Enhancement Committee

Chairman P. Riva opened the meeting at 7:00.

Façade Plan – Erin Rollins reviewed her plan that consists of current photos of 25 buildings on Main Street, overlaid with proposed features from historic photos. Ann Linden provided photo documentation and historic names. Highlights: 

Bank:  missing brackets under cornice and fascia, could be put back, old awning structures could be removed and front part painted black would look good.  

Red Hen: leave same colors (looks good for sign company), add clapboard up top, could replace storm door (doesn’t look good on commercial structure) w/ more Victorian door. Concrete in front needs repair (is bad when icy) when sewer is installed.

Benham Building, now treated as one, but with 3 different color tones, could look like 3 separate buildings again. Victorian addition:  Ms. Rollins added shutters to top, added awning over door to give distinction. Put awning over furniture part of Four Brothers building on corner intersection.

Tobin building is one of first ones that should be focused on – has great potential.

Van Maassen:  On top, third or fourth floor, recommend remove asbestos shingles, wires – best to clean up overhead wires when do septic. Showed trim color with red. 

Flat roof building – suggest adding pitched roof as originally appeared in photos; take down plywood for Victorian storefront. Good photo at bottom, can pick up many missing buildings. 

Dunlop Real Estate or Hamm building:  just changed paint color to make details stand out. Change for sake of change, low priority.

Amenia Day Nursery:  1829 Italianate row house, in good shape, color good - awnings recently removed, ironwork redone. Recommend foundation planting to soften entry.

Barber Shop – had rail on at one point. Can see from roofline, looks pretty good as is. Shutters should be put on, changed paint color. Is a string of white buildings, punched it up with some color.

Private home near barbershop:  Ms. Rollins changed a lot. Was vinyl, added porch based on Victorian examples. Looks much better, more interesting, better paint color

Cozy Corner:  in bad shape, but beautiful building. All details still intact at street level, but may be some rot up above. Recommends taking off vestibule to make it flush across the front with door and entry. The problem is winter, difficult to restore storefront without its removal. Bike shop – since window drops down, Ms. Rollins added an awning to keep line clean. Back lit sign may be a violation of sign ordinance (or should be). Sign should be wooden, lit externally. Changed color – originally buildings were light with dark trim, she suggested returning to this scheme. 

Sears:  recommends landscaping to soften sea of parking, adding roofline.

Two Little Residences – Trim out doors and windows (6 over 6). Façade is a little out-of-balance, added weeping cherry to balance. Remove rail, popping color in. Turns into a cute building. Next residence, build portico out of porch, is nice building.  

Fountain Press (formerly):  Ms. Rollins recommended “faking” the façade w/ faux windows with flower boxes, painted tonal to go with brick, adding awning over windows, window boxes.

Colonial, antique two-story - Is in good shape. Shutters would add more interest and color. 

P. Riva would like to borrow “Century of Color” for scanning to assist with presentation – may be out of print. Rollins:  Working mostly on one side of street, have last two boards to design that will be ready by next meeting. 

Next step:  Cost estimates - Ms. Rollins doesn’t provide this, but could work with construction person for guidelines for property owners. At Millbrook Town meeting, key owners were targeted. Some funding (50% of costs were available!) others will come, better to let owners get accurate costs. Allowed to use own contractors, numbers reviewed by committee, then actual architectural drawings were included in the costs. Assistance might be available through Tribute Gardens, discounts from local suppliers, low interest loans from Bank of Millbrook. Ownership needs to be documented. Three buildings next to, including Jody Hall’s, belong to someone from Brewster.

Andy:  Present plan to owners, find interested, use them as target owners, and find out who would be able to move most quickly. Peter to Mimi:  Next task:  Get names of owners, discuss how to approach, should have open town meeting, but invite owners for one-one-one. Mimi:  should check w/ building inspector as to what changes are OK, whether changes would trigger bringing building up to code, possibly losing historic features. Check into Schedule K for exemptions.

Minutes – Motion made to approve the May 5, 2004 minutes made by D. Holland, seconded by J. Devine. Vote taken and passed.

Communications & Development - Minutes are up on website. Town Board needs to submit their minutes and notices. Website can be declared official posting of notices, as has been done in Fishkill. State Office of Technology is working w/ technology committee. Data Link has contract for supplying high-speed internet, eventually will lead to NY E-NET access that will have wealth of resources, all govt. forms, etc. Need high speed fiber optic link at Town Hall in six months, can use DSL in meantime. Technology Committee is investigating possibility of negotiating cost of service to be spread among 5 municipalities. Other supervisors are very supportive, including Dover. Bonnie is working on cable access. OFT recommends e-learning course for public officials for $45. Amenia.gov still in works.

Acquisition – H. Eschbach & K. Dunlop met and concluded that a new focus should be established for this subcommittee as pursuing Nelligan property has become too volatile. Four years ago, a site visit was conducted with the NYS DEC regarding the Lake Amenia bed, now Amenia ball field. Town owns this 47-acre parcel. As we cannot rebuild the dam (it is more valuable as a wetland), it would be possible to construct a pond, but not in the streambed. DEC will allow nature trails, boardwalk w/ educational theme. Ice skating, increased recreation could be pursued. Perhaps a new soccer field? Need to move ahead on map of park. Craig Vogel at DC Soil and Water might be able to help w/ best site for pond, size might be restricted to 1 acre.

Townscape – J. Devine thanked Dolores for ordering plants. He decided to order 80 more plants, doesn’t think we got the full order. He will finish the planters (15-20). Some pots need to be replaced, at least by next season. M. Wilkens got notice into Pok. Jnl., local papers did not put it in. Jim will make a map to locate barrels next year, perhaps number them and assign sponsors to maintain, plant, recognize best one?

Flags – 28 total, Andy may put 300^th flags on w/ cables.

Garden Tour – Admission up to $15 pp, from $10. A. Linden will update sign, need 2 workers/garden. Vicki & Dolores will work on publicity, video tape for TV station. Need large posters, ads in 2 papers @ $85/ea.

Streetscape – DOT site visit May 10 was very supportive of efforts. Mechanic St. is natural fit w/ rail trail extension, other funding was identified. The plan will be divided into 2 separate plans:  343 is Greenway project, Mechanic St. perhaps Rail Trail project. Plan should be fine tuned after DOT input, move x-walk slightly east as suggested, pay Morrison $2,500 since DOT is supportive, ask T. Board to ask DOT/County Highway to reduce speed on 343. Drainage:  DOT approves of steel bridges. Jim Rapoli changing position in DOT, should use him ASAP. July mtg.:  Need cost estimates, revised budget. Find out how wide sidewalk needs to be (talk to Doug Cotton), get Judge Manning input, fire company, etc.

Town Signs – Stan has no problem with plans for landscaping. Need to know how much and whether townscape money is available for this project. Chair of Townscape needs to make recommendation for use of townscape funds. July meeting:   Andy will have updated cost estimates per sign. Dolores has some leads for stonemasons. H. Eschbach – need to touch up signs with paint (at Gilbert Jobe’s). 2 signs broke, need steel plates for support, can Stan do this? Herb will talk to him.

Tech Fair 2005 – should be bigger. Chamber has been asked to be an advocate to Town Board on behalf of a business owner. Chamber has decided, however, it will generically advocate for all Amenia businesses, not just one owner.

Jody Hall was welcomed to Streetscape subcommittee.

Meeting adjourned. Next meeting is July 7 at 7 PM.

Respectfully submitted by,

Vicki Doyle