THE NEW LANCASTER RAINBOW | EL NUEVO ARCO IRIS DE LANCASTER

A well-known local architect expressed the same thoughts as many of those who are commenting on the City's Explorations website. I quoted him in my "Considerations" paper as saying: “I think the suggested design says nothing about Lancaster County – past, present or future. It’s like a generic CVS or Walgreen’s design – anywhere USA – with no context or nod to the history, heritage or uniqueness of Lancaster County.” This architect is a frequent contributor of articles on architecture that have been published in LNP. He is also a well-known guest lecturer at the Quest adult continuing education series at Trinity Lutheran Church and at LancasterHistory lecture series. He holds the highest degree possible (FIAA) in the American Institute of Architects' College of Fellows. It seems to me that he should have been included in the discussions on this art project from the very beginning. There are many other local architects and artists who should have been a part of this process as well. Isn't Lancaster known as being an "artists' mecca" that has a "Gallery Row" only one block from Lancaster Square? The owners of these galeries were never consulted by Jo Davis or the PAAB. Who made the decision not to include them in these discussions? This same local architect quoted above told me that he was invited to sit in on meetings of the PAAB when they were deciding on the new name for Lancaster Square. He told me that at those meetings, not once did the PAAB invite him to submit a design for the library-garage facade. (Neither had he been invited to submit one during the PAAB's selection period in early spring of that year.) He told me that, during these re-naming meetings, he was shown the three designs that R&R had submitted to the PAAB (that would be choosing one of them to send to City Council.) He told me "I didn't like any of them." In the middle of December in 2019, this architect had a meeting with Mayor Sorace and took in a proposed design that he had drawn for the library-garage facade. (I saw this design; it was an action portrait of Barney Ewell.) Mayor Sorace didn't tell him that City Council had already chosen R&R's conceptual design. I was the one who told him. The approval given by City Council on Nov. 12, 2019, for R&R's conceptual design was a conditional one, the condition being the fulfillment of the Community Engagement Plan. None of those conditions were ever fulfilled. Now the Mayor has substituted three designs on the Ewell Plaza Art Explorations website which are not at all similar to the design included in the conditional approval given by City Council. Considering the above, shouldn't this matter have a thorough review by the Community Planning and Economic Development Committee followed by a new discussion and vote by Council? The Community Engagement Plan is attached.

I wonder what the practical aspects of maintaining this wall of aluminum tubes will entail? The garage structure has no architectural style, so something needs to cover it. The drawings do not include enough detail to understand the scope of the project. Will there be a sub-frame behind the tubes to hold them in place? Will there be space between each row for natural light and air flow in the garage building? Will the garage need more interior lighting or use more energy because of the facade? Will there be an awning, an off-set or portico that protects the library front and people entering and exiting during inclement weather? I believe the answers to the above questions may help us better understand the design. I find the design and bright primary colors of the wall and stair tower to be distracting from the cohesiveness of the plaza, but maybe that is not the point of the design.

I don't believe that any of these designs reflect Lancaster in the slightest. I would have preferred to see our amazingly talented local artists come up with a design that truly reflects the city's history and culture. These designs are OK if you are going for a Jetson's cartoon look. Very '60's and '70's which looks instantly dated.

I can assure you that these 3 are our only choices. There was negative feedback back on the artist 1st proposal They came back with 2 more designs similar to the first. Again this means the artist has already been paid we have absolutely no say. It will be the best of the worst outcome in this story.

I'm not crazy about any of them, especially that yellow vertical column that appears in all three. Lancaster really missed an opportunity to create something memorable. How does this even relate to Barney Ewell?