Planning Commissioners excoriate hotel plans -- Pete Plamondon reduced to incoherent mumbling
City Planning Commissioners fiercely criticized Pete Plamondon's plans for the City-sponsored/State supported downtown hotel at their Workshop Monday afternoon. Commission secretary Ron Beatie and chair Joan Strawson excoriated the plans for their unsuitable architecture and for their failure to incorporate the Trolley Building. Obviously unprepared for the onslaught Pete Plamondon was reduced to incoherent mumbling. He looked very despondent.
Beattie said: "I absolutely hate the architecture.. absolutely hate it. It would fit in nicely in Bethesda. I don't think this says Frederick at all. I just think it's too modern and it's going to stick out like a sore thumb."
The architecture needed to “pick up on” the Trolley Building.
Commission chairwoman Joan Strawson lit into Plamondon over his proposal to detach the Trolley Building from the hotel project.
"My biggest question is why are we not incorporating the (Trolley Building)? From the very first time I ever heard of this project the City was excited because it was going to be incorporating that historical building, you know bringing the history into this hotel. That's the first thing that stood out to me is, you're leaving that building empty like it's been for however many years, why?"
Strawson's emphasis on the final 'why' was quite a rhetorical flourish, and it was followed by an awkward silence and then she and others laughed.
Plamondon looked anguished saying: "Actually the redevelopment of the Trolley Building will happen not fully simultaneously with the hotel (indistinct) and that was something the Historic Preservation Commission (mumble, mumble) want that to happen and they want that to be redeveloped....
Strawson: “Why isn't it being incorporated into the hotel. Why isn't it part of the hotel?”
Plamondon: “Well it's part of the hotel project but it's not part of the hotel. It's not necessary for the hotel. It's going to be a great amenity to have next door. It's very exciting.”
Strawson: “You didn't answer my question: why isn't it part of the hotel?”
Plamondon: “We don't need (see?) it as part of the hotel. The hotel project does not require that building (trolley building) as part of the project.”
Strawson: “But it could be made into part of the hotel. That was the whole idea of this project was to incorporate that building into the hotel.”
Plamondon became incoherent mumbling about being "very excited about" something or other while looking thoroughly despondent. At this point, he had his hand over his heart as if he had heartburn.
Strawson added: “I agree with the other commissioners. I completely dislike the architecture. I know it's not within our authority, but it doesn't fit in downtown.”
Plamondon did claim the HPC had approved the architecture.
Commissioner Dorothy Menelas said she wondered how the design was permissible within HPC guidelines. Sole supporter of the design was Commission Alternate April Lee who said simply: “I do like the architecture."
Alderman Ben MacShane was also critical of Plamondon's excising the Trolley Building from the hotel project: "The HPC was very clear that the Trolley Building would be renovated and activated at the same time. That was an interest of mine as well that we really want to see that come to life at the same time, or in advance of the hotel, as opposed to the hotel opening and then there continues to be an (empty building with the realtor sign) 'Great Opportunity' at the corner for many more years. We want to see that happen at the same time. That trolley building can see some really interesting things happening with retail or a restaurant in a cool historic building."
Video of the workshop with the hotel starting at about the 2 hour 5 minute point. The real dustup begins at 2:13:00:
https://cityoffrederick.granicus.com/player/clip/5980?view_id=48&redirect=true
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