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Board approves Willard Chapel parking, walkway and lighting plan tied to DRI grant at 17 Nelson Street
Summary
The Historic Resource Review Board approved exterior work for Willard Chapel—expanding parking, adding loop drives, sidewalks and lighting—as part of a DRI-funded project; planners said the work must still go before the planning board and may need fire and police input before construction.
The Historic Resource Review Board approved a certificate of appropriateness for exterior work at Willard Chapel, 17 Nelson Street, that will expand parking, add loop drives, new sidewalks and lighting as part of a Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) project.
Jonathan Karnes of Crawford Insurance Architects, representing the project sponsor, told the board the proposal moves parking away from the chapel’s front steps, increases capacity to accommodate events and buses, and adds two loop drives that recall historic campus circulation. Karnes said the plan increases parking “from 30 to 45, I think it says” on the drawings and includes a north driveway connection with two loop drives to improve circulation for drop-off and for service vehicles. He said the design includes historic-style sidewalk lights with modern fixtures used sparingly in the parking area and that the project team considered alternatives such as stone-dust loop drives to reduce cost.
Karnes told the board the project is tied to DRI funding and that timing matters: “We need to get going as soon as possible ... the grant, you know, has a horizon. And we really need to get that, kind of locked in before we potentially lose the money.” He also said the interior work scope changed and the remaining DRI funds were being proposed for exterior work.
The board discussed landscaping and tree requirements; a board member noted the city code requires “1 new tree per every 6 spaces.” Karnes said the design includes additional trees to screen the parking and soften the asphalt while keeping large modern lights to a minimum for light pollution control. He said the project will be reviewed by the planning board next month and that fire and police may have additional comments on turning radii and apparatus access.
Board members moved and seconded the application and voted to approve it as presented; staff will issue a certificate of appropriateness and the project will proceed to required planning and departmental reviews.
