CENTER CITY COMMITTEE STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIVES
MEETING MINUTES
June 27, 2006

The meeting opened at 8:35 AM.

The Stakeholder groups were represented by the following members: Artists, Steve Syverson; Building Owners, Marshall Field; City of Lowell, DPD, Susan DeMari; Community Banking, Matt Fitzpatrick; Cultural Organizations, L.Z. Nunn; Middlesex CC, Molly Sheehy; Non-Profit Corporations, Bill Lipchitz; Lowell Police Dept. Sara Khun-Leng LRTA, Bob Kennedy; Lowell DNA, Ted Lavash; Retailers, Mark Coddaire; Lowell Festival Foundation; Janet Leggat.

Absent: Chamber of Commerce, Jeanne Osborn, UMass Lowell, Dr. Joseph Lipchitz; Lowell High School, Roxanne Howe; Lowell Police Dept., Ken Lavallee; Lowell Plan, Jim Cook; CVB, Jennifer Shea, NMCOG, Bob Flynn; Restaurants, Frankie Descoteaux; Lowell National Park; Mehmed Ali; UTEC, Juan Carlos Rivera;.

Also present were Alternates Brian Connors (City of Lowell), and Colleen Cox (MCC) and guests Kathleen Marcin and Paul Materazzo from the Downtown Neighborhood Association.

On a motion by Steve Syverson, seconded by Ted Lavash, it was voted: to accept minutes of May 30, 2006.

Treasurer Matt Fitzpatrick reported the balance in the CCC Checking Account was $1,002.62. with another $50 due in from the DLBA. On a motion by Marshall Field, seconded by Colleen Cox, it was voted: to accept the Treasurer’s Report.

The proposed work plan for the year was discussed. Sub-committees have been appointed to work on the activities and report back to the whole on a monthly basis.

The Subcommittee for Goal 1, making downtown more pedestrian friendly, is chaired by Marshall Field and includes Ted Lavash, Sara Khun, Steve Syverson and Matt Fitzpatrick. The group met twice this month, once to organize itself, and once to do a walking tour of downtown to look at crosswalk locations, markings, maintenance and educational signage. A wheelchair-bound teenager accompanied them on the tour. They found that often, the wheelchair ramps on one side of a cobblestoned street do not line up with the ramp on the other side; that the curbs are sometimes very high; signage needs to be improved; and that some streets where there is a right-on-red turn have a problem where people in the crosswalk are subject to continuous turning traffic. The subcommittee will summarize the information and set up a meeting with the new Traffic Engineer who starts in July. Susan DeMari said DPD is looking at streetscape improvements that would fit into some of these issues.

The subcommittee for Goal 3, long range planning, toured Paige Street and is making a list of short and long-term suggestions to discuss with DPD. For example, the LRTA sign on the tourist kiosk should be removed ASAP. The siding on the back of the Hildreth Building is in poor condition. Molly said there is talk that the Sarris Building on Bridge Street that houses many students from MCC will be renovated and converted to market rate housing and the students will be displaced. Kathleen Marcin suggested that the garages could use signs similar to those found in malls, which say: “You are here”, and stores/attractions etc. are located on a map. This would also be a good idea for the Lawrence Mills Condos to help folks there find what they want downtown. It was suggested that the CVB is working on a signage project that might fit into this idea. Bob Kennedy said he would look into having the trolley shuttle go by Lawrence Mills and get people downtown that way.

The subcommittee for Goal 2, integrating residents into downtown will be working on Newcomers Night, and Destination World. LZ Nunn reminded everyone that Thursday July 6th will be Destination World Zimbabwe with music, art, culture and family programming as well as film venues. The September 7th Destination World, which coincides with Newcomers Night, will have a Latin America theme celebrating the “day of the dead” and will reach out to the Latin community in Lawrence.

Susan talked about the idea of closing Middle and Palmer Streets on two Saturdays per month in July, August, and September and said she is working on the details of traffic flow, parking etc. that will be impacted by the closing. She has been talking to the various merchants about it as well. The idea is to have children and family programming early in the evening followed by other activities later. She is working to have some street performers, music, and art displays to liven up the area. The dates are: July 15th and 29th, August 12th and 26th, and September 9th and 23rd. Molly Sheehy suggested that, given the popularity of the dance stages at the Folk Festival, perhaps one could be set up during those nights. Susan is also looking for ways to create channels of communication with the residents to inform them of the street closings and the activities.

Stakeholder Representatives Reports

COOL
· Destination World Zimbabwe will be Thursday, July 6th.
· Newcomers Night will be on Thursday, September 7th.
· The Revolving Museum is also hosting a film series on Friday nights.
· A CDBG grant was received for Cultural District Signage, that will allow signs to be put up on gateway streets into the city. There will be 10’ by 4’ signs saying “Welcome to downtown Lowell’s Arts and Culture District” and include an “a” logo that will be carried over to individual venue signs.
· The Jack Kerouac scroll project will take place in 2007, and a Cambodian Opera project is also in the works for next spring.

City of Lowell
· The Hamilton Canal District has its own web site that developers can access for information. It is at http://www.hamiltoncanal.com/

Lowell Festival Foundation
· Some changes in the stages for the Folk Festival
· Redesigned website www.lowellfolkfestival.org
· Summer Music Series starts June 30th. July 3rd performance by Marcia Ball will be a fundraiser for the festival

DLBA
· Marc Coddaire expressed concern about the imminent closing of Woodcraft Furniture on Merrimack Street. He feels the City needs to focus on correcting the trend of closings in recent months.

The next informal meetings of the CCC will be August 29th, September 12th , and September 19th.

The Next Stakeholder Representatives Meeting will be September 26th.

On a motion by Bob Kennedy, seconded by Janet Leggat, it was voted: to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 AM.