The Chairperson of the Peninsula Community Planning Board, Robert Goldyn, has written a letter on behalf of the Board to Mayor Faulconer and other city officials calling the proposed “modifications” to the North Chapel at Liberty Station “fundamentally inconsistent with the historical use of the property.”
Goldyn was responding to a presentation by the property managers of North Chapel at the most recent meeting of the Board on January 16. (See OB Rag reporter Geoff Page’s report here.)
828 Venues representatives – the current sublessee – had described the proposed changes – as Goldyn noted – “that include, in particular, the removal of substantially all of the pews that are currently installed in the building and the removal of several stained glass windows, each of which have been specifically identified as historic resources in the Guidelines for Historic Properties at NTC.”
The Peninsula Board chair also wrote that the proposed changes also violated North Chapel’s “character as a military shrine,” and was inconsistent “with the Guidelines for Historic Properties at NTC.”
In addition, Goldyn also stated affirmatively “any modifications of the nature being proposed require an amendment to the NTC Precise Plan,” and he asserted that any changes as proposed be presented to the community before any permits for the changes are granted, and specifically “be presented to PCPB for further scrutiny and public input before any further action to grant any permits or other approvals for these modifications can be granted.”
The letter Goldyn sent was based on an unanimously adopted statement by the Board. The letter, dated January 22, was also sent to Council Member Jennifer Campbell, City Attorney Mara Elliott, Council President Georgette Gomez and Council Member Barbara Bry – who is running for mayor. Goldyn had also added that the “Majority of community members present voiced concerns against any and all modifications to the original chapel.”
Here is the full letter:
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A small clarification. Robert Goldyn is the chair and he did sign the letter but on behalf of the full board. The letter was drafted by a couple of board members during the January 16 regular monthly meeting. It was read, discussed, and edited by the full board. Communications from the planning boards are always signed by the chair. Goldyn did agree with what was expressed in the letter.