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Reading - <br />Historical Commission Minutes v'~~ <br />March 8, 2001 C`;'t' CLERK <br />Attending: Kathy Greenfield R_ NG' MASS' <br />Roberta Sullivan 2001 APR 25 A 9; 39 <br />Louise Sandberg <br />Clay Jones <br />Col. Wilbar Hoxie <br />Sharlene Santo <br />Mark Cardono <br />Jerry Kaper <br />Anne Krieg, Town Planner <br />John Hixson, Reading Housing Authority <br />1. Called to order at 7:40 PM. <br />2. The minutes from the January 8 and February 6 meeting were approved as <br />amended. <br />3. Old Police Station: Mr. Larkin attended the meeting to represent his plan for the <br />use of the OPS. He would be using both old and new parts of the building. <br />Reading Housing Authority: Plans prepared by Stirling/Brown Architects, Inc. of <br />Winchester -Two units on the ground level; two on the 1st floor. Decks on the east <br />and west sides. No utilities on the roof. Exterior: entrances the same; fixing up the <br />windows. Includes adding a 34 car parking lot. No lowered ceilings. Deed <br />restrictions. Air conditioning? They haven't planned for AC. The plans the <br />commission were shown were preliminary. RHC decided on the two entrances that <br />are there now. They have not decided on the contractor, but RHC would be <br />constrained by municipal decision making. RHA aims to have permanent affordable <br />housing in the OPS building. Russ Dean noted that all applicants did not meet the <br />RFP since all of them asked for deeded parking spaces. Even the 4 units of housing <br />helps the town with its housing certification. Anne Krieg encouraged the commission, <br />if we in fact support the RHA proposal, to write a letter to the Board of Selectmen <br />strongly encouraging the town to work with the RHA. <br />Angelo Salamone: He wanted to recreate the old windows; keep the original <br />entries; he would prefer using both old (2 units) and new (3 units) buildings. He did <br />not present any plans nor has he been inside the building. He projects the work to <br />take about a year. Mr. Salamone would be the general contractor. <br />Discussion: The commission decided that the RHA plan should get the backing <br />of the RHC. The town benefits by acquiring parking, affordable housing, the <br />preservation of an historic building, the continuation of the fabric of the neighborhood, <br />and the expectation of long-term use. The RHA does seem to be intent on restoring <br />the building appropriately. This would also allow the RHA to fix up the house at 75 <br />Pleasant Street. Clay will draft a letter supporting the RHA proposal including <br />unaddressed issues and the parking issues. <br />4. 1375 Main Street: The developer owns the building and wants a waiver from <br />the demotion delay, because the comprehensive permit law (40B) which must make <br />the project economically feasible. The developer was told they had to go to the RHC <br />since the ZBA has no impact on the RHC. There are 8 units planned. There are <br />conservation issues. ZBA is meeting on the 15th about this project. ZBA would like <br />