Meeting Date: April 5, 2023
To: Members of the Heritage Preservation Commission
From: Revee Needham, Assistant City Planner
Title
Provide Comment Letter on Proposed Transit Hub Concept Plan next to the Northfield Depot.
Body
Action Requested:
The Heritage Preservation Commission is asked to provide a comment letter on the proposed Transit Hub concept plans.
Summary Report:
At the March 1, 2023 the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) reviewed plans for the proposed Northfield Transit Hub as presented by Architect Bill Hickey. A link to the agenda item and meeting video is attached.
To provide greater clarity to the design team, the HPC is asked to provide a comment letter on the proposed Transit Hub plans. Based on the HPC’s discussion, staff have drafted a comment letter. The HPC is encouraged to review and come prepared with any suggested changes.
As a review of the background information, the Northfield Depot was designated as a local heritage preservation site in 2021. Save the Northfield Depot, a nonprofit organization, has been working hard to preserve and restore the depot. The original plans for the depot included a second phase for a pavilion and additional building. The City of Northfield was awarded state bonding funding to complete the construction of the Transit Hub, which will serve as a connection and transfer point for local and regional bus and other transportation options. In October 2022, City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement with Collaborative Design Group for the design of the Transit Hub. City staff and Save the Northfield Depot have been working with the architects on the proposed concept plans.
If the Transit Hub does connect to the Northfield Depot, then a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) will be required. If the Transit Hub does not connect to the Northfield Depot, then a COA would not be required. Regardless, the architect team will ask for the HPC to provide input and comment as the plans are developed.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timeline:
Construction of the proposed Transit Hub is scheduled for July 2024