HomeMy WebLinkAbout20240720 30-30 1/2 Caroline Building Expansion Public Comment (68)Outlook
Online Form Submittal: Land Use Board Agenda Public Comment
From noreply@civicplus.com <noreply@civicplus.com>
Date Wed 4/30/2025 4:51 PM
To Mark Graham <Mark.Graham@saratoga-springs.org>; beige.berryman@saratoga-springs.org
<beige.berryman@saratoga-springs.org>
Land Use Board Agenda Public Comment
SUBMIT COMMENTS REGARDING CITY PROJECTS
Thank you for submitting your comments. Your feedback will be forwarded to the
City's Planning Department and Land Use Board members. NOTE: Comments
submitted later than 12:00 noon on the day before the Land Use Board meeting
may not be reviewed prior to their meeting. All comments will be added to the
project file in the Planning Department.
Land Use Board Design Review Board
Name Lale Davidson
Email Address laledavidson@gmail.com
Business Name Field not completed.
Address 10 Perry Street, Apartment 1
City Saratoga Springs
State NY
Zip Code 12866
Phone Number 5189181620
Project Name “30-30 ½ Building Expansion.”
Project Number 20240720
Project Address Caroline Street
Comments Dear Board,
I am discouraged that the building designers returned with the
same design. It shows they are not serious about meeting our
community's needs. They don't appear to understand that our
streets are a communal place an that people don't have a right
to do whatever they want to a communal space. Changing one
part of the building plan to black only makes the appearance
worse. This is a great, hulking mass that will darken our streets.
5/1/25, 8:39 AM Mail - Mark Graham - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGIxYTcxODdiLTE4ZmUtNDdlMy05MTNlLTA4ZjY5NTFhMDAzMQAQAPPPe2X3%2BkxPg9AfZblWIp…1/2
Building in Saratoga Springs is a privilege, and the designers
should take care to create buildings that preserve and enhance
the historic charm of our city both inside and out. Instead, their
design is too tall, too monotonous, too glassy, too soulless. It
will turn that block into a long dark stretch of nothingness that
we hurry to walk past. When streets are ugly, people don't want
to walk down them. That's bad for the businesses on the
ground floor, and it's bad for the community atmosphere.
One of the things that makes Saratoga a desirable place to
build and live is that people love to promenade down its lovely
trees.
Buildings should be inviting, approachable, and beautiful. They
should be ornamented in ways that tell stories and inspire the
spirit. These designs tell one story: We want to make as much
money as we can for as little investment as possible, and if we
care at all about the people inhabiting the building, we think the
people outside the building might as well take a hike on the
moon.
Please -- take a cue from Baroque architecture and the BBC
article by Michael Bond, "The Hidden Ways that Architecture
Affects How You Feel." A psychological study performed by
Colin Ellard found that "people are strongly affected by building
facades." We want to feel inspired, amazed, comforted,
welcomed, and intrigued.
Try again-- or find a different designer who takes our concerns
to heart with joy and imagination.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Lale Davidson
Saratoga homeowner for 33 years
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5/1/25, 8:39 AM Mail - Mark Graham - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGIxYTcxODdiLTE4ZmUtNDdlMy05MTNlLTA4ZjY5NTFhMDAzMQAQAPPPe2X3%2BkxPg9AfZblWIp…2/2