From: 	Barbara Barhydt
To:	Brady, Jim;  Mitchell, Greg;  Wiar, Shukria
CC:	Bartlett, Jeremiah;  Bushey, Steve;  Earley, Katherine;  Jaegerman, Alex;  Levine, Jeff;  Peverada, John;  Thomas, Kevin
Date: 	12/5/2014 10:01 AM
Subject: 	Re: Fwd: Press Hotel signage

Hello Jim:
 
Jeremiah Bartlett noted that the parking schedule for your project did go to the TS &E Committee.  His summary of their decision is as follows and please note that he has authorized an administrative approval of a change from the Council Order:

The TS&E item and Council order specified that these signs were to be Schedule XI, Commercial Loading Zone as opposed to Schedule XXVI, Hotel Loading Zone.  However, as the approval is for a loading zone change, I believe we can make it Schedule XXVI administratively, as it doesn't fall under the time limit or parking/no parking rules.
 
As such, the Applicant may post the hotel loading zone signs on Exchange.  Please consider this email my administrative approval of this change from the Council order.

Thus, the signage can be installed as approved during the Planning Board review. 
 
Thank you.
 
Barbara

 
Barbara Barhydt
Development Review Services Manager
Planning Division
389 Congress Street  4th Floor
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 874-8699
Fax: (207) 756-8256
bab@portlandmaine.gov
>>> Jim Brady <jameshbrady@gmail.com> Thursday, December 04, 2014 5:09 PM >>>
Greg, Barbara and Shukria,

I am writing to you regarding The Press Hotel and the recent information I have received from my civil engineer on verbiage of street signage. This may seem a menial item, but I can assure it is of utmost importance to the success of the hotel and also to the City for traffic on Exchange St.

When the project was approved, there was extensive discussions about the Hotel Loading zone for the hotel. As this building occupies an entire City block with the four entrances located in the middle of each facade, dealing with arrivals for hotel guest was a primary consideration in being able to consider the adaptive reuse of this building into a hotel. After much discussion over the curb line bump out along Exchange, to help identify the entry as well as make the Handicap grades work into the Exchange St front entry door to the hotel, it was determined that there would be a specific “RESERVED FOR HOTEL LOADING” sign positioned on the Exchange St side from the curb bump out down to Federal St. It ws initially labeled Reserved for Valet and the staff or board requested it be changed to RESERVED FOR HOTEL LOADING.

Jeff Thomas is requiring that area to be signed Commercial Loading Zone. This is not acceptable to the hotel and will create significant issues. If there were to be commercial vehicles parked there, it would eliminate any loading or valet area for the hotel, making a huge traffic issue as the guest would have no place to load/unload and or have the valet take their car to the offsite parking area. I’m reaching out to you to see if this can be resolved simply, but a call to Jeff Thomas at the City who is noted in the below email.

Also, please see attached the notes regarding parking signs.

Jim Brady
PO Box 7486
Portland, ME 04112
USA
207.653.9990 mobile
jameshbrady@gmail.com
skype - jim.brady2

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephen Bushey <SBushey@fstinc.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2014 at 8:45 AM
Subject: Press Hotel signage
To: Jim Brady <jameshbrady@gmail.com>, Kevin Gough <gough@archetypepa.com>, rcollard@wright-ryan.com

Jim,

Jeff Thomas of the City is responsible for Street signage and he has coordinated with Jason of Eastern Excavation on the street signs he is looking for around the project. The attached redline represents what Jeff is seeking for signs. The biggest change is Jeff’s requirement to install the “Commercial Loading” signs on Exchange and Market Streets, in place of the “Reserved for Hotel Loading” signs we had on the plans. I have advised Jason that you need to review and consider these signs prior to installation. As is apparently the case on many projects, the planning dept didn’t consult with Jeff Thomas, so his input on the street signage requirements doesn’t get reflected in the drawings. At any rate, I thought you need to know this situation and weigh in as necessary. If you continue to want “Reserved for Hotel Loading” on the plan then it may simply mean an additional sign onto the post. I have asked Jeff Thomas about mounting signs on the light poles in order to reduce posts and sidewalk clutter. He would prefer all signs to be on the regular post and not on the street light poles. He know there are exceptions, but generally he doesn’t like signs on the light poles.

thanks

Stephen R. Bushey, P.E. | Senior Principal Engineer

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