Lowell Downtown Neighborhood Association

LDNA – 06/26/17

Present – Carolyn Alphen, Corey Sciuto

Meeting starts – 7:05

Carolyn, motion to accept minutes. Corey seconds

Treasurer’s Report – $638.29

LPD Report – Quiet and typical month downtown and citywide, except the Vibe (former El Rincon), where there was a quadruple stabbing. Everyone survived, but someone was badly injured. All mutual combatants; none cooperative with police.  License Commission will look into it.

Folk Festival – Henry Marchand, Tobi Marx, Cultural Affairs and Special Events. 31^st Annual. Standard street closures and stages, etc. Downtown streets will close at 3 PM on Friday to help accommodate hard barriers.

Ted Lavash wonders if more attractions could be on the Shattuck/Palmer stretch of Middle Street to bring more people down by Ayer Lofts, etc (obviously this involves Enterprise Bank and the amplified music at St. Anne’s)

Tobi points out that increased Federal funding scrutiny has put a lot of limitations on any expansions to the festival that aren’t directly related to its mission.

Discussion around better ADA accessibility. Henri will look into it.

Fall Events – Tobi Marx

Millyard space near Appleton Mill is close to ready to be available. Made in Lowell will be piloting with food trucks. Many festivals beginning in September. Some examples at http://tlfwf.org/events, http://lowellkinetic.com/, and http://www.cultureiscool.org/lamf-overview

<<Discussion about parking access downtown>>

<<Discussion about retail and entertainment downtown>>

General Announcements

 First floor of the Roy Garage is closed.

No July Meeting!

Meeting adjourns – 8:38

LDNA 05/22/17

7 PM, LTC

Present:

Jack Moynihan

Stephen Greene

Corey Sciuto

Meeting Start 7:01

Jack makes motion to accept May’s minutes

Corey seconds, approved

Treasurer’s report

Stephen says we have $570.29

Police Report

Sgt. Prescott

Crime reports are quite low right now

CrimeMapping.com stopped working in March

Sean Thibodeau, Pollard Memorial Library

Museum passes and events available at http://www.pollardml.org/

Library also offers book clubs

eBooks – http://www.pollardml.org/research/electronic-resources

Blog and newsletter: http://blog.pollardml.org/

Open Floor

Kathleen Marcin suggests we hold a social event

Suggest someone from DPD speaks soon

Kathleen asks Nick Navin (Parking Director) when we should expect to see the Hamilton Canal surface parking lots. Nick says this summer.

Stephen Greene asks if the Roy Garage has more spaces with tighter spots now. Nick says no; if anything, it’s gone from 1,030 -> 997 due to the removal of some compact spaces.

Parking utilization:

Corey asked if we could get a recycle bin in the garage. Nick said he’s working on it.

Adjournment

8:10 PM

LDNA 04/24/17 

Present:

Jack Moynihan

Carolyn Alphen

Stephen Greene

Corey Sciuto

Meeting Starts 07:05

Treasurer’s Report 

$582.29

Police Report

Sgt. Prescott

Aggravated assaults are domestic, as is typical.

Assistant City Manager, Mike McGovern

Lowell High School:

Currently working on feasibility studies, since August. City needed to find 16 acres, including six acres of parking. There are four remaining options: Full Renovation, Addition/Renovation 1 & 2, New site @ Cawley

New presentation on findings to the City Council on June 6, Special meeting on June 8; aiming for a forum on June 10.

Timetable: 6 years full renovation. 3 years, new school. 4, ~4.5 yrs for the renovation/builds.

Tax increases are estimated to be ≈ 7%.

General Information / Announcements

Continued work on garage spaces

Meeting Adjourned 

8:25 PM

Opening greeting

Carolyn introduce herself to begin the meeting and introduced the Board members Jack and Stephen.  Cory was delayed

Approval of minutes

Minutes from the February meeting were motioned, seconded and approved as posted on the website

Treasurer’s Report

The current LDNA balance at Enterprise is $519.29.   New membership donations of $70 were received and will be deposited.

Police Report

Officer presented a concise report for the area including the regular Compstat statistics and map for the period 2/27 to 3/26/2017.  Overall the numbers are down from the previous month’s report.  There were fewer car breaks.  Two of the aggravated assaults involved the police in the line of duty.  Disorderly conduct typically was bar patron related.

Teddy Panos, owner of Athenian Corner, plan to build a boutique-style hotel in Downtown Lowell. Presentation by Attorney George Theodorou.

Attorney George Theodorou  (Market St, Lowell) presented the 52 room boutique style family run hotel proposal that will include the Athenian Corner Restaurant on the ground floor at the current location on Market at Shattuck St..  The project will include the existing Athenian Corner building and new construction using the existing parking.  The new 5 story construction will not be red brick, but white, with the 5 floor set back.  The 5th level will be event rooms and an outside area as currently envisioned.  There will be a recessed drive through area at the corner of Shattuck for guest drop off and valet parking. Parking will be in the Roy Garage and it anticipated that many guest will self-park.  Restaurant guests will park on the street or garage.  Parking was discussed as a concern.

The each floor of hotel will have pictures of the various Lowell neighborhoods.  The ground floor restaurant will be slightly expanded (the seating currently not used on the 2nd floor will be part of the expansion).  It is envisioned that there will be seasonal outside seating on Market Street.  A recess would provide space for tables on what is relatively narrow side walk.

Supplies would be unloaded on Shattuck Street.  The alley would not be affected and trash and recyclable would be removed from building storage through the alley.

The neighborhood is supportive.  Parking was the only expressed concern.

Summer music would be moved to the 5th level.

If permitted, the project could get underway in June as an optimistic date.

There is a Planning Department Hearing on Monday 4/3 at 6:30 PM City Hall.

The proposal goes to the Historic Board on 3/10.   

Asking the people present at the meeting and getting affirmative support,  the LDNA Board motioned, seconded and approved a letter of support for the Athenian Corner Hotel Project.

Gabby Davis, CEO of Made in Lowell, discussed what her group does and the events they host in the City.

She also had a PowerPoint presentation with pictures.  Made in Lowell foster economic and community development in Lowell.  Gabby showed a number of events including some in Lucey Larkum Park.  Made in Lowell organized the Craft Beer walk around local business (next one is planned for Nov 11) as well as a food truck series.  It also organizes Friday Nights.  It will have an Octoberfest event this fall (10/14).  The plan is to go into the neighborhoods in 2018.  There is a wine sipping planned for May 20th.  This gets folks to taste select wines while visiting various business around the downtown as they get their passports stamped.  

Most events are free except if there is food or beverages.  Gabby is limited in the number of 1 day liquor licenses she can get as they are granted to an individual.  Additional involved people could help.  Each event includes significant planning and coordination as well as work with the City.  She is working on more events along the canals and canal walkways.  Another end of year event is planned and she hopes the weather which was very cold this past year is more cooperative.

Abbey welcomes support and volunteers.   Go to her web site – www.madeinlowell.org/

General Information

Councilor Samaras announced that for the Lowell High School Project, better cost information will be available on May 28th

Adjourn