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| Armory was granted the ability to hold public daytime events by a vote of 4 to 1. ~Photo By Camille Pandian |
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By Meghan Frederico
After
hours of passionate community member testimonies before the Zoning
Board of Appeals, Arts at the Armory was granted the ability to hold
public daytime events by a vote of 4 to 1. If the measure had been
rejected, the community art center's public events would have been
restricted from 7pm to 10pm on weekdays and 7pm to 11pm on weekends, a
serious blow to a center that wants to serve children and senior
citizens, among others.
"In order to be a community art center,
we have to be open during the day," Debra McClaughlin argued before the
board. As a manager of the nonprofit Arts at the Armory, she presented
the case to the board, explaining how the restriction on daytime hours
would drastically hinder its ability to reach community members.
Afterschool programs, matinée performances, and many other types of
programs would not be possible, she said.
Ms. McClaughlin also
spoke of the negative impact that limiting the hours would have on the
business of the artist residents, threatening their financial
well-being in an already turbulent economy. A number of speakers echoed
this sentiment, saying that preventing these businesses from operating
during normal business hours would make it significantly more difficult
for them to make a living.
In the case of the Actor's
Shakespeare Project, a decision to maintain the prohibition on daytime
hours would have been immediately devastating. The nationally renowned
company will premiere its production of Coriolanis in the Armory's new
performance space next week, but would have had to cancel 9 matinée
performances if the appeal had not been passed. The group says that
they were unaware of the restrictions at the time they signed their
rental agreement, which led some to question the communication between
the owners and tenants.
Some who spoke before the board noted
the lack of art and cultural opportunities for children and adults
alike in Somerville, adding that they would enthusiastically replace
their trips to Cambridge and Arlington with ones to a closer community
location. Several speakers noted that drawing daytime patrons to the
Armory could be a boon to area businesses that have been hurting
lately, such as restaurants in nearby Union and Davis Squares,
invigorating both the local arts and the economy.
The process
of giving a second life to the 105 year-old building has been a lengthy
one. Attendees of Wednesday's meeting realized that what they thought
was the last administrative hurdle, the receipt of an entertainment
license on January 26, had engendered yet another premature celebration.
The
Armory, which housed the Massachusetts National Guard until it was
closed in the 1970's, was purchased for almost $2.6 million by Joseph
and Nabil Sater in 2004. The brothers have a history of involvement
with the area's art scene, having run the Middle East music club in
Cambridge for the past 30 years. Many were relieved when they revealed
their plans to transform the building into a community art center, as
some feared a developer might demolish the historic building to make
room for condos.
But despite fears, the building's distinctive
architecture has remained. The turrets visible from Highland Ave. might
still evoke associations with medieval castles, but its brighter shade
of white gives it a clean and modern feel. The 35,000 square-foot
interior holds many changes as well, including a new art gallery, cafe,
and 295-seat performance space. Tenants began moving into the
building's studio in August, and include small businesses working in
areas such as music production, photography, and dance.
Many who
stood before the board spoke enthusiastically of a project that would
enrich the area's artistic and cultural offerings, but not everyone has
shared their excitement. Some area residents have expressed concern
that the Sater brothers would bring a noisy nightclub to the
neighborhood, attracting rowdy patrons and traffic congestion.
Ms.
McClaughlin countered rumors that the Armory will be functional hall
with a liquor license, as its opponents have claimed, saying that they
will not rent out the 395-person performance space for weddings,
bar-mitzvahs, or other events that do not lie within the mission of the
community art center. They do have the ability to apply for beer and
wine permits on an ad hoc basis, but they will not be applying for a
liquor license.
In order to bolster a positive relationship with
the neighborhood, something that Ms. McClaughlin and others repeatedly
called "crucial to the success of a community art center," the Armory
has worked The Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) in order to come
to terms that work for both sides. Nine of the "41 Conditions" that
emerged from these negotiations are related to noise concerns, and
Joseph Sater has said that he put $60,000 into soundproofing the
facility.
Despite such assurances, however, there remains a
neighborhood faction hostile to the project's presence. According to
one Somerville resident who has watched the Armory controversy unfold
in recent years, the opposition to the project has been organized
mostly by a small cohort of neighbors, including John Sullivan, who
watched the proceedings from the back of the room with his family and a
few other opponents of the measure. One attendee observed that in prior
community meetings, the Sullivans would sit apart from each other,
attempting to create the image of more widespread dissent.
Other
neighbors of the project expressed their cautious support. One Highland
Ave. resident praised the potential of the project and its mission,
while also noting that as a member of the NAC she "has a duty to keep
an eye on the parking situation…but we won't know what it will be
like until we try it."
Ward Alderman Sean O'Donovan spoke twice
at the meeting in favor of the appeal, similarly saying that they
cannot know the impact on the neighborhood until they actually try it
out, and that the many benefits of the project justify giving it a
chance.
Mr. Sullivan and others around him were noticeably upset
by the decision in favor of the Armory. Following the meeting, a few of
them verbally attacked O'Donovan in the hallway, which progressed into
a shouting match in the stairwell between Sullivan and O'Donovan,
obstructing the exiting crowd.
Onlookers appeared unsurprised,
though, familiar with the men's history. In 2005, John Sullivan ran
against O'Donovan for Ward 5 Alderman, his main platform being his
opposition to O'Donovan's development plans – including Arts at the
Armory. "I'm a 41-year resident and homeowner. I may not have the
prestigious degree or years of elected office, but I know how the city
works," he had said of his candidacy at the time, which ended in a 24
point loss to O'Donovan on election day.
Testimonials of the
tension surrounding the project seemed to foreshadow the evening's
heated close. One Armory tenant, who teaches music lessons to children,
had said that he hoped they would be able to move beyond bitter
disagreement over the project and reap its benefits. "I feel grateful
that i can give back to my community," he said. "My daughter was taught
to swim by Mr. Sullivan's daughter at the JFK pool, and i hope that one
day i can return the favor."
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