh shoot ourselves in the foot from.

G

Stranded costs or difficulty having to rework uh areas that we've already done.

G

So what what we're showing today is an attempt to uh keep the ball moving forward um within the.

G

Budget uh that we have available and to have it in a manner that doesn't preclude uh doing.

G

Better things as we move forward, and not just and to minimize uh the potential stranded costs um so.

G

Cassie will um joe, do you want to add it very well. Very well said I would just simply repeat the same.

H

Thing that you said so, that's that's very accurate. Thank you and by stranded costs you mean costs.

E

That would be incurred through temporary work, but would it be able to be recouped in the long run.

G

It depends on so, if you're talking about design effort, there's aspects of design that are reusable.

G

If we're talking about construction there things during construction, if we make decisions now.

G

It may not be recoverable, so the the challenge is just to decide. Is it worth? You know, for example,.

G

If we're moving the straw building, uh do we make it without doing the addition? Do we make.

G

It functional so people can move in that would require uh plumbing. That would require heating.

G

uh Other things to bring it up to you know certain level of acceptance from code standpoint and if we.

G

Were adding our addition afterwards? As you recall, the addition was going to house a lot of the.

G

Infrastructure to support the straw building, so the the the investment in the shah building.

G

To make it function on a temporary basis would be lost, it would not be. It would not be what we.

G

At this point would consider good use of funds, that's not to say, as we go forward and explore.

G

What it means to have a building mothballed for a duration. uh It might be something that the city.

G

Says you know from a process standpoint from a procee, a programming standpoint. It might be worth.

G

That marginal investment, even if it's a five-year investment uh until we have monies available to.

G

Do the next step? um So that's that's part of the process we're going through right now and it's.

G

It's a very complex project for a number of reasons. You know at first blush. You would think. Oh.

G

It's pretty straightforward, you just you know, move a building, bring it up put utilities in the ground.

G

But there are five parcels making up uh prescott park and that makes it five times the permitting.

G

uh The the the and you can't you know we've and I'm probably speaking to what you're gonna speak.

G

To but we reached out to the def saying hey, this is ridiculous. It's treated as one parcel can't we.

G

Treat it as one parcel and they said no, you can't it's. The law says they have to be five separate.

G

Permits so that becomes uh a challenge um so can we emerge the park? Well, that's that's that.

G

Is something that's of consideration, but that's gonna take time because of all the overlapping.

G

Restrictions on the properties and and how to unify that. So that is something that we're we're.

G

Planning on pursuing, or at least exploring um you know what would it take? What would that entail.

G

I envision it's going to take a couple years and a lot of frustration from lawyers um that you know.

G

But I I I'm not a lawyer to me. It's just like just make it happen, come on as you as lawyers.

G

Often say to me: what do you mean put a pipe in the ground? It's not a big deal. Are these city or state.

D

Regulations or a combination of both they're state regulations, yeah state law. So but that's that's.

G

An expanded, we're crouching into a lot of things. Let's go through the presentation and there'll be.

G

A great opportunity to have some dialogue, the the intent that I I wanted. You know- and I I felt was.

G

Really important and I'm you know I'm glad tom was willing to pull the meeting together was really.

G

You know we've gotten to the point where we need to really understand where we're going.

G

There's a lot of stuff that cassie and her team have brought forward, and it's like okay! Well, this.

G

Is really important stuff we should you know we should have an opportunity to talk about it and.

G

Just so everybody understands: why is it you know? Why are we going what seems to be a snail's pace.

G

At times um so I wanted to that was my hope, for today was just to you know, make sure everybody's.

G

Up to speed- and you know we hopefully can make informed recommendations and decisions.

G

So thank you, yeah, and I thought it would be helpful for folks who don't understand.

E

What stranded costs mean to clarify that? So I appreciate the expansion on that thought and it's.

G

My interpretation of standard costs, I think the legal definition probably is a little different.

G

But because false work is also something they talk about, but I consider it standard costs.

G

Okay, so we'll go through the slides that are on the screen and also in your hands.

E

At a high level, and then we can get into the weeds of discussion as we um open it up for conversation.

E

So we'll go through what a phase a scope would look like for a tighter phase, 1a scope, we'll.

E

Walk through what that schedule means I'll start off I'll, pass it to ted. To talk about the shaw.

E

Specifically in the relocation and then he'll kick it back to me to walk work through schedule.

E

If I can switch to the slide, I will do that.

E

Having a moment here,.

E

All right, I'm gonna, stop sharing for just a moment.

E

E

Open it up in a different way, I apologize.

C

No pressure, that's okay, we're all just waiting on it! How many years have we been using zooming in.

G

Oh, I know it's just kidding. This will work on cassie's defense. She usually uses teams so.

G

Different different programs, thanks peter all, right we're there.

E

E

E

Oh boy, sorry cassie. I think if you double click on the image I've had this problem on zoom.

E

No, it's not it's not zoom. It's um blue beam. Unfortunately,.

E

All right, I have it on a stick. Yeah I've got it. um I should have it now. Apologies all right.

E

There we go. Thank you thanks for bearing with me all right, so we all have seen this graphic for a.

E

Long time now, this graphic was generated when we were in the implementation phase of the project.

E

Where we took a hard look at resiliency and what were the, what was the combination of strategies.

E

That we were going to put together to make this park more resilient, not only for the park itself.

E

But for the neighborhood we came up with an approach that incorporated five or six different.

E

Strategies working in combination to come up with this larger approach. We then moved into.

E

A phasing strategy that really became a resilient first park first but resilient first approach.

E

And the phase one scope was around really the core of the park and incorporating as much of.

E

The resiliency strategies, as we could the temporary storm water holding area.

E

The preferential flood pathway through water street, this raising of the seawall adding tide.

E

Gates and importantly, the lifting and relocating of the shaw to a higher elevation to pull that.

E

Historic maritime architecture, out of harm's way and among a few other things as well.

E

So now we come to an updated master plan. We presented this back to city council.

E

It was approved and I've we've got the phase. One area outlined.

E

That area was fairly loose in the I mean finite, but loose as we ended. The implementation phase.

E

And now we're midway through documentation we're at about a sixty percent level. We've.

E

Refined and refined and refined exactly how the phase one area sits within.

E

The park today, but also how it would then lend itself to future improvements.

E

And just dialing in a little closer, so the phase one area is dash now in yellow.

E

And we're looking at tightening that even further to focus really in on the the water.

E

Street raising of the water street, adding in all that storm water infrastructure and lifting.

E

And relocating the shaw really at a high level, that's what we're hoping to achieve in phase 1a.

E

Peter alluded to it earlier we're doing that for a myriad of reasons. We've looked at the timelines.

E

Associated with permitting the number of lots that we're touching through these improvements.

E

The financing around the entire phase, one scope and how to get to a project that can be put out.

E

As quickly as possible, within the budget that the city has currently.

E

And ted will go into more detail around.

E

The options that were weighed around the shaw and and the studies that we've done since we last met.

E

So with that I'll go into just a little bit more detail about what exactly we're looking at for a.

E

Truncated phase 1a scope for the moment and before I do that, I just said too, we were.

E

One of the silver linings of this smaller of this reduced scope is that we can really.

E

Preserve the prescott park, arts festival, festival stage area during the season without impacting it.

E

That was always kind of a question of what are we doing with the arts festival during construction.

E

Before construction after construction, how many times would the stage have to move? So if we focus.

E

On the water street area, we can really keep them where they are and then move them once.

E

So, just as an added benefit and something to consider, as you evaluate this approach,.

E

So in terms of demolition, we would first demolish the garage and lean to under the scope.

E

And then we would lift and move the shaw and, as I said, ted will get into that a little bit more.

E

We will also strip the asphalt on water street, fully all the way up to the sheaf building. We will.

E

We will trench and install all of our utilities, so we'll bring all of the lines that we need to.

E

To the new shaw location, gas, sewer, water, plumbing and electrical and we'll also lay the.

E

Storm water lines as well all the way out to the piscataqua so we'll make that fully operational.

E

We'll install the tidegate there as well and then we'll outlet to the river. So once we are.

E

Done with this work that whole system will be in place and we won't have to go back and touch it.

E

And then moving into what the new work will look like.

E

What you're looking at here is a markup of our sixty percent, drawing so.

E

It is a little technical. What we also say is that we have been working through the full.

E

Scope and now we're reducing it and we're trying to see what fits in with existing versus future.

E

In the in the the new work would include the new pavement for the for water street new parking area.

E

The shaw in its final destination, we will also do the connection up to the sheaf at its.

E

Elevation that the preferred elevation and we will be raising water street to its final.

E

Location, so when you imagine liberty lawn at a higher elevation than water street is currently.

E

Everything will be in the same plane for at water street uh as, as is liberty lawn right now,.

E

And then from there really behind the shaw moving towards the stage? That's when the grades will.

E

Start to drop off the landscape will start to drop and we'll get down to existing elevation.

E

Really between the line of the shaw, if you're looking at the scatterguard.

E

Over towards the stage and it'll be, I would say, fairly gradual. We have a lot of.

E

Room there, so we can have a nice gentle slope that connects back down into that open lawn area.

E

I think that's more or less covers this scope and the hope is really we're doing this once.

E

We're doing all this work, we're not coming back to redo, or there really is minimal sunk cost.

E

Within this scope, so we feel confident that we would be able to focus on this area, get it all set.

E

Not worry not impact the arts festival's operations during season and then.

E

They'll be able to move back next and then we'll continue on with the next phase. 1B area of work.

D

And we're hoping for one for phase 1a to be hopefully done in 2022 or are we shooting.

D

For 2023 or 2020 I'll go I'll go through that after that'll be the last thing that we touch on.

E

But that's that's like the perennial question and very important, so I'll put an opinion on that for.

E

A moment so I'll just pass it to ted to go through a few things related to the shaw itself. It's great.

F

And so cassie um you can actually click the slides for you correct tell me when yeah, I think.

F

Without through all these conversations, I think peter touched on it, you know about the project and.

F

And starting with a smaller phase, 1a scope. I think the vision remains the same over time and that's.

F

Important to point out, so we like to start with this slide about the shaw building goals, which I.

F

Think you've seen in previous um meetings and not to go through that, but just important to maintain.

F

That the vision is intact and that we're really looking to in phase one to do three things with.

F

The shaw uh building itself, one is to demolish the lean two in the garage to relocate. The shaw.

F

Building really around the resiliency measures that cassie had pointed out earlier and that's.

F

Really an element of preservation as such, but and then due to budget constraints and also in a way.

F

To step into the future work in a logical sequence that peter had pointed out looking to mothball.

F

The building and mothballing is, is, is a phrase that has worked on through the u.s department.

F

Of interior standards here that we'll walk through and just tell you how that we're going to preserve.

F

The building in the short term, so that we can step into a more developed renovation, long term.

F

uh And let's go back to the vision, this is a slide that we had showed you previously.

F

Which is you know in order to get to that initial phase? One we want to sort of.

F

Vet out some of the phases and and really over time, you're looking at the phase 1a.

F

Which is the shaw building moved closer to marsy street, then the longer term future phase.

F

Is looking at the addition and relocation of the temporary stage, as you see closer to the sheath.

F

So the existing conditions here and the reason why we're showing you this is just to sort of.

F

Be able to articulate that process that we're looking through 1a next.

F

uh We we're really maintaining the shaw building, which you see outlined in those existing drawings.

F

And the other drawings that you see to the right of the bottom, where the lean to in the garage will be removed and demolished.

F

And this is a diagram that really just shows the outline which is shown dash of where the.

F

Existing location of the structures are, and then the new location of the shaw. As pointed.

F

Out which is closer to marston street and part of that process, where we look to go through that.

F

Relocation we'll be looking at the secretary of interior standards for rehabilitation and.

F

Flood adaptation using those guidelines as the standards for the relocation and then.

F

Mothballing will be done under the guidance of the national park service preservation. Brief.

F

Which has an art that really articulates the mothballing process um through for historic.

F

Buildings, how many fleets are we moving the building? I can't I just can't remember that.

A

It's about two and a half uh yards; no, um it's about a shaw and a half yeah. Okay,.

F

70 80 feet and if people ask if the community asks we're not just moving it to moving it.

D

Through it, it's because of all the climate mitigation. Well, that's two part: that's a great.

F

Question so what does moving do for the shaw and what does it do for the park? There's two aspects.

F

Of that one of it is certainly from a flood point of view, we're gonna raise it and relocate it in.

F

A higher ground location and we're raising about three and a half plus feet, and that will do a lot.

F

For preservation over time- and we believe, that's really necessary for the long-term viability of.

F

The building over time and the second part of the moving is, if we can just go back uh to the studies.

F

And back really to one more, please yeah to the to part of the master plan. Revised drawings is.

F

By doing this and relocating it, we did a lot of. If you may recall, uh studies.

F

Working with ppaf and the arts festival uh working with the city to develop a program for.

F

A new construction edition that could eliminate and minimize trailers on the site and also a.

F

Lot of the supporting elements and also be have dual uses that could be used for city functions.

F

And then, by doing that as well, we can relocate the stage temporarily as a temporary stage.

F

Meeting the master plan guidelines to a location that really frees up the lawn.

F

And allows the park to really be a park first approach. So that's probably the two parts.

F

And back to uh the right, this slide here so part of the I thought, it'd be a good idea.

F

To explain what goes into mothballing um the building uh there's a set of standards.

F

This is a checklist that we can sort of walk you through, but in general we document the building.

F

uh We look at ways of stabilizing the building structural elements. uh We develop a pest control.

F

System that protects the building for the duration of the multiple period, and this is really seen as.

F

A temporary phase and then we look at securing the envelope. You know protecting the windows.

F

Protecting the roof as needed, developing security and vandalism, measures for the building and also.

F

Putting temporary heat into the building and ventilation, so it's preserved over time.

F

And really a part of that is also developing a maintenance program that monitors this over time.

F

I don't know carlos, you want to add to that. No, I think that covers it. All. The important thing is to.

A

Keep it and keep it intact. Yeah do not allow for any any dk of the of the.

A

Structural elements as as well as protecting against fire and vandalism and and pests.

F

But important also note it's not going to be occupied, it would just be temporary.

F

uh Secured for a short period of time so when you say a short period of time.

G

So it comes down to available funds. um The the budget, um which will I'm not sure cassie, has.

G

An updated budget, but um we know the costs are significantly greater than available funds. uh We.

G

Know there's a lot of other priorities from funding standpoint for the city.

G

So the idea is to it's going to take a while, um and I would not hazard again. I wouldn't want to.

G

Hazard a guess on how long it would take, can we do any fundraising or does it have to be.

D

Like city set-aside, money, no it I think, that's a really good uh question, and, and actually tom had.

G

Brought that up- um and I think it's uh something that should be discussed uh on um you know frankly.

G

To me, it's it's it's. It really seems like a great opportunity for somebody to to you know, make.

G

Have a legacy uh project um that would benefit the community, so um I think it's. You know that.

G

That's something that needs to be talked about um that wasn't the thought of today's meeting.

D

Yeah, I think I it was always envisioned that there would be.

G

Some fundraising, once we got going on this, you know one of the concerns was having a clear.

G

Tangible project uh that somebody felt they were investing, you know putting utilities.

G

In the ground is really a hard thing to put your name on personally, I'm you know.

G

Pipe pete that'd be great, you know feet of rice. You know memorial, stormwater that'd, be awesome.

G

But it's uh it's not something that most people would be excited about funding. So I think your.

G

Point is a great point. I think it's an opportunity to start the dialogue on that and you know I think.

G

Once we go to the city council, we probably it's probably might be one of our recommendations that.

G

We start uh the discussion about. You know what it would take, um but I think this first phase would.

G

Really help kick that off, because it would clearly it would get people excited, and it would clearly.

G

Define the need, um so I I think it's probably put it on a future agenda. That really kind of I don't.

D

Know if the city council is going to want, like a presentation of what does fundraising, look like.

D

We'll just get like cart launched sure go. Do some fundraising well just to add to what peter said.

B

The original master plan envisioned that there would be a public private partnership.

B

To build out this master plan and, as I said, there's there's a timing thing.

B

In addition to you know having a hard sell to convince people to support the cost of underground.

B

Utilities- we're not quite there yet on what the finished product is going to look like and so.

B

You got to be a little careful about going out and raising funds without knowing exactly right.

B

And as peter has referenced, I've discussed this recently with a couple people. I think we're.

B

Getting close to the point of kind of setting that up, you know now that we're talking about.

B

We have a vision of what that edition will look like assuming we get the permitting every report.

B

That's the type of thing that I think lends itself to a fundraising so.

B

What's not clear at this point is what our this committee's role will be in even making a.

B

Proposal on that, but um but I'm sure we'll have an opportunity to at least talk about in the future.

B

You know whether you know the example I think of is the poison public library, which was essentially.

B

Funded with lots of contributions throughout business and individual contributions,.

B

Throughout the community, so I I envisioned something along those lines as a as a model.

B

For for moving this thing forward, once we know where we're really going to go.

C

But I think we have to be careful because I know from being in the library there's naming.

C

Rates and stuff- and I don't know we probably can't do that with the park- you know well, it.

C

Can't be the peter rice through her outfall or anything like that. We can call it that, but.

C

So I just I mean it's just something: to keep in mind. There's some ability, though,.

D

Somewhere along the way to have some names or plaque with people's names or something.

G

I, I think, that's a good question and we should probably get opinion from our legal.

G

Department to say you know, and obviously the the attorney general's office would weigh in as well.

G

But I I I think, there's probably an opportunity for naming rights on a specific like.

G

If there was a the addition, if somebody you know gifted or put down a couple million dollars.

G

um There's probably a way a name could be placed on that building.

G

You know the the prescott park sister, the prescott sisters have a park named after them.

G

I don't think it precludes the ability to name a specific building or something like that within it.

G

But we, you know, that's something we should to define and prior to getting.

G

Even getting to that point and talking about it publicly, we need to. We need council.

G

Buy-In and and vote to modify the the master plan to kind of define this. Where we're going. You know.

G

We've talked about the addition um that was not necessarily part of the modified master plan.

G

um So we need to, we need to take those steps uh and that's why you know this is.

G

This is a really important meeting. uh You know to better define that and then we need.

G

As a committee um need to go to council and explain them where we're at and and see if they.

G

Accept the recommendations: yes, uh it actually there's a little more background on that, but.

B

I don't want to. I dress too far, because I know you're going to leave this in about 15 minutes.

B

And I want to make sure we get to have a decision on this, but but I thought that they.

C

Did the the last time it went to council, they did approve the demolition of the lento in the garage.

C

And moving the shaw they did, but what we're talking about is the the getting the buy-in on the.

G

Addition, if we're going to do fundraising, you're going to be fundraising for a specific something.

G

So you need that there needs to be an acceptance more than just a vague reference, too.

F

So back to you, no, I just uh I'll try to wrap up quickly. You can go to the next slide, so.

F

All right back to sort of the steps. I just want to also point out that the sequence that.

F

Is outlined here is a pretty logical sequence in terms of getting to longer vision, and it really.

F

Does step into you know the mothballing allows us, I should say to step into that longer vision in a.

F

Rational way, but this is really where we're going to be at the end of the mothballing phase- is the.

F

Building is relocated, as cassie pointed out. The stage stays in its current location and the arts.

F

Festival can remain operable after uh phase 1a is completed. The only thing if you get before you.

H

Yep, the only thing that we discussed that could be added to this potentially is you know.

H

The the shaw building is mothballed. There's the potential for additional trailers to be on site.

H

Housing, the arts festival staff because, right here, their homes can't be in the shaw building, correct.

H

So you we, we, we could potentially see a couple more trailers um in the field there that or right.

H

Immediately behind it, because that area will be, um you know, flat and available to keep them on site.

G

But so that's it's important to realize that those are details that need to be discussed and worked.

G

Out, there's there's: if you do something like that: you're talking about providing utilities.

G

You know water, sewer, electricity, uh maybe you've seen uh these commercial trailers, they're they're.

G

Really actually more, the portable offices they're more mobile homes um and we've we've used those.

G

In construction projects in the past, and before we even go down that road, we need to look at the.

G

Alternatives there could be an alternative to to housing them in real estate elsewhere. um So.

G

We, you know we're not saying this is how it's going to be solved. We're just saying it's. You.

G

Know we're exploring. We need to be cognizant of that. The other one thing I'd like to point out.

G

Too, is that, even though these are shown in shade those are not going to be included as part of this.

G

First phase the the sidewalks that's just showing what some future things. So I don't want people to.

G

Misunderstand that they, it looks like we're going to install that as part of this first phase.

E

Any more comment on this: I think we would just go ahead next and we could pass it back to you.

F

And this is just getting back to the longer term vision and giving people a sense of that. Now we.

F

Can uh keep moving cassie so just to wrap up, and I know beth you need to head out so I'll, be quick.

E

So we needed to wrap our minds and- and you asked the question about what does.

E

This mean in terms of schedule right now, peter alluded to it at the beginning, the regular, the.

E

Regulatory process really will be driving this for us and it's not an insignificant process.

E

It there is some ability to stack some of these permits that we need to get, but some of it.

E

Is linear, unfortunately, so we will go to htc fairly soon for their approval, we're anticipating.

E

A two plus meeting process- and these are all projected our hope that you know we're hoping.

E

That we can move through this fairly quickly, but we just don't. We ultimately don't know.

E

Until it's happening, but we are projecting and hoping that we can meet these dates.

E

We will go through hdc. At that same time we will go to the state department of historic resources.

E

And start that process they will there's a a a lot of regular regulations and.

E

Processes that we have to go through with them, but we can do that as at the same.

E

Time that we're working through local historic commission meetings and then ultimately, they take.

E

The historic commission's approval and have a 30-day review period after that.

E

So that is what is indicated in the permitting section. After we have hdc approval, we can then go.

E

To the department of environmental services and go for our our wetlands and shoreline permits.

E

The shoreland is the one that triggers the multi-lot submissions. In this case, I.

E

Believe we're touching four lots, so we do need to do multiple permits for this work.

E

We're looking at anticipating a 75 day period for that process, but it can be longer than that. So.

E

Just want to keep that in folks minds that this is optimistic but schedule, but it is not.

E

Set in stone and then after that, because we are going to be touching, the water.

E

We are, then required to go to the governor and executive council for review um anything that.

E

Sits below the high tide level becomes state needs, a state review and approval.

E

So that is one piece we als already knew that we needed to go to army corps. So those two.

E

Processes can happen at the same time, and so we thought why not just go through the council and.

E

Governors, at the same time, because we were already going to do army corps so that whole process.

E

Assuming that we can get drawings together fairly quickly for this enough to go through permitting.

E

Could get started in august? We would our our work to luke in tolucans and wesson and sampson's work.

E

Would be in lockstep with this and really like? I said earlier: the regulations are driving this.

E

Our our work, kind of behind the scenes will be in support of that effort and then we'll.

E

Wrap up our drawings, we'll go out to bid we'll get a contra a contract in place with.

E

A contractor we'll the contractor will mobilize it's a little bit more lengthy for architecture.

E

Than for site work, but ultimately we're looking at an early spring start of construction for 2023.

B

That also informs why we're cutting back so much upon phase 1a, because, for instance, if we.

B

Wanted to start laying electrical conduit, we'd be in the area where the our festival is.

B

Setting up and as it is we're probably there's going to be some of construction.

B

During the festival season, so so we yeah, we will be in active construction.

E

During next summer, during that arts festival, but we will be limited to the water street.

E

Area, and so the hope is that we're not impacting that season from taking place.

A

One question that ted.

B

Sometimes, when you kick around the term mothball, you think you take a building, you put it up on.

B

Railroad ties and it sits there until you really do something with it, but.

B

We're actually going to put it on its final slab.

B

That's not a temporary slab or anything, and I know in the past we've talked about that building.

B

Having a sort of a basement, so it will no longer have a basement, and is this driven by these.

B

Federal regulations is that, what's informing that decision to go well a couple of things there.

F

That's a great point that we should itemize is that the building, let's say from the finish floor.

F

Of level one up would be basically mothballed, so that would be you know, restoring to some extent.

F

Just stabilizing protecting all the things that I went through but, as tom pointed out from the.

F

Finish floor down to the bottom of the foundations, we're looking at making that a long-term plan.

F

Where we actually build that to the way that we would recommend it as a part of the long-term.

F

Vision and so that it may include some of the the stone foundation that you see in a more.

F

Integrated manner salvaging that material really revitalizing, some of those historic details uh and.

F

So it's paired between some of the guidelines, like let's say, for the the secondary interior standards.

F

For the guidelines on preservation, with some of the mothballing with some of the flood adaptation.

F

Guidelines together and we're really using those as guides, and I think the state's office dhr.

F

Department, historic resource will be evaluating those things, as well as the local htc um and.

F

Really making sure that we're you know preserving this in a manner that steps logically over time.

B

Okay, other questions, so um how much do we have for phase one 4.2 and this would be eaten up by.

C

This basically bulk of it will be yes yeah. um I just an observation. I work for the state. I have.

C

Contracts that have to go through gnc as we call it at the state, it's a little ambitious it. They. It.

C

Takes a long time to get those things up there and get them through there, so just so you know.

G

Yeah, that's that's why it's like it's a it's a painful process and the army corps. Yeah yeah.

E

In this schedule, too, if you notice the overlap with our construction documents, we're going out.

E

To bid before we have permits in hand for some of them, which is a bit of a risk on the city's part.

E

Because they've done it before, though they um we anticipate with all the conversations.

E

That we've been having, because we have had several over the course of the last year.

E

With all these agencies that, when we submit the drawings were getting, approvals, were not.

E

Hashing things out at that time they they have been briefed. They're, aware, they're, very clear.

E

On what our scope is, we'll provide an additional update as we go as we're reducing the scope so.

E

The hope is that it's not totally out of the realm, but I agree that it it will likely extend.

E

Out a bit more than we anticipate here so in the just to go back to the um mothball.

C

Thing that um the stranded cost of you know having to update the shaw and perhaps I'll have.

C

All those improvements in there co-compliance is the bathrooms which there are currently in there.

C

But I think an elevator would probably have to be put in there and once you start taking.

G

This I mean joe could speak to the discussions we've had with the inspection yeah, the the.

H

If you're speaking about a a an opportunity to to use it in in some way or what the.

H

Absolute bare minimum, um once we once we pick it up and move it, it's a it's a they.

H

They would consider life safety issues to be paramount and that it's not just the inspections.

H

Department, it's the the fire department as well, so you could be looking at sprinkler systems. We.

H

Could be looking at accessibility, uh um the elevator, maybe not necessarily depending on.

H

The occupancy load- and you know, if they're using the third floor so forth, but there would.

H

Be need to be two forms of egress protected stairwells that come down in the event of a.

H

You know an emergency in the building. Yeah, you trigger. You trigger a lot of modern code when you.

H

Touch the building and you disrupt the interior, historic, correct structure. And if you remember.

H

We were trying to not, and you know we were the addition, was we were trying you're going to have.

H

As pure as possible, no bathrooms, no, I don't think we're proposing any plumbing within the show.

H

In his final location, yeah, I mean we're trying to move the majority of it another right of just.

F

Being up in that is the uses right if we change uses over time, they have also other triggers.

F

So we went through a pretty lengthy evaluation process, not just as a group here, but also.

F

With the local jurisdiction and uh the costs go way up and potentially redoing things.

F

And uh it just made more sense to, I think, look at it more logically and stepping over.

F

Time, I don't know if you don't add to that. No, that's clear! That's exactly what took place.

C

I unfortunately have to go. I do think. However, there might be enough.

H

We're talking about durations that might take a bit longer in permitting.

H

I I do hope that we would be the hdc has seen this project one at least once maybe.

H

Maybe twice um so rather than a two-month period. Hopefully we could do this in one.

H

Meeting sure can we actually before beth leaves? Is it worth taking a quick vote on if.

B

But so what I hear the proposal for phrase 1a is that we would uh demolish the garage.

B

And the lean tube, uh we would relocate shaw to its final location and uh put it on a on a slab.

B

With sufficient uh uh electrical et cetera hookups, so ultimately it wouldn't be aquable then, but.

B

We wouldn't have to do any more uh underground work at that point, uh we'll remove the pavement.

B

On water street, we'll install the drainage from uh from uh marcy agenda marcie street. Yes, all the way.

B

To the river, including putting in the the dams and then uh we'll uh raise water street and the land.

B

In the rail that will run from shaw to shave to its final level and then grade down into.

B

uh There's the area behind the player's ring, and so there won't be any uh um improvements on the.

B

Sea wall or anything in this stage, there won't be any work in the performance lawn. The seating ball.

B

And there won't be the final installation of the electrical throughout the park. That was.

B

Really popular, that's that's the principle change between what we were talking about in the original.

B

Phase one and now any questions about that. So just one making a decision about mothballing.

C

In this phase 1a no, we are okay, because yeah that wasn't mentioned well, I'm just yeah.

B

We're moving shaw to its its final location, but we're not doing any work beyond it, but.

G

It doesn't dying it doesn't, it doesn't preclude future decisions to change.

G

That decision, so by making this decision now, it doesn't mean that at a future time you could.

G

Decide well, let's invest the money to come into code compliance and take care of it. One thing.

G

The alternative to this approach is to say we hold off and wait until we have enough money to do the.

G

Do the project in a more comprehensive manner, so that's kind of the you know and really.

G

It becomes a chicken in the egg. In my mind um you know you start the project, you do. You start.

G

The infrastructure work, and you show progress that would, I think, lead to fundraising. That would lead.

G

To excitement to get things moving forward um versus waiting, but you know which is becoming.

G

But that I just wanted to clarify that. That's the the contrast to the the options.

C

No, I I will support it, but I will say that mothballing thing is a big deal.

C

It just it triggers a lot of things for purpose of moving this project, and this conversation forward.

C

I'll support it, but um I just think that is a very significant development. You can start a campaign.

A

Well, yeah, I mean the question is about the mothball thing and you and you may have said this.

A

And I apologize, I have trouble hearing sometimes, but when it's mothballed, when the building is.

A

Muffled, does that mean it is? Is there occupancy or not? Oh, no, it's not it's unoccupied. So what happens.

A

To the prescott park offices and the other things that are currently in there now, um that's my.

A

Question and you may have answered it- I apologize if I missed it. Yeah peter addressed that in.

B

Essence, we'll have to work with the arts festival to relocate their offices and the functions.

B

They currently have in shaw to another location, either off site somewhere approximate to the park.

B

Or through additional trailers in the park, some will have to do something to to keep that function.

B

Going and it's important to note that they're they're aware that that's the possibility and.

H

They always knew they would have to move out of shots at one point anyway, when we actually.

H

Started working on it this would this wouldn't be a surprise to them in case that was a concern in.

H

Your decision, the big benefit, the big benefit to this approach, is that we maintain the performance.

G

Lawn uh throughout the construction period, so that does not disrupt them for a number of years.

G

Right so my other question then, is that the timeline for the mothballing is until.

A

We collectively can raise the money to do the next step, absolutely right, correct, correct.

A

Okay, so um I'm gonna have to because beth is leaving, make the call a question on whether.

B

The committee supports this approach and toward a recommendation to adopt this by the city council.

B

I'll ask for public input afterwards, unfortunately, but because you're leaving that, how do you feel.

D

I feel like we really don't have much of a choice that this is the recommendation and, like you said,.

D

If we need to change it, we can't somebody steps forward with a bunch of money. We can.

D

Move forward, so yes, I think that's yeah! That's all! Yes!.

B

Yes, okay and the chair vote. Yes, all right! Sorry, folks, gotta go I'm gonna open it up.

B

At this point, we hear something really uh that would cause us to change our.

B

Mind then I'll call another meeting next week or something, but why don't we uh uh would you.

B

Like to add anything peter, I would please why don't you go ahead and take best care.

B

Identify yourself for the record, please: okay,.

I

Peter huda, 280 south street, um a former member of this committee um in following this, I guess.

I

I would ask if, since the mothballing is such a big, a big thing, I would one I would ask if there is.

I

Any possibility of limited uh utilization and that maybe we could get some options on that like when.

I

You when, after you move the shaw and you get all of the utilities in there, is it possible to let.

I

Maybe the arts festival come back partly or is there any other options besides just leaving it.

I

Empty and mothballed I mean: can we stage anything um that that's? That seems to be a concern for.

I

Just about everybody, so is it possible to bring back some options to the committee.

B

Yeah, I can try to answer that and peter answered a little bit already, so I I think the answer would.

B

Be um I think we would go into the idea that we are mothballing it and then, if it looked like it.

B

Was going to be a prolonged period of time before we could raise enough money to put the addition up.

B

Then we might look at doing something transitional and making that decision. I think you were weighing.

B

Spending money that would become a stranded cost so, for instance, if we put bathrooms in shaw until.

B

The addition could be, those bathrooms would end up being a wasted expense, because the ultimate plan.

B

Wouldn't happen, I think you know it'd probably be difficult to be able to change the location of the.

B

Building and get the permits necessary to allow use of the upper floors. Could there be something.

B

On the first floor, that you know would be just a storage thing. I think that would go to to.

B

Probably a function of the permitting in what these I mean, a lot of it is going to be.

F

To what degree do we need to stabilize the building really when you move it.

F

What goes into that? Will dictate it and then, of course, the biggest difference is.

F

When you go from an unoccupied to an occupied building, it kind of triggers all the things that.

F

Peter and joe were talking about, and so it starts to cascade very quickly into other set of.

F

uh Requirements um but I think the fire safety thing is they're adamant about that. There's no.

D

Way of getting around a lot of that right, there are, I mean it is a really good point.

G

Though- and I think it's something that we need to explore fully and understand what it means.

G

uh To you know if we were to try to make it either occupy or non-occupied storage.

G

So there's this you know the life safety issues are less, there's still a concern relative to fire.

G

And things like that, but it's it's worth exploring further um to to get a better handle on because.

G

You know it is going to be frustrating to have a building, uh relocated and not usable. um You know.

G

So that is, you know, we're knowing full. Well that's the case. You know the hopes is that will help spur.

G

People to say well, let's do something more and and invest in in the addition, so that we can get this.

G

You know realize the vision, um but that's we need to. We need to explore that further, um but the hope.

G

Here was because of those timelines were so tight that we needed to start the you know we needed to.

G

Get a consensus at least to move forward, um so we could get the permitting process moving forward.

G

And then the further discussions, as as cassie and team uh start to to develop it, we can better.

G

Refine it and get better understand. What does it mean to mothball? Is it a partial moth ball is.

G

There storage use- um and you know they're I these guys yeah. I drive them crazy when I say well, let's.

G

Try this: let's try that and they're like yeah! Well, there's physical limitations, there's engineering.

G

Limitations and things so another piece of this. That is also interesting, maybe along the lines.

F

Is when you moth ball and you protect right, the building, particularly the windows right, you know.

F

What does it look like, and those are things that we could advance options on? That would.

F

Be necessary, you know it's presentation of what it looks like when it's in this current state so.

F

That it looks um potentially more admirable to look at than something that's just been shelved.

F

To some extent, well, I'm trying to visualize the timeline and I'm thinking. Okay, if you get permit.

I

A and you're in permit a you're allowed to do this. Maybe we have another option by time we get.

I

To permit b, all those during this timeline, maybe there's something else. We could be kind of kind of.

I

Adding in there- and I have no idea about you- know what what it involves, but I I just wanted to get.

I

An idea about uh if there, if there is any options that we could we could explore because, like I mean.

I

It's all about it's going to be all about the pr on this to get uh to get folks. Looking at this and.

I

Not like, like peter said, uh you know, the stuff in the ground isn't pretty and it's not.

I

Not exciting, but uh the imagination right right so um just something to say: yeah, it's coming we're.

I

We're working on it and uh you know that kind of stuff. The only other thing I would, I would say.

I

I think it's exciting that you're thinking about outside fundraising and hopefully we can do small.

I

Things you know like they did on the memorial, maybe bricks, people, bricks or slats on the on the.

I

Walk or something that doesn't have to be a giant contribution, but you can get your name on there.

I

There's a lot of things that we could do yeah, I'm not an expert in fundraising, but I think.

B

It's important to allow the entire community to have, even if it's a smaller something in the.

B

Pot so to speak, yeah and it could be exciting. That's all I have to say thank you. Thank you.

B

Okay, anybody on zoom who wants to comment: courtney.

J

Hi all thank you so much for asking for my input. um I uh I'm I appreciate being included in the.

J

Conversations um I sort of share what I'm assuming is some disappointment at the committee level.

J

And as I've expressed to tom and and peter and joe, the festival is um committed to helping to.

J

Make this happen and we are fundraising experts so happy to happy to help join you in partnership.

J

um To do anything we can to make the park um the sort of best place that it can be. So thank.

J

You for considering us- I I think um you know I've sort of stressed this in the past, but it's worth.

J

Saying again in this meeting that it's essential for us to be in the park um for the planning and.

J

Execution of the work that we do so you know I appreciate you keeping that in mind and working.

J

With us to find uh alternative, an alternative home from the shaw building, while it's mothballed.

B

And for the record that was courtney, perkins of prescott.

B

Oh, I'm sorry! Yes! Yes, I am in the shaw building apparently.

B

Okay, uh any other, I I don't see any other comments from or anybody from the public.

B

Who might be able to comment so uh I'll open up to any other.

B

New business or final questions or discussions, so I I would just suggest we present to council.

G

So they you know. Unfortunately, the assistant mayor was had conflict schedule, but I think it'd.

G

Be a good opportunity, probably to bring this to council and to get their buy-in.

G

Relative to the idea of the edition, so that we can start that process to start putting together some.

G

Concepts um and to you know, explain to the public that there is it's going to be a reduced scope.

G

And that there's an understanding and just a kind of a report back almost so absolutely uh should we.

B

Do a written proposal or would you think we could just present this.

B

Kind of outline similar to what we've done, I I think it probably what was presented today. Maybe.

G

With slight modification would be appropriate and, depending upon this, the council's schedule.

G

A short presentation uh with the you know, with the ask, with a clear definition of you know,.

G

Recommended vote uh from that um which would be to.

G

Accept the recommendation to continue on this effort in this manner, so.

B

I would maybe we can work on that with you casting it, so they.

B

They're not meeting this coming monday, they meet uh uh the 20th, I think or 21st is the.

G

Next meeting, so it's a week from last monday: okay, all right uh other questions or comments.

B

All right, I have one one question and I don't want to extend this meeting, but at some day.

A

I would love to understand more about the five parcels you mentioned and the forbidden process.

A

I know everyone's laughing, but I'm just curious if that coincides with the uh the phases that.

A

We had originally talked about, or, if that's you know I just like to know more about it, so I can.

A

Understand it, but but you don't have to spend time here unless you can do it in one quick sentence.

A

Well I'll attempt to do it in a quick, quick, two sentences, but um so the parcels that make up.

B

Prescott park were acquired at different times right, uh and some of them have different.

B

Restrictions than others in the deeds- okay, so you know, for instance, if you look at the history.

B

Of the park, the area where the players ring is, and the lawn behind it uh was owned privately.

B

For most of the history of prescott park, it was like the severed park and that was acquired. I.

B

Think in the late 80s or something and it's and it was it's not subject to the same terms, that.

B

The early parcels were that the uh the prescott sisters had restrictions on use and things of that.

B

Nature, so that's really part of the history isn't so much. You know what the state.

B

In fact, as far as I know, the state doesn't put any conditions on the use of these fossils.

B

It's the ones that depart the restrictions that were imposed at the time. They were.

B

Acquired by the city and the dean okay, thank you. Okay, uh any other comments. Hearing none.

B

I'll call for a motion to adjourn and since uh it's like you- and I are the only people- oh that.

A

Way all right I'll declare the motion adjourned. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you have a good day.

A

Recording stuff.

A

Okay, it's hard.

H

The fact that we have we have it all here, don't we and it's.