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Home My WebLink About20240720 30-30 1/2 Caroline Building Expansion Public Comment (41)Outlook Fw: Don't Let this Monster Devour Sperr y's! From Julia Destino <Julia.Destino@saratoga-springs.org> Date Thu 4/10/2025 12:41 PM To Mark Graham <Mark.Graham@saratoga-springs.org> Please upload to 30-301/2 Caroline. Thank you Julia Desno Planner City of Saratoga Springs 474 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Phone: 518-587-3550 ext. 2533 From: Mark Pingel <mepingel1@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 6:14 PM To: Susan Barden <Susan.Barden@saratoga-springs.org>; Julia Desno <Julia.Desno@saratoga-springs.org> Subject: Fwd: Don't Let this Monster Devour Sperry's! CAUTION: This email originated outside of the City network. Please contact IT Support if you need assistance determining if it's a threat before opening attachments or clicking any links. FYI ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <fenton@nycap.rr.com> Date: Wed, Apr 9, 2025 at 14:32 Subject: Don't Let this Monster Devour Sperry's! To: <fenton@nycap.rr.com> See below for the Preservation Foundation’s preservation alert about a large building proposed to engulf Sperry’s. The Design Review Board may approve the design tonight. We can’t let that happen. So if you want to comment, do it now. Just click here to provide written comments. The name of the project is “30-30 ½ Building Expansion.” The project number is 20240720. 4/10/25, 12:47 PM Mail - Mark Graham - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGIxYTcxODdiLTE4ZmUtNDdlMy05MTNlLTA4ZjY5NTFhMDAzMQAQANxlCdxZrk9GhrzVTflFaDg%3D 1/4 The applicant submitted updated renderings for the proposed addition, which fail to address the comments and recommendations of both the Foundation and the NYS Historic Preservation Office. It appears that the recent proposed plans have the momentum to be approved by the Design Review Board. This is a place where our unified development ordinance allows larger buildings to be built. The boards can’t simply say that if people don’t want them, they can’t happen. But there is a lot the Design Review Board can say about how the buildings look. As you can see from the pictures below, this one is a real stinker. How is this design compatible with Sperry’s, the historic building next door lost to fire, and their historic neighborhood? And what’s with the black trim? The building didn’t look bleak enough? How about a little color? This is the beating heart of precious, famous, beautiful downtown. With this once in a century opportunity, what should we see on this block of one of our most iconic streets? Something arresting, surprising, with dramatic appeal? Or a dull, safe, mildly repulsive, vaguely oldish clone, looking alarmingly like a pallet of bricks just unloaded on the construction site of some heartless ‘60s office park? They have to do better. Let’s reduce the height by a story. Break the hulking mass into 2 or 3 distinct buildings, or at least a convincing appearance thereof, each with a different, vibrant color using different exterior materials. Vary heights and roof lines. More ornamental detail, and more inviting ground floor spaces. Something like this? See more from the Preservation Foundation below: 4/10/25, 12:47 PM Mail - Mark Graham - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGIxYTcxODdiLTE4ZmUtNDdlMy05MTNlLTA4ZjY5NTFhMDAzMQAQANxlCdxZrk9GhrzVTflFaDg%3D 2/4 Is this how you want the legacy of iconic Sperr y's Restaurant to be preser ved? If not, please voice your concerns! The Foundation continues to oppose the height, mass, and scale of the proposed addition. It strongly encourages the set back of the addition to be greater than what is currently proposed to help retain the historic character of the former Sperry's Restaurant building. As proposed, the design completely overwhelms the historic building. The Foundation recommends a more creative contextual design that is substantially different than 30 Caroline Street to help break up the perceived mass and scale of the overall project. A letter from the NYS Historic Preservation Office dated November 5, 2024, was also submitted. It states they “believe that the addition would substantially alter the appearance of the historic building. The proposal would likely only preserve the front façade of Caroline Street, which is not a recommended preservation approach. Siting of the addition, including the setback and open piers extending to the east, also does not reflect the traditional character of the historic district." If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, click here to provide written comments through the City of Saratoga Springs' website. Address the Design Review Board in your comments and include the address of the proposed project. 4/10/25, 12:47 PM Mail - Mark Graham - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGIxYTcxODdiLTE4ZmUtNDdlMy05MTNlLTA4ZjY5NTFhMDAzMQAQANxlCdxZrk9GhrzVTflFaDg%3D 3/4 Please voice your concerns by attending the Design Review Board meeting or click here to provide written comments through the City of Saratoga Springs' website. Address the Design Review Board in your comments and include the address of the proposed project. More background here: https://www.saratogapreservation.org/category/advocacy/ Rick Fenton 4/10/25, 12:47 PM Mail - Mark Graham - Outlook https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGIxYTcxODdiLTE4ZmUtNDdlMy05MTNlLTA4ZjY5NTFhMDAzMQAQANxlCdxZrk9GhrzVTflFaDg%3D 4/4