COMMERCE & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

MARCH 6, 2002

COUNCIL CHAMBER

Convened: 5:05 p.m.

Adjourned: 8:10 p.m.

 

Present were:      Chairperson Councillor Dennis l. Irish

                             Councillor Michael C. Perotto

                             Councillor Philip P. Palmieri

 

 

Also:                     City Manager Thomas R. Hoover

Chief Development Officer Phillip J. Niddrie

                             Director of Traffic Engineering Joseph Borbone

                             State Representative Vincent A. Pedone

City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk

 

1.                 Communication of the City Manager relative to Union Station Report.

          #7A CM December 4, 2001

          In Committee January 28, 2002 – Held

          In Committee February 11, 2002 – Held

          In Committee February 27, 2002 – Held

Recommend Hold

 

2.       Communication of City Manager relative to Union Station Urban Revitalization Plan (USURP).

          #7B CM January 8, 2002

          In Committee January 28, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 11, 2002 - Held

In Committee February 27, 2002 – Held

Recommend Hold

 

3.       Report of the Committee on Public Works upon the Communication of the City Manager relative to the Meredith & Grew Staff.

          #268 CC January 8, 2002

          In Committee January 28, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 11, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

4.       Report of the Committee on Public Works upon the Communication of the City Manager relative to maintenance of grounds at Union Station.

          #269 CC January 8, 2002

          In Committee January 28, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 11, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

5.       Communication of the City Manager relative to Union Station/Washington Square Development Plan.

          #7E CM January 15, 2002

          In Committee January 28, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 11, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

6.       Order Clancy - Request Commerce and Development Committee to look at the issue of rental of business office space in Union St.

          #39j CC January 22, 2002

          In Committee January 28, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 11, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

7.       Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to questions asked at the City Council meeting of January 15, 2002 relative to the Union Station/Washington Square Master Plan.

          #41 CC January 22, 2002

          In Committee January 28, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 11, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

8.       Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to issues dealing with Union Station/Washington Square.

          #7E CM January 29, 2002

          In Committee February 11, 2002 - Held

          In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

9.       Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to a series of questions regarding Union Station.

          #7D CM February 12, 2002

                In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

10.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to a report on the south end of Union Station for buildout.

          #7B CM February 12, 2002

          In Committee February 27, 2002 - Held

Recommend Hold

 

11.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to re-designation of exchange point of WRTA stops from City Hall to Union Station.

          In City Council February 26, 2002 - #7D CM

          In Committee for Informational Purposes Only

Recommend Hold

 

12.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to WRA expended state funds for buildout for private spaces.

          #7B CM February 26, 2002

Recommend Hold

 

13.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to traffic study of Washington Square.

          #24J CM February 26, 2002

Recommend Hold

 

14.     Communication of the City Manager transmitting communication relative to westbound Shrewsbury Street traffic.

          #24K CM February 26, 2002

Recommend Hold

Speakers:

1.                 Allen W. Fletcher, 4 Ash Street, Worcester

2.                 Michael Troiano, 3 Hampton Street, Worcester

3.                 State Rep Vincent Pedone, 1 East Park Terrace, Worcester

 

Representatives of Wallace Floyd Design Group presented the plans they developed at the request of the Worcester Business Development Corporation.

 

Chairman’s Order request the Commissioner of the Department of Public Works provide the City Council with data concerning the amount and type of vehicular and pedestrian accidents at Washington Square in the last several years.

 

Chairman’s Order request the Commissioner of the Department of Public Works forward to the City Council any engineering reports concerning the underground infrastructure in Washington Square.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager provide the City Council with a pedestrian-friendly roadway plan for Washington Square that includes a roundabout pointing towards the southerly portal.

Approved by Committee, 2-1 with Irish in opposition

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager provide the City Council with a map that would illustrate where additional commuter parking might be located in the Franklin Street area that was referenced by the Administration.

 

Chairman’s Order request the City Manager provide the City Council with a roadway plan for Washington Square using the area immediately to the west side of Union Station for bus ports, siting the construction of a garage underneath the I-290 overpass at the corner of Shrewsbury Street and Grafton Street and also aligns Franklin Street for a possible future two-way traffic pattern.

Approved by Committee 1-2 with Irish in opposition