Neighbors,
This is yet another letter of support for the Lesley-Art
Institute of Boston project at the site of the North Prospect Congregational
Church on Mass Ave at Porter Square, to join the support letters of the Porter
Square Neighborhood Association, the Neighborhood Study Group and, of course,
the letters that many of you and I have written.
If you have not been counted, try to stop by and sign the letter
of support on the bench at my Buena Vista side door. I will make sure the
letter reaches the City Council Ordinance Committee meeting today, and is in
the informational packet for the final City Council vote on Monday the 22nd.
Thanks again!
Ruth
From: Kathleen Born
[mailto:kathyborn@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:29 AM
To: Council@CambridgeMA.GOV
Cc: joshposner@comcast.net; Ruth Ryals; eileenrudden@comcast.net;
basking@comcast.net
Subject: Lesley Overlay District
June 17, 2009
To the Honorable City Council:
I want to voice my support for the proposed Lesley Overlay
District. It is my understanding that the Zoning Amendment as
originally filed is going to be further amended before adoption to increase
setbacks from abutting residential areas.
From my point of view, the
“church” property on Mass Ave has been inappropriately zoned for
many years as a low density residential area. The proposed Overlay District has
the advantage of pairing this corrective re-zoning with new height limits for
the Lesley-owned parking lots on the opposite side of Mass Ave.
I believe that the arrival of the
Art Institute of Boston will add a positive new flavor to Porter Square and
that the influx of new people will bolster the retail establishments in the
area, as well as hopefully generate new art-related businesses.
I am aware that there are
neighborhood concerns about the placement of the relocated former church
building on the new Lesley development site. I understand that these concerns
are focused on vistas and lines of sight from various streets and vantage
points.
These are legitimate concerns, but
not within the purview of the City Council which does not have design review
jurisdiction.
I also support the Landmark Designation by the City Council
for the “church” building. This will mean that the final site
design, in particular the placement of the “church” and
alterations to it, will have a full design review by the Cambridge Historical
Commission. It appears that the current design for the site is quite
conceptual in nature, and thus open to the kind of refinement which is typical
of the Historical Commission process.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Born
--
Kathleen Leahy Born, AIA, LEED AP
3 Walnut Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-492-0437