The letter attachment in pdf was too large, so I have pasted it below. Hopefully the rendering of the mural will go thru! ************************* Please review the ³mural² Starbucks plans to put up at the corner of Shephard and Mass Ave. They are seeking a variance TONIGHT (7:30 pm, Senior Center, 806 Mass Ave) if you wish to attend. This case is first on the agenda. Sorry for the late notice Ruth! From: Ruth Ryals <rryals@comcast.net> Date: Thursday, October 2, 2014 at 3:51 PM To: "Pacheco, Maria" <mpacheco@cambridgema.gov> Subject: FW: Starbucks & Art Committee for the Avenue Connect Marian, Members of the Board of Zoning Appeal, This is the letterI sent to Starbucks re BZA-004957-2014 (the proposed mural at 1664-1668 Mass Ave) on the agenda tonight. I plan to be there to testify. I have also attached a copy of the MasterPlan for Mass Ave, adopted by the city and the neighborhood, now in the first phase of construction, which includes a process for the selection of art for the Avenue. Most importantly, it should be a community process allowing for neighborhood feedback and every opportunity to draw upon the art institutions and artists in our neighborhoods . I would ask that Starbucks withdraw it¹s petition and work with the community to decide on an appropriate art installtion for that wall, which is very prominent and visible to everyone walking or driving by on Mass Ave. Thank you for your attention, Ruth Co-Chair, Art Committee for the Avenue Member, Mass Ave Neighborhood Improvement Committee Ruth Ryals 115 Upland Rd. Cambridge, MA 02140 617-547-6453 617-834-4007 (c) Art Committee for the Avenue Mass Ave Neighborhood Improvement Committee representation from Agassiz Neighborhood and Neighborhood Nine, Lesley University, Art Institute of Boston, Maud Morgan Arts, Harvard University, and Local First Nick Migliaccio, NE Project Manager Starbucks Coffee Company 275 Grove Street Newton, MA 02466 Re: Shepard Post Mural Proposal Nick, We appreciate your response. Unfortunately, it is not very helpful to say that the town and neighbors need to accept your design/plan (which we never heard about until 2 days ago) or nothing will happen at that corner and Starbucks will not waste any more time or resources on a renovation. Our Mass Ave Neighborhood Improvement Committee has been working with the City of Cambridge Community Development Department for over five years developing the ³Massachusetts Avenue Harvard to Porter- The Avenue, Streetscape Master Plan and Public Infrastructure Standards² and now the construction phase that includes Starbucks. Starbucks gains extensive benefits from this work, additional seating as part of public art in front, additional outdoor seating space at the curb extension plaza on Shepard Street, and a significantly better streetscape environment. If you would all take a few minutes to look at the attached sketch of that corner, you would see a sidewalk extension on Shepherd St (ideal for your outdoor seating) and an art/planting/seating area in front of your building on Mass Ave (attached is competitively chosen artist¹s rendering). We are asking Starbucks to work with us to make the corner work for all of us. It should end up being something you are proud enough of to advertise as how Starbucks, even though it is a big corporation, works with local neighborhoods to make the coffee shop and the neighborhood a better place. And that corner should have a neighborhood friendly, coffee oriented, mural on the wall facing Shepard St. That process need not be lengthy or difficult; after all, we are the neighbors and we are already working with the city. However, the process is important. We are asking Starbucks to join us as a partner in selecting a design. Ruth p.s Attached is the formal letter, which we will be submitting to the BZA. We look forward to meeting the Starbucks representatives who will be in attendance.