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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20190526 Skidmore Entranceway Correspondance :.tvs l Arnold NY fil? ,51w $, f 1 e L'1 • Juu Y 4, -2, t 9 Elyx City of'Saratoga Springs s Design Review iew UOittrnkiiion 4 74BroadwaySayate,t.a Springs.NY 2.866$ Design Review Commission. Jay and I live on the northvi.est corner of Fourth Street and North Broadway. We are fortunate to live next. door.to Phil and Marie and Skidmore College in such a beautiful and historic part of our city, Throughout our eight years here.Skidmore has been a Lr e at neislibor. Jay and I feel that we are stewards of our historic home and North Broadway as a historic street and as such, we fel the need to express our concerns over the proposed 11CW entrance plans for Skidmore College. While we understand the desire to have better signage s that visitors know where the entrance is located.we are very concerned \kith the scale and scope of the proposed entrance and the impact that it would have on the historic nature of North Broadway. To be honest we were a hole shocked at the proposal. The large stone walls flanking either side of the street and two large Skidmore Collegesigns look very out of place and are notin keeping with the character ol'the street,The walls plus the over two-ibot size letters make the visual l impact o1'these signs to be over eight feet hi b and twenty feat wide• These large flanking walls and signs also imply that you are entering Skidmore C olle re property instead of continuing on a city street This will dramaticallyimpact the feel of tliis section()TN. Broadway. in addition,we are also concerned with how the signrr.:le encroaches on the roadway and is not in k'.epin f with tiu. large setbacks maintained throughout North Broadway, providing its wide,historic chara„ter. We learned today that this proposal was brought t:: the City forgeneral.feedback in February_ aye and l were surprised and disappointed that Skidmore did not make any effort to reach out to neighbors ahead of this meeting. 'We have also bund that many in the Skidmore community and the neighborhood are not aware of the project. Because of the. dramatic impact on the.street :'t•Ller-innc the historic district.we ask that the DRC l r•o.vide"guidance as to what would be more in keepin2,with the historic feel and tradition of the street and its surrounding neighborhood. Sincerely., ly., Aye 3'tie,-,04:1 Zim bra jennifer.merriman@saratoga-springsorg Fwd: Skidmore entrance From Bradley Birge <bbirge(41saratega-springs.org> The, Jun 04, 2019 11:54 AM Subject : Fwd: Skidmore entrance To : \-7, • , CC Donald F Minnery (drninnery©saratogaassociates.com) <dminnery@)saratogaassociates.corn> FYI From: "Caroline Cardone' <carotine.cardone©gmail.com> To: "Bradley Birge" <bbirge©saratoga-springs.org>, "Tamie Ehinger" <tamieehingerCayahoo,com> Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2019 10:22:17 AM Subject: Skidmore entrance Brad & Tarnie, As a Skidmore alum, I wanted to write and express my disappointment in the entrance/signage proposal Saratoga AssociatesIas developed for the North Broadway entrance of the campus.. While I appreciate the need for more visible signage and clearer wayfinciing, the style and scope of the proposed project is inappropriate for both the college and the neighborhood. Skidmore College is a highly esteemed, venerable place of learning and as such, deserves an entrance treatment which honors the sanctity, tradition, and solemnity of such an institution. The North Broadway entrance is the first impression a visitor sees, and is also the interface of the college and the community. It should be reflective of the long-standing tradition of excellence Skidmore embraces. I was therefore disheartened to see a gaudy signage proposal more befitting of a shopping plaza, condo development, or casino presented as the face of my alma mater. Additionally, the people of Saratoga Springs are fortunate to have, in North Broadway, one of the most elegant and historic residential neighborhoods in the upstate area. Any alterations or additions to this streetscape must be considered with utmost sensitivity to the unique and httpsy'rn;aaratoga-sr)rogs.,ort,i,411pnr0;--ressage2 T' 2 1,1 time-honored fabric of the surrounding neighborhood context. Oversized, nouveau-riche styled monument signage hes no place on North Broadway. Thank you for listening and taking my comments into consideration. -Caroline PS - As the DRC reviews this project I hope they will examine all SIX of the large scale signs proposed for the street, in addtion to the two depicted in the renderings, Caroline Carcione Burke TOP RAIL INTERIORS VAN tO prailinieriQrs.cpm Confidentiality/Privilege Notice: This e-mail communication and any files transmitted with it contain privileged and confidential information from the City of Saratoga Springs and are intended solely for the use of the individual(s) or entity to which it has been addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or taking any other action with respect to the contents of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please delete it and not4 the sender by return e-mail. Thank you for your cooperation. . . „ cc wme ss 6i , LArc - 2;2 6 5,2019 Z n-,bra jennifer.merriman©saratoga-springs.org Fwd: L 20190526 Skidmore Entranceway & Intersection Improvements From Bradley Birge <bbirge©saratoga-springs.org> Wed, , n 05, 2019 09:01 AM Subject : Fwd: 1. 20190526 Skidmore Entranceway & Intersection fit Improvements To : -712/1 - 4 u /fill From: "Jim Martinez" <martinezarchitecture©gmail.com> To: "Bradley Birge" <bbirge@saratoga-springs.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2019 6:13:17 AM Subject: 1. 20190526 Skidmore Entranceway & Intersection Improvements Please distribute these comments directed to the current discussion of the Skidmore Entranceway to the members of the DRC. Thank You. 5 June 2019 I can appreciate the college's intent to create this entrance to embrace both sides of North Broadway at this location, since historically it is not simply the new campus on the old 1879 1500-acre Woodlawn estate, but one that has evolved over half a century to occupy property on both sides of the road as has the architectural treatment of residences in this designated historic district neighborhood. The change in paving and color may be more dramatic than I would like, but I am reminded of the entrances to Vassar College off a similar roadway that incorporated two traffic circles to address local and university traffic. I'm not suggesting a traffic circle but identifying this campus entrance with its admissions to the right and the larger campus to the left should be permitted and the college its ability to readdress its portal. hitps://rn.saratoga-springs.org,'hiprintrnessage?d,,,861/08,tz',--AmericaNew_York 1/3 --------- 6/5/2019 Zmbra As one who has followed our local preservation since its inception and before the Foundation added to its mission statement the nuance of enhancement, we must realize, that our city has accepted new constructions that follow Historic Review Guidelines but others that have been outside those instructions by permitting faux facades and removals of historic structures and fabrics for enhanced perceptions of the historic story. Are we strictly following the North Broadway presentation of the last century when its double elm tree aliee existed on either side on both planting strips before the campus was a consideration? Has our perception of those historic images on the Bolster prints truly our guide for all the work that has transpired over the last 75 years? Is recognizing the fact that the almost 100 year of university located across town that occupies property on both of the street requesting to readdress their entry portal any different than our acceptance of much of the architectural landscapes that have been modified to accommodate modern requirements of both use and signage? We've moved and removed buildings, permitted new compatible constructions that add to this city's architectural heritage, accommodated requests for branding and signage that permitted such additions to our 19th century main street such as electronic signboards, so why not a double-sided entrance for a double entry college campus? The proposed use of a complementary stone element that reinforces the stone that provides this campus with barriers is appropriate. Since the city is responsible for the street, I would think that changing its paving and color an overreach. On the other hand, providing signage at both sides on the planting strip to establish its revitalized entrance is not, considering accommodations that have been made by this city over the last several decades on properties on Broadway that incorporated both additions and embellishments. On a street that accommodates French Chateaus, in a district that permitted the removal of a Lincoln era home and the disassembly of a noteworthy Tech-Built home, I think that this accommodation for our college of double signage is neither intolerable or unacceptable. Respectfully, Jim Martinez Confidentiality/Privilege Notice: This e-mail communication and any files transmitted with it contain privileged and confidential information from the City of Saratoga Springs and are intended solely for the use of the individual(s) or entity to which it has been addressed. If https://m.saratoga-springs.orgthipnntmessage?id=861708,tz.AmericaiNew2ork 213