The next KLBNA General Meeting will be this coming Saturday.
General Monthly Meeting – This Saturday – February 2
4:00 – 5:00 at Bethany Presbyterian Church
206 N. Garfield – (pictured here) in the basement
Next meeting — February 2 @ 4:00
unahppiness with city attorney’s response to neighborhood’s concerns
From Dana Moessner-Bronzeville Neighborhood Association
Zoning and Development Chairman
I am requesting a complete copy of the 1/23/2008 Area Commissioner Training Session with City Attorney Pfeiffer and his 5 Zone attorneys which was recorded in both audio and video by Steve Soble for the City of Columbus. I am requesting the complete audio and video from start to finish which is close to 90 minutes .
Within 5 seconds of the meeting conclusion I personally told Steve Soble I wanted a complete copy of the entire proceedings which Steve Soble had just completed recording.
I was and still am troubled by the City Attorneys comments and unwillingness to address a very relevant question regarding the taking of minutes.
I was and still am shocked by his demeanor during my attempt to get a relevant question answered which has been an issue on the Near East Side for several years.
I was and still am surprised by the City Attorneys simplistic version of the Town Hall Meeting on 1/8/2008 which indicates the City of Columbus government under Mayor Coleman still does not know what the demolition issue really is on the Near East Side.
Let the tape speak.
The Near East Side needs to hear our City Attorney.
Dana Moessner
King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association
Zoning and Development Chairman
Conservation Districts in Columbus?
From Kathleen Bailey:
At the Emergency Town Hall Meeting, the interest in conservation districts was mentioned more than once. As we all know, it has been tabled by council. In the interim, I think it would be a good idea if the community organizations start discussing the concept of conservation districts and identify some defined areas in the Near East side that they think would be applicable. This doe not necessitate a special meeting or the creation of another organization, just part of your regular meeting schedule. It would be an effective way to educate and get people talking about it. Maybe after a certain period of time we could have another meeting to discuss the ideas that emerge. But right now the emphasis needs to be on increasing awareness, soliciting support, and identifying potential areas.
If you make this part of your regular meeting schedule (will take more than one I’m sure) it shouldn’t be too taxing on anyone. As always, Randy Black will be glad to assist.
PS If your group has already discussed this, have you put anything in writing, your ideas, thoughts, etc.? Also, please pass this along to any other groups or interested parties who do not receive these communications.
From Dana Moesnner:
The boundaries of NEAC should be considered as some type of inner-city protected zone.
As should Franklinton and the Livingston-Driving Park Commissions. These Conservation Districts are going to make a patchwork Quilt of (kind of protected area and areas that are unprotected) our old inner city neighborhoods when it comes to their housing stock and brick streets and porches, etc.The truth is the City needs to identify the pre-world war city limits any give that area some type of control over its existing built and planted environment.
In Europe now countries such as Greece are no longer doing isolated protected archeaological sites but whole zones that incorporate much of the inner city of cities such as Athens ,which have become vast pedestrian friendly neighborhoods.
Columbus we must think big.German Village is an impressive model, recognizied nationally,for many things including the vast size of its area.
Conservation Districts are fine but the City is getting bogged down in particulars and needs to see the Big- Picture.
All of NEAC needs to be thought of as a limited resouce built environment zone.
This is why each demolition must be carefully weighed in its context to the Near East Side as a whole entity.They and we and nobody else builds buildings anymore like we have in our NEAC neighborhoods ,when a building is gone its gone. Nobody is going to come thru and build a Disney town of old architectural Columbus in ten years.
Dana Moessner
King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association
Zoning and Development Chairman
the proposed Glaven Feher Architects Townhome proposal for the Monroe Cluster Site
Why has Glaven Feher Architects with a development proposal for townhomes at the Monroe Cluster Site made no contact whatsoever with KLBNA since the December Near East Area Commission Planning Committee Meeting?
Who through constant discussions with the city of Columbus got the City to put 90,000 dollars to stabilize the Edna on E. Long St.? KLBNA (Note: the city of Columbus is putting
8 million dollars in the Lincoln Theatre)
Who is talking with Second Baptist Church to improve the Bronzeville Neighborhood which includes the Mayor’s King Lincoln District ? KLBNA
Who lives adjacent, beside, behind,and in front of the Monroe Cluster Site ? KLBNA
Mr Glaven why do you continue to ignore the presence of a very active
NEIGHBORHOOD CIVIC ASSOCIATION that will do what it must to protect the long term economic viability of our neighborhood and of our neighbor Old Towne East ?
Remember what happens in Old Towne East affects Bronzeville (KLBNA) and
what happens this Thursday night in Bronzeville (KLBNA) affects Old Towne East.
KLBNA thanks all KLBNA members, Old Towne East members and all concerned residents who attended the December 8th, 2007 NEAC Zoning Site Hearing regarding the Glaven Feher Architects townhome proposal and made our collective voice heard loud and clear.
KLBNA thanks all KLBNA members, Old Towne East members and all concerned residents who attended the December 2007 NEAC Planning Committee Meeting regarding the Glaven Feher Architects townhome proposal and again made our collective voice heard loud and clear a second time.
Come one come all for a third time .
Thursday night 1/17/2008 at 6:30 p.m.
Health Building at Parsons Ave.
Near East Area Commission Planning Committee will again be discussing the proposed
Glaven Feher Architects Townhome proposal for the Monroe Cluster Site.
Please forward to all.
Dana Moessner
King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association
Zoning and Development Chairman
General Monthly Meeting – This Saturday – January 5
4:00 – 5:00 at Bethany Presbyterian Church
206 N. Garfield – (pictured here) in the basement
Potential Discussion Points include
-
The demolition of historic buildings on our Near East Side
-
The role local churches play in those demolitions
-
The Monroe and Long Development
All are Welcome!
Emergency town hall meeting
The public response to this meeting is growing. It came about in reaction to the spate of random demolitions taking place on the Near East Side.
For example, Frank’s Place which the City listed as one of the stops on a walking tour of historic Long Street has just been knocked down.
The historic Edna Building is in danger of going next if some measure is not taken to secure the roof. John Beard has already announced publicly that he will be demolishing the Camel Bell which is eligible for the National Register. There was a move to prohibit more demolitions on Broad Street but that seems to have lost steam.
We need to dialogue with you our elected officials to put these recent activities in the context of your view of the future of the Near East Side. You will asked to speak on your view prior to any Q and A.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
-in a different forum by Kathleen Baily
Happy New Year
From your friends at the King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association. Let’s hope that 2008 brings appropriate and sustainable development to Columbus’ Near East Side.
Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) tomorrow night
KLBNA has heard Glaven Feher Architects is going to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) tom0rrow night. If this is in fact Glavens intent this is a clear end around to negate the Near East Area Commission.
The document GLAVEN DEVELOPMENT AT N. MONROE (MONROE CLUSTER) has numerous valid points to question this development as proposed.Somebody forward this document to the BZA if there is in fact a Glaven presentation tomarrow night.
Glaven at the NEAC December General Meeting said he refered to the Near East Area Plan,for his proposed Monroe Cluster Townhome project. After reading my critique of Glaven’s project he may need to reread the text. As KLBNA Zoning and Development Chairman I personaly put a lot of hours in to making a good plan as you did Kathleen,and many others.
Remember KLBNA always has their documents.Likewise all commissioners and residents attending a BZA tomarrow night, and or the NEAC Planning Committee Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. bring your Near East Area Plan that WE MADE !!!
All is not well in NEAC District 1. Mayor Coleman didn’t you run for mayor on a platform of being pro-neighborhood?
First Demolitions on E. Long St. in my NEAC District 1 are decimating what little was left of the Historic Street.
Second These demolishers do not go thru the City of Columbus recognized NEAC process and are marching down E. Long St. in NEAC District 1.
Third Glaven Feher is rejected in mass by the surrounding neighborhood in NEAC District 1 for his Monroe Cluster project on a cold snowy day and he continues to promote this same project.
Fourth The Gateway Building (Gideon Building) in NEAC District 1, in 2004 when going thru NEAC process its promoters told us all we would get Commercial Development on the first floor. All we got in 2007 is gravel and maybe a Social Service Agency the Columbus Housing Partnership.A Social Service Agency is no retail Tony Hutchins.
Fifth The Mayor’s King Lincoln Ghost Town District in NEAC District 1 is floundering because of PEOPLE IN THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION ARE STUBBORN AND PUSHING A PREDETERMINED AGENDA AND ARE NOT LISTENING TO NEAC ,KLBNA,OR INTERESTED CITIZENS. MAYOR COLEMAN,
BOYCE SAFFORD,KEENA SMITH AND DANI PADMORE ,WE GOT A MESS IN THE KING LINCOLN GHOST TOWN DISTRICT.
Monroe Condos timeline/news
The Monroe Cluster Site was in the possession of the City of Columbus (WE THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY OF COLUMBUS ,THE TAXPAYERS AND RESIDENTS OF THE CITY).
The City of Columbus wished to have the Monroe Cluster Site developed with tax generating development coming from buildings with a mix of Residential,Commercial, and Retail.
Glaven Blackwell ,LLC with Glaven Feher Architects were selected by the RFP (Request For Proposal) Committee in 2006.This RFP Committees recomendation of the Concept Design as done by Glaven Feher Architects as best suiting the Monroe Cluster Site and the wishes of the surrounding community (in particular N. Monroe Ave surrounding the site), resulted in The Department of Development of Columbus agreeing to the RFP Committee choice of Glaven Feher Architects.
Concept Design:
This is when the Architect/Developer (in this particular situation) developes a design to meet certain requirements by the Land Holder (in this instance the City of Columbus which is us the citizens of Columbus) in hopes of being selected to actually complete the project.Glaven Feher Architects Concept Design was thought paltable by the community.So the Community awaited a nicely concieved project resembling what the architect showed and told us he would do.
However Glaven Feher Architects intial Concept Design was altered to such an extent that the N. Monroe Ave. residents ,King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association,and Near East Area Commission Zoning Committee all said this is a different project then we were told and shown that we would get.The numerous negative comments and large Area Resident turnout in opposition on a cold,snowy Saturday Morning by the community, KLBNA, and the Near East Area Commission are duely recorded in the December 8th ,2007 NEAC Site Zoning Meeting minuets.
I will now compare the Concept Design from 2006 to the latest rendition from Dec. 2007 and show that the design of these 2 projects are indeed very different and why this neighborhood stands in opposition to the current design as promoted by Glaven Feher Architects.
With my comparison I will refer to the Concept Design from 2006 as (Concept Design 2006) and the latest rendition from Dec. 2007 as ( Latest Rendition 2007)
- (Concept Design 2006) The large single building actually has a rythum that compliments the street.Looking at the black and white xerox from left to right one can see the dark area is brick, and the light area of building exterior skin is some other color and or material.So the building goes dark, light,dark,light,dark,light,and dark.This is a very old trick of the architecture trade to make the building appear more elaborate and feel like several different buildings very close together, while it is really only one building.This compliments N. Monroe Ave. between E. Broad St. and Mt. Vernon Ave. because the over whelming number of existing house front facades change from house to house as you move down the street.Creating the pleasant,friendly,unexpected quality of N. Monroe Ave. as you walk down the street.How many times have we residents on N. Monroe Ave been stopped by somebody walking or driving down the street and hear them say in an envious tone ,”I could live on this street.are there any houses for sale on this street?” It is this changing varied look of the houses that attracts people to our street.
- ( Latest Rendition 2007) The large single building actually feels larger than it is.This massive, monolitic look does not recognize the existing varied quality of the existing housing stock.It feels out of place.This building seen from down the street will in fact loomover the street and overwhelm the surrounding houses. Its Monolithic nature will negate the playful,unexpected,pleasant rythum of this pedestrian friendly street.This is in fact a building that would be compatible on many streets in Columbus such as Morse Rd.
- (Concept Design 2006) The roof profile is broken up and has a changing rythum that recognizes the wide variety of roof pitches on the street and that some Queen Ann houses on the street have roofs doing all kinds of variable things that are a pleasure to look at This roof contributes to the animated feel of the street.
- ( Latest Rendition 2007) This long building has a very pedestrian roof that is not recognizing the cues on the street.Another old trick of the architecture trade is to take existing design features from surrounding buildings add them to your new building and then it will feel like the neighborhood.This is the case with the 4 little dormers popping out of the front facade roof.They are almost exactly like dormers on any number of houses on N. Monroe but on a roof of this length and bulk they look akward and to small. These dormers appear to be placed on the roof to make the neighborhood think that this building is repeating architectural features from existing houses and therefore is compatiable with the existing street.This architecture design trick did not work.
- (Concept Design 2006) Front entry door is reached by going up 3 steps this repeats the character of N. Monroe St. The houses up and down the street between E. Broad St. and Mt. Vernon all have several steps up to the front porch entry deck.This creates a feeling of security at each residence.This is defensive space,and this is what the front porch provides.When we residents are on our porch decks we are above the street,the house feels protected and under our control.Passerby are in the subserviant position the homeowner is in the power position.This is why a lite front porch at night feels like a safe haven for pedestrians walking down a dark street like N. Monroe that does not have Pedestrian Street Lighting.Raised front porch decks create look outs on the street. Bad things are less likely to happen on streets where residents actively use their front porch.
- (Latest Rendition 2007) This front entry door feels exposed.One step above the sidewalk and very few feet from the pedestrian sidewalk. Not a safe feeling.Most home owners would feel akward and exposed to the street sitting on such a porch.In fact most people would never use such a porch except to tie up their guard dog to protect the vunerable feeling front door. At the Mt Vernon Plaza one floor subsidized housing, this works because the units are well back from the street,the renter feels like they have some defensible space between them and passerby on the sidewalk.What mother is going to feel protected on this porch if she has small children? Who is going to have potted plants,porch furniture,and all the things that make a porch a porch sitting on this porch? The architect has created a porch nobody will use.New developments all around the USA are including useable front porches as a design feature. But here on N. Monroe where existing houses have front porches and if they do not they have a raised porch deck ,we are getting something again that one sees up and down Morse Rd.porches that nobody uses that become an architectural decoration rather than a functioning porch.
- (Concept Design 2006) and ( Latest Rendition 2007) Green Sustainable Architectural Features have never been discussed with the surrounding neighborhood. Columbus Housing Partnership has done much to link new construction and sustainable architecture in our Bronzeville Neighborhood with their infill housing project on 21st St.Infill housing projects from San Diego,Ca.,Austin ,Tx Chicago ,Ill.,to Boston , Ma., are promoting their green sustainable architectural features with their projects at the Conceptual Design Phase when they talk to the community and go for necessary reviews of their project.We on N. Monroe want new constuction such as The Monroe Cluster to reflect the latest social,environmental,and urban trends that are at the forefront around the USA. Columbus,Ohio what good is Mayor Colemans Green Initative if Architects/Developers are not bringing to the table these issues? The architect is amiss in any infill project around the country ,who does not discuss sustainability, this is the future.
- The Near East Area Plan, adapted by City Council on September 19, 2005, is the city’s offical guide for the Near East Side.
page 4 “Introduction”
paragraph 2 “The plan addresses land use and zoning, housing and historic
preservation,……….An important part of the plan is design guidelines for
commercial districts, East Broad Street, and housing. The primary goal of
these design guidelines is to educate both community members and developers
about appropriate development for these particular areas. While the guidelines,
along with other plan recommendations, are not a mandate, it is hoped that they
will form a basis for consistant, informed decision-making regarding proposed
development.”
page 114 ” Implementation
Development Review Checklist
The Development Review Checklist is a summary of the development standards
and recommendations found throughout the Near East Area Plan. The checklist
is designed for application by stakeholders in the review of development
proposals for consistency with plan provisions. It is intended for use with zoning
and variance requests,…………or requests impacting the built environment in
the community. It is also intended as a means to provide a clear, concise record
of stakeholder input in each stage of project consideration.”
page 118 ”Development Review Checklist
II . Residential Proposals “
page 119 “Do porches repeat the proportions of other nearby homes? (p.77)”
page 77 “Porches
Design new homes with porches that repeat the proportions,depth ( seven (7)-
ten (10) feet), and materials of nearby homes.As previously indicated a new
porch should be as high as nearby porches. The decorative detailing does not
need to duplicate historic porches, but the new porch should have support posts
and balustrades that repeat the shape, thickness and spacing of nearby
porches. New decks and unfinished pressure-treated lumber should not be
visible from adjoining streets or sidewalks.”
( Latest Rendition 2007) Clearly the porch height matches nothing on
N. Monroe Avenue from E. Broad St. to Mt. Vernon, where houses have several
steps up to the porch deck. Since there is only one step up to the porch deck ,
the porch ceiling feels squatty and lower than the surrounding porches We have
many different types of carefully designed and elegant porches on N. Monroe
Ave.
This is a clumsy ,unsophisticated porch to be built on this porch rich street.
Clearly this porch design has a deck stuck on the roof .The
entry cover at the front door is really a patio deck with columns below .The
columns clearly look like an attempt to make the neighborhood think they are
getting a porch, but it feels more like a deck on Morse Rd. Also this
deck (porch) is more appropriate for the parking lot side of the building .
Porches on the front of the house and decks on the back of the house where
they are not visible from the street.
page 119 ” Are the roof pitch, height, and slope compatible with surrounding
structures? (p. 77)”
page 77 “Massing
The size, proportions, and massing of a new building should be compatible with
nearby structures. Carefully studying the size, shape, and massing of
neighboring buildings contributes to a successful compatible new structure.”
(Latest Rendition 2007 ) The massing of this building is alien to N. Monroe.
The mass of this building is compatible with no building on N. Monroe Ave. from
E. Broad St. to Mt. Vernon.
page 77 “Roof Pitch
Roof pitch, height, and shape should be compatible with those on surrounding
structures. Generally no roof pitch less than six over twelve is appropriate.
Optimally, new construction should also repeat the predominant dormer and
chimney features found in the immediate area.”
( Latest Rendition 2007 ) The (4) dormer features are the wrong size and make
this roof feel huge and unlike anything on the street.The roof shape does not
feel like the street with its long unbroken ridge line running the long length of the
building. This long unbroken ridge line looks like a Morse Road building .
” Letter From The Director “ no page number but is the 3rd actual page.
“I am pleased to present the update of the Near East Area Plan.On behalf of the City’s
Department of Development, congragulations to the Near East Side on completion of the
Near East Area Plan.
Representatives of the Near East Area Commission, civic associations, buisness
associations, and other stakeholders put in many hours of hard work in the development
of this plan and I would like to thank them for their leadership in the development of the
plan……….
The Development Department looks forward to continued cooperation with the Near East
Side as we work together with the community on the implementation of this plan.
Sincerely
Mark Barbash, Director
Department of Development “
Dana Moessner
Near East Area Commission District 1
King Lincoln Ghost Town District?
With the Second Baptist Church demolitions of their properties,with Rehobeth Temple church demolition of the lodge, with the demolition of the Colony Club,the arson of the house across from McNabbs Funeral Home, and the expected demolition of Centenary Church by Second Baptist Church at any time there is a lot of open land. The Mayors King Lincoln District has quickly become The King Lincoln Ghost Town District.
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