Shedding some light on parking
Published on January 6th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - Leaving no stone unturned and paying considerable attention to the details, the Town Common Committee continued its work on Monday night in ensuring that the Town of Stoneham gets the best parking lot and common its money can buy.
Lighting for the downtown parking lot, which is considered part of Phase I in the project, was the focus of this week's meeting with the committee making recommendations to Gene Bollinger, representative of Levy, Eldredge & Wagner Associates, Inc., the project's architect. A vote on the lighting scheme was unable to be taken since a quorum was not attained.
According to Bollinger, the preferred scheme that the committee had previously directed the architect to work out included exclusive use of decorative lamp posts similar to those adorning Stoneham Square. In order to sufficiently light the 90-space lot, 29 lamp posts were deemed necessary.
Following review of the cost estimates associated with that design, Bollinger reported that, at $57,000, such costs were prohibitive and well over the allowance of $30,000.
Alternative schemes proposed by Bollinger included decorative posts along the perimeter of the lot, with contemporary lighting within, and taller posts which would distribute light further.
"This style of luminaire is not intended for parking lots," stated Bollinger, who described the lamp posts as more appropriate for a pedestrian corridor, such as a common.
He also cautioned the committee to not lose sight of public safety, which members agreed was an important factor in determining the lighting's effectiveness. Merely limiting the number of lamp posts in the lot, while reducing costs, would not provide sufficient lighting.
"One portion... is a totally different scale," Bollinger added regarding the width of one section of the lot, which will require the lighting to cast a longer distance.
Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting and Town Engineer Robert Grover both cautioned Bollinger recently to not determine the lighting for the portion of the proposed parking lot that accesses Franklin Street. Bollinger reported that since Franklin Street will be reconstructed by the state at some future point, Nutting and Grover advised that the possibility of incorporating lighting in that location into the state-funded Franklin Street project would be more advantageous to the town.
Committee member Stephen Borne suggested that when lighting is being discussed for the Franklin Street project, the committee push for it to be consistent with the rest of the parking lot.
Foreseeing the continuation of decorative lamps from the square up Central Street, the committee instructed Bollinger to develop a revised lot lighting scheme. This scheme would incorporate lamp posts along the Central Street side with variations placing lamps into the lot as well.
"We need to accept reality...keep the Central Street edge consistent with Main Street and if there is extra money, take it inward," said Borne.
Bollinger reminded the committee that when considering the features related to the parking lot such as landscaping and fencing, the lighting would not be the determining factor for pleasing aesthetics.
"This will be a really nice looking parking lot...Don't lose sight of that," he said.
The committee's next meeting will be on January 28. Prior to that, Bollinger will send photometric designs of two or three alternative schemes to board members, with related cost estimates, based on Monday night's discussion regarding paring down of the expensive original scheme. That meeting will be dedicated to finalizing this issue. Final contract documents are anticipated to be available to contractors on or about February 1.
In other committee news, member Joe Slavett reported on the status of land takings for Phase I of the project.
"We're determined to have everyone out by January 31," he stated.
While the eminent domain process, necessary for construction of the parking lot, has gone on for many months, Slavett anticipated a somewhat smoother transition for the same process involved for construction of the town common (Phase II).
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