By Kim Siebert MacPhail
Depending on who you speak to, the obstacle currently standing in the way of a habitable Blake Block is either one of elevation or one of grading. Taken together, they represent an unwelcome delay to that happy moment when the last signature on the final permit can be signed and the Blake Block reconstruction project is considered complete.
According to Code Enforcement Officer Chris Laskey, the problem lies in the height variation between the ground on which the building sits and the level of the Great Road. Laskey says that his office must follow certain guidelines relative to architectural and ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) standards, so a solution must be found that allows compliance.
To illustrate the extent of the height variation, Laskey points to a newly-poured walkway on the eastern end of the property, nearest to Springs Road. An inspection of the walkway shows at a glance what Laskey is referring to: in order to “match” the walkway at that level to the curbing below, some sort of stairs or sloping will be necessary.
For Pam Brown, attorney for the Blake Block project, the matter is one of grading, or the slope of the connection between the building site and the Great Road. Brown says that even the old sidewalk in front of the former Blake Block was not compliant so the issue is nothing new. She adds that solutions for the problem are being developed and vetted between the relevant parties and as soon as one is agreed upon, work will quickly be completed so a certificate of occupancy can be signed.
The area between the building and the street appears to hold the answer to the problem, although just how that will play out has yet to be determined. Since the building can’t be lowered and Great Road can’t be raised, changes to the well-thought-out wide sidewalk area between the building and curbside, landscaped with trees, plantings and benches, are almost certain to be on the horizon.
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Kim, I agree that your column is very informative and thank you. I did not understand why it was taking so long to complete the structure on Great Road. What still bothers me is the following: (1) Why wasn’t the elevation and grading discussed and a decision made prior to construction? (2) Why didn’t the various departments give detailed advice on the sidewalk(s), planting of trees, etc, again, before construction? There are businesses waiting to occupy certain spaces and they cannot wait forever. There are people who were expecting to move in and have had to move elsewhere. There are too many hold-ups and they are very important hold-ups, but should have been resolved before the destruction and removal of the old building. Somethings cannot be “after the fact.”
Town staff and the Blake Block consultants have agreed in concept on the resolution to the Blake Block sidewalk . The existance of street trees, a usable sidewalk, park benches, bike racks and trash receptacles of the original approved plan are still in the picture, while the ultimate layout changes somewhat, most significantly by adding a grass strip. In this instance, elevation and grading are the same issue – there is no discrepancy between the code enforcement officer and consultants on what the problem is.
Kim, you write a great column. Thanks for keeping us current.
Bobbie Ennis