HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-16-2024 HHDC Draft Minutes (1)
Town of Barnstable
Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District Commission
www.townofbarnstable.ma.us/hyannismainstreet
MINUTES
October 16, 2024
6:30 p.m.
Members Present: Cheryl Powell, Matt Clark, Tom Doherty, Jack Kay, Laura Cronin, Cornelius Cawley, Kevin
Matthews, Jeniffer Hinckley Needham, Conrad Watson, Peri Wentworth
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: James Kupfer, Director, Corey Pacheco, Senior Planner and Karen Pina, Principal Assistant,
Planning & Development Dept. in attendance.
To all persons deemed interested or affected by the Town of Barnstable’s Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District
Commission Ordinance under Chapter 112, Article III of the Code of the Town of Barnstable, you are hereby notified that a hearing
is being held at Town Hall, 367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA Selectmen’s Conference Room, 2nd Floor 6:30 P.M. on Wednesday,
October 16, 2024.
The meeting will be televised live via Xfinity Channel 8 or high definition Channel 1072. It may also be accessed via the Government
Access Channel live stream on the Town of Barnstable’s website:
http://streaming85.townofbarnstable.us/CablecastPublicSite/watch/1?channel=1
Please silence your cell phones
Call to Order
Attendance Roll Call
Peri Wentworth
Conrad Watson
Kevin Matthews
Cornelius Cawley
Jeniffer Hinckley Needham
Matt Clark
Laura Cronin
Jack Kay
Tom Doherty
Cheryl Powell
Welcome to New Members, Special Guests, Advisors and Comments
Updates
• Trainings
• Awards
• Correspondence
Reminder of Commission’s Purpose and Proper Procedure
Chair Cheryl Powell reads into record the Chapter 112 HHDC ordinance
Continued Business
Mary George & Anastaci Pacella d/b/a The Cordial Eye, 430 – 436 Main Street, Hyannis – Map 309 Parcel 219
Mural – continued from August 21, 2024 and October 3, 2024 - Members who may vote on this application; Cheryl Powell, Tom
Doherty, Jack Kay, Laura Cronin, Matt Clark, Kevin Matthews and Jeniffer Hinckley Needham (per mullin)
Conrad Watson states that he has a conflict.
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Cornelius Cawley asks what was the motion at the last meeting? Chair Cheryl Powell clarifies.
Mary George of The Cordial Eye in attendance.
Erica Tso Haidas in attendance. Pulled up archive with some museum website information - pulled up on her phone. Eugenia
Fortes was one of the subjects and had interviews with her and transcripts. Found something – legacy to her “I’ve only done what I
felt I had to do, t’was me and my conscience and my heart.“
Chair Cheryl Powell asks when did she make that quote?
Erica Tso Haidas, in 2004, she believes. August 21, 2004. Favorite color red and kale soup favorite food.
Mary George, thinks the proposed quote has a good middle ground – has more of the context and her sense of justice. Uplifting,
but also true in her own words. Have two forms, longer and shorter version.
Chair Cheryl Powell confirms design for the mural and the building are still the same.
Chair Cheryl Powell asks for any public comment.
Lynne Rhodes, 2nd female president of NAACP Cape Cod branch. States we are not going anywhere. Recites some history when
people came back in 1960’s . Eugenia Fortes rented out her house to Martin Luther King and a judge. Beach named after her.
Admiral Harrold Robinson, Navy, and Rabi at Cape Cod Synagogue. He knew Eugenia Fortes. 1977. Opportunity tonight to
recognize Cape is better place because of people like Eugena – have not fulfilled our dreams, more to do. She was in a hostile
environment in subtle ways. This is a precious legacy. The African Americans are part of our history, just as others, and American
history. She helped educate us in many ways.
Christina Silva, NAACP member, of Hyannis in attendance. Cape Cod Chamber website – reads from webpage. Interpretation of
life on the Cape is not mentioned. Parameters and art meanings: human skill and imagination for beauty – various branches of
visual arts, human skill and imagination for beauty or emotional power. More than beaches and sea creatures, we are many
different minorities. Everyone should feel represented.
Anastaci Pacella reads into record letter from Annie Gianetti dated October 16, 2024.
Margot Critchfield in attendance. Episcopal priest, and NAACP member and artist. Had never heard of Eugenia Fortes until
recently. Impressed at her history. Resident from Sandwich. This mural should be done, The quote presented tonight is beautiful
and inspirational.
Tamora Israel in attendance. Artist lives on Cape Cod. Has never seen something like this. Cape Cod is not just the Kennedy’s.
Loves it here, important to see progress, to see more than I’ve seen, to not stay the same. Mural is beautiful. Makes us all think
deeper. This is a step in the right direction.
Peri Wentworth – Cape Cod not perfect place, far different then 1962. Summer of 1962, reverse freedom riders. Tasked with
supervising a teenage Ted Kennedy. Complete the mural – fairness.
Jack Kay reads into record letter dated October 16, 2024, from Reverend Sally Norris, Minister of South Congregational Church in
Centerville.
Laura Cronin reads into record letter dated October 15, 2024, from Celestina Billington.
Laura Cronin reads into record letter dated October 16, 2024, from Karen Watson Etsell.
.
Jim Kupfer, confirms two quotes received. Need to decide which to proceed with. If vote in affirmative, just place a condition that
access is provided prior to installation of mural. Abutting property owner acknowledgement.
Kevin Matthews, pioint of order, need written statement for this?
Jim Kupfer, yes.
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Jack Kay clarifies that no one is singling out the topic of this mural. Would love to see on a different wall, this is proposed for the
wrong wall. People won’t be able to appreciate it here. This alley tapers down to a 6 ft. opening. It should be a more suitable
location, than to accept this alley. Likes the direction of where it’s gone. Concerned about the site.
Kevin Matthews, has been in support for this mural from the start. Admires Eugenia Fortes. Not once has ever thought not the right
person. The first quote wasn’t from her, the original proposed quote. Now the full quote is inspiring, plus her name is on it. Now this
is finally good. Unfortunate that between two buildings, should be in a better, more visible place. But he will approve for this
location.
Peri Wentworth, not voting tonight on this matter. We don’t share color, and you don’t know what you don’t know. In awe of efforts
made. In favor of this mural. Loves the quote. This will open people’s eyes that don’t know. In support.
Cornelius Cawley, thanks all of the speakers for their inspiring comments. Likes the shorter quote because it’s bigger. In support.
Tom Doherty, why has the picture been removed?
Mary George, artist was trying to accommodate space for the scope of the quote.
Tom Doherty, likes all but not the right wall.
Jeniffer Hinckley Needham, liked the original proposed quote. Knows a lot about Eugena Fortes, concerned with the brightness of
the flowers, not in scope of the HHDC colors. Should we be voting when we don’t have rules to do this as of yet or will we not have
guidelines?
Jim Kupfer, now the guidelines don’t go into detail about public art. Commission has existing guidelines now. Color chart, they
have tried to adhere to. Paint by number.
Mary George clarifies to state, the artist, like a fixed situation method for community members to be engaged with. The flower
colors are native to here. Quote – she prefers the longer one, her opinion. Representative of her work.
Kevin Matthews, likes the QR code.
Laura Cronin thanks speakers for coming in and presenting the backgrounds. Eugenia Fortes, it should be in a more prominent
place/position. We need to have more of a say, how many murals will go up? Have a huge diversity here. Message is important.
Yes, it is more cumbersome to go through process for another location. HYCC is good location for this. We need to develop a
program for murals going forward.
Admiral Harold Robinson – don’t let the perfect be the enemy in reference to needing a bigger place.
Mary George, extremely involved process to secure the wall that they have now, would love to see a program around public art, but
we have to begin somewhere. They are receiving regional money for public arts, have to start somewhere.
Chair Cheryl Powell, maintenance, when starts to need care?
Anastaci Pacella, will be a poly tab material, will prevent from peeling for murals. Can have fundraisers for money to maintain wall.
The materials we’ve designed will prevent most of those maintenance issues.
Douglas Kallfelz, of Union Studios in attendance. Did some history about Eugenia Fortes. He would encourage them to speak with
the library owner about this. This is history and diversity should be adhered to. The existing building – the llibrary is proposed the
existing mural wall may come down.
Chair Cheryl Powell, first quote didn’t think appropriate. Had concerns about the maintenance. Not political.
Did not know the history of Eugenia Fortes. Impressed with her history. “do what your heart tells you is right”, likes that particular
quote.
Discussion regarding continuation and reasons for
Chair Chery Powell closes public comment.
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Chair Cheryl Powell entertains a motion for the Findings, moved by Kevin Matthews to find this application at 430-436 Main
Street for the mural with Eugenia Fortes longer quote to be compatible with the preservation and protection of the district,
“I’ve only done…” and get written letter from owner/abutter for the building to be used for the project, second by Tom
Doherty,
Roll Call Vote:
Tom Doherty - abstain
Jack Kay - abstain
Laura Cronin - abstain
Matt Clark - abstain
Kevin Matthews - aye
Jeniffer Hinckley Needham - abstain
Cheryl Powell - abstain
Chair Cheryl Powell entertains a motion for the Findings for the shorter quote, “’t’was me and my conscience and my
heart” moved by Jeniffer Hinckley Needham to find the application at 430-436 Main Street for the mural of Eugenia Fortes
with the shorter quote to be compatible with the preservation and protection of the district and written approval from the
owner, seconded by Kevin Matthews,
Roll Call Vote:
Tom Doherty - abstain
Laura Cronin - abstain
Matt Clark - abstain
Jack Kay - abstain
Kevin Matthews - aye
Jeniffer Hinckley Needham - aye
Cheryl Powell - aye
The application is not approved
Mary George hopes this Commission will help put this mural into another place and help with the ongoing efforts for this mural.
Discussion
Hyannis Public Library - renovations – 401 Main Street, Hyannis
Jim Kupfer clarifies that this is an informal discussion – no votes to be made this evening.
Douglas Kallfelz, Union Studio in attendance and Kara Babcock in attendance.
Presentation shown, Exhibit A. Working with the library since 2020. Existing are two historic structures. 1974 another addition in
back added. Mechanical systems aren’t efficient. The building is not performing well and is a split level structure. Proposed adding
on to the rear. Basement area not well lit. Not easy to monitor. Needs to be bright and vibrant. Contemporary and contextual.
Floor plan shown. Review of. Proposed and existing shown. Conceptual designs. Master plan. Buildings will be set back,
graduated.
Views shown from Main Street and parking lot area.
Jack Kay, basement, where are the mechanicals>
Douglas,Kallfelz, mechanicals will be split up between buildings.
Kevin Matthews, will renos be made to two older buildings?
Douglas Kallfelz, yes, painting and some reconfiguration, maybe Hinckley building down the road.
Peri Wentworth, what’s the timeline?
Douglas Kallfelz - some time next year – 12 to 14 month construction schedule.
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Matters not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair
Approval of October 2, 2024, Minutes
Chair Cheryl Powell entertains a motion to approve, moved by Tom Doherty, seconded by Kevin Matthews,
Vote:
All in favor
Next HHDC meetings scheduled for November 6th, and November 20, 2024
Design Guidelines: Jim Kupfer explains working group continuing discussion – working on a date now.
Adjournment
Chair Cheryl Powell entertains a motion to adjourn, moved by Jack Kay, seconded by Tom Doherty,
Vote:
All in favor
The meeting ended at 8:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Pina
Further detail may be obtained by viewing the video via Channel 18 on demand at
http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us
List of Exhibit Documents
Exhibit A – Presentation - Hyannis Public Library - renovations – 401 Main Street, Hyannis