NEWBURYPORT — A final conceptual plan for the central waterfront park unveiled by members of the Newburyport Redevelopment Authority was met with a mixture of praise, optimism and some concern during a public meeting last night.
After decades of planning and proposals, the NRA appears to be moving forward with hopes of using the plan as a "framework" for when funding becomes available and elements of the plan can be put in place.
The NRA's final conceptual plan keeps many of the features that were included in earlier plans — including a seasonal skating rink, a performance stage, a historic interpretative gateway plaza, a dining facility, a playground and informal play space. It also includes a sculpture park, spray fountains and a bike path.
The plan, presented by a consultant from the Cecil Group, calls for the addition of a Coast Guard Memorial in the current East Lot and improvements to the Custom House Maritime Museum.
As he outlined the preferred plan, David O'Connor, a landscape architect with the Cecil Group, gave preliminary estimated costs for the project, totaling $5.8 million, telling the audience it would be "disappointing" if people take these estimates as set in stone, as they can change since the plan is so early in the process
Residents last night cautioned the NRA against filling up the green space with "clutter."
"You don't have to fill every single green space with something for people to do," Jim Roy said, warning against "redundant" elements like the fountains, playground and skating rink. The Inn Street fountain is a "forlorn mess," he said.
Karen Hudner of Merrill Street agreed, calling for the elimination of another cafe or restaurant in the park, as the Custom House museum could put a cafe in their facility as a source of revenue for them. Fountains are high maintenance, she said, pointing to the function problems for the Inn Street fountain.
As with the last public hearing in September, citizens urged the NRA to eliminate a part of the plan that calls for constructing new buildings along Merrimac Street, saying they would block views and access to the waterfront. The buildings were changed to be perpendicular to the street in the plan presented last night.
NRA acting Chairman Rick Taintor said the buildings will continue the streetscape of Merrimac Street and still allow for views.
Janet Marcus, a former NRA member, urged the group to consider the ramifications of putting up the buildings, as it would become a landlord. The sense of the community is that there is no need for the buildings, she said. "Let's not have them."
With so many other restaurants in the city and business being slow over the last couple of years, Marcus said, the NRA should consider if they want to become more competition for them by adding another restaurant to the waterfront.
Elements of the plan will move forward and be phased in as funding is found, O'Connor said. Improvements to the museum and a Coast Guard memorial will be funded by outside sources, he said. Other funding sources include Brownfields Redevelopment funding (available through the Environmental Protection Agency), bond bills, parking revenues and special event revenues, he said.
Preliminary estimates call for the ice rink, plaza and skating rink to cost $778,000, while the performance stage and seating/lawn area could be $275,000. Improvements to convert the East Lot into a plaza, lawn and parking lot with utilities is estimated at $1.76 million.
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