Special Bd. of Aldermen — 03/26/2019 Page 6
Alderwoman Melizzi-Golja
If | may, that’s why the larger area in the lower level.
Alderman O’Brien
But | do appreciate the mobile beers.
Alderman Jette
So what is the total seated capacity. | think you said 500 for the telescopic seats and then the balcony how many?
Mr. Cummings
225, 250, so all in, depending on how you lay out is 750.
Alderman Dowd
| Know that we’ve looked into the preliminary matter and | know it could be a big expense if it was part of the
Performing Arts Center. But the wires on Pearl Street that are going to have to be at least shut down during
construction and the reasoning behind not moving them, to me, seems kind of weak. Actually | would prefer that
they were buried but going on the other side of the street. You know what I’ve heard is it doesn’t pass the goofy
test, it’s like they don’t want to do it.
Mr. Cummings
Your points are well taken and so a couple comments on that. It is fair to say that the utility providers have sent us
a very clear message that they would prefer us not to disturb the utility lines and in particular not bury them
underground. But if that was to come to be, then they would be willing to have that conversation with us but it
would be at our cost. And so something that this body would need to understand is that is not in the scope or the
budget currently for this project. If we were to entertain something like that, it would also delay delivering this
project in the timelines | have been preciously articulating. So if this body wanted to even remotely entertain that
type of project, | would suggest it’s a second project. And it would have to come you know in relatively quick
timeline and separate appropriation. And then you’d have to delay this project by a year.
Alderman Klee
Director Cummings, tell me if I’m correct here, if | remember also when we were talking about the wires and the
power and having to shut things off while maybe they said they would do a re-route so that the businesses and so
on would have limited to no disruption in their power and so on. So they would create work-arounds so that we did
not affect the businesses right there, is that correct.
Mr. Cummings
That’s correct. They would maintain service as much as possible and have very limited disruption if we were to just
turn off the utility lines and the power as necessary to do the construction although optimal, that is what the utility
company is recommending. So that is the current thought process right now. It is also the most cost-effective. If
you were to even not bury the lines and just move the lines across the street, we would need easements potentially
from private property owners. We would need to bear the cost of it and both of those tasks would take time and
money.
