IX. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS REGARDING NON-AGENDA ITEMS
(3 MINUTE LIMIT PLEASE)
1 Public Comment
Public Comment, Town of Palm Beach Admin
admin
over 1 year ago
Received via email on 9.17.23:
Dear Landmarks Preservation Commission,
Having attended the Town Council’s meeting last Wednesday where the Royal Poinciana Theatre demolition was discussed, it is clear that the system failed preservation. Your commission was not equipped with proper information to avoid the loss. The theatre, in exchange for constructing the Slat House, was to be preserved in its entirety in the 1979 agreement. No one had the institutional memory of what a long battle it had been to try to reopen the theatre. The owner of the Plaza engaged in a form of demolition by neglect which made it harder and harder to find a theatre operator. As Council member, Araskog said, this was an absolute jewel with a fabulous back of house and where so many world class actors performed. What the past LPC granted to this developer is a sham-a 400 person flex space-no part of it a true theatre-more likely a big party place, and 12,000 square feet of additional retail… Where’s the preservation?
This landmark became the wreck we see today because its preservation is of the LOWEST level according to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. How sad is it that so little remaining that speaks to John Volk’s jewel? Jan, John and Lory Volk must be weeping in their graves.
Looking forward, you will be reviewing other complex commercial landmarks being used by developers to ’”preservation-wash” aggressive projects. Hopefully, the errors of the past will not be repeated. Make no mistake, no matter how much these developers claim to love the landmarked structure, are so preservation-minded, money is their only true love. LPC must revise the codes so that what is implied is explicit as Chairman Zeidman stated. A certified historic preservation engineer must be employed to verify the need for extensive demolition as occurred here. Apparently the Everglades Club, which is more than 100 years old, was on unstable soil and they managed to fix their sinking problem without tearing down their entire building. Tearing down an entire building when we all thought remodel and restore must require modification to the COA and clear understanding by you and the residents of what that will look like. You must be assured that there is not a more preservation based alternative.
Sue Patterson voiced a number of excellent solutions. Tutorials for LPC regarding preservation techniques of residential and commercial landmarked structures are essential. Knowledge of techniques which could be employed would have made LPC more aware of what to ask and what documents should have been presented. There was a distinct lack of transparency..better to ask forgiveness than permission, it seems to me. Furthermore, oversight of these projects as well as ARCOM’s is essential. Once projects are green lighted, no one checks to see what is going on and if the developer is doing what they are supposed to. This must change.
The Landmarks Ordinance and the work of preservation of our architectural assets is the bedrock of the extraordinary values of Palm Beach real estate. Our landmarked structures are what make Palm Beach uniquely beautiful and create its unique sense of place, human scale and character. Your work is extremely important. The people of Palm Beach look to you to deepen your knowledge, to understand and protect what is at risk in our town.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Anne Pepper
Received via email on 9.17.23:
Dear Landmarks Preservation Commission,
Having attended the Town Council’s meeting last Wednesday where the Royal Poinciana Theatre demolition was discussed, it is clear that the system failed preservation. Your commission was not equipped with proper information to avoid the loss. The theatre, in exchange for constructing the Slat House, was to be preserved in its entirety in the 1979 agreement. No one had the institutional memory of what a long battle it had been to try to reopen the theatre. The owner of the Plaza engaged in a form of demolition by neglect which made it harder and harder to find a theatre operator. As Council member, Araskog said, this was an absolute jewel with a fabulous back of house and where so many world class actors performed. What the past LPC granted to this developer is a sham-a 400 person flex space-no part of it a true theatre-more likely a big party place, and 12,000 square feet of additional retail… Where’s the preservation?
This landmark became the wreck we see today because its preservation is of the LOWEST level according to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. How sad is it that so little remaining that speaks to John Volk’s jewel? Jan, John and Lory Volk must be weeping in their graves.
Looking forward, you will be reviewing other complex commercial landmarks being used by developers to ’”preservation-wash” aggressive projects. Hopefully, the errors of the past will not be repeated. Make no mistake, no matter how much these developers claim to love the landmarked structure, are so preservation-minded, money is their only true love. LPC must revise the codes so that what is implied is explicit as Chairman Zeidman stated. A certified historic preservation engineer must be employed to verify the need for extensive demolition as occurred here. Apparently the Everglades Club, which is more than 100 years old, was on unstable soil and they managed to fix their sinking problem without tearing down their entire building. Tearing down an entire building when we all thought remodel and restore must require modification to the COA and clear understanding by you and the residents of what that will look like. You must be assured that there is not a more preservation based alternative.
Sue Patterson voiced a number of excellent solutions. Tutorials for LPC regarding preservation techniques of residential and commercial landmarked structures are essential. Knowledge of techniques which could be employed would have made LPC more aware of what to ask and what documents should have been presented. There was a distinct lack of transparency..better to ask forgiveness than permission, it seems to me. Furthermore, oversight of these projects as well as ARCOM’s is essential. Once projects are green lighted, no one checks to see what is going on and if the developer is doing what they are supposed to. This must change.
The Landmarks Ordinance and the work of preservation of our architectural assets is the bedrock of the extraordinary values of Palm Beach real estate. Our landmarked structures are what make Palm Beach uniquely beautiful and create its unique sense of place, human scale and character. Your work is extremely important. The people of Palm Beach look to you to deepen your knowledge, to understand and protect what is at risk in our town.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Anne Pepper