GROVE PLACE ASSOCIATION                                               Oct. 8, 2002            8:00AM

Executive Committee Meeting                                                   Paul Pineo’s

 

 

Present: Paul Pineo, John Lovenheim, Sue Bovay, Elta Green, Judy Gregory, Sandy Shapiro, Kathy Parse, Myra Buonocore, Craig Jensen, Rob Balazs

 

 

 

1.                  President Paul Pineo announced that the GPA October General Meeting will be held at the Downstairs Cabaret, and that he has had no luck in reaching the Costanzo brothers, renovators of the Temple Building, to do a presentation at the November meeting about that project.  He will try instead to reach Roger Cox Cooper, head of the City’s NET program to speak to the group.  Betty Strasenburgh will host the December GPA gathering at the Eastman School of Music, but a committee is needed to assist with notices, food organization, paper goods and set-up.

 

2.                  Architect and neighbor, Craig Jensen, updated the group on the progress of the Grove/Gibbs townhouses.  The project is under way with two finalized contracts and several interested buyers close to signing on.  All seven of the Grove St. homes will be built at once and should be completed in six months, followed by the completion of two town homes on Gibbs St.

 

3.                  Pres. Pineo introduced Rob Balazs, one of four new owners of the property on the corner of University Ave. and Windsor St.  Balazs related that one of the buildings on the site will be leased to “Savory Thyme” for their catering business and that several options are being considered for a second building that backs up to the homes of Myra Buonocore and Elta Green.  Balazs also reported that Phase I and II environmental work has been completed and that the City’s new zoning ordinances (becoming operational in several weeks) won’t require any variances for their current plans.  The Committee stated that their concerns regarding usage of the site evolved around tasteful cosmetic changes being done to the facilities and landscape, as well as limits being placed on noise, odors, litter and late night activities.  Additionally, some fears were voiced as to the fact that the owners would be absentee landlords.  Balazs has promised to keep GPA updated as the project gets under way.

 

4.                  GPA Conservator, Jim Bovay, along with several GP residents, will meet on October 9th with Genesee NET head, Earl Isaac.  They will relay their concerns regarding the questionable activities going on in the apartment building on the corner of Scio and University, the increased confrontational activities at Planned Parenthood, and the repeated car break-ins and thefts of patio furniture in the neighborhood.  These complaints have already been voiced several times, with no response coming from the NET office. The group felt that if NET assistance were not forth coming after this meeting, GPA would need to take these concerns directly to the Mayor’s office.

 

5.                  Phil Anderson has agreed to take over membership duties from Mary Lou Schwartzberg, and Nancy Macon will be asked to replace Mary Lou as the “starter” for the telephone tree.  Elta Green agreed to take on the responsibility of sending remembrance bouquets, and reception sign-up sheets will be passed around at General Meetings with a warning that there will be no attempts to have receptions on dates that get left blank.

 

6.                  Sue Bovay reported that Lynn Garrenton and Myra Buonocore have planned to work together on organizing the GPA archives.  Myra will also meet with the new director of the Historical Society to find out what the format should be for the materials GPA plans to turn over to them.  It has been suggested that most of the materials could be transferred to a computer disc.

 

7.                  John Lovenheim asked for feedback on first draft copies of a GPA brochure he passed to the group.  The text is being written by Phil Anderson, the artistic layout will be handled by Ed Saphar using Gloria Weyert’s photos, and Lovenheim will be in charge of the printing.  The goal is to produce a brochure that will entice future residents to GP.

 

8.                  Myra Buonocore and Kathy Parse announced that they would like to create a plan and budget proposal for neighborhood beautification projects that can be presented at the January GPA meeting.  Parse stressed the need for monetary parameters within which the Beautification Committee can work.  Buonocore felt strongly that the Association needs to adhere more closely to GPA Bylaws regarding the presentation of budgets to the Executive Committee by committee chairs, and requested an amendment to the Bylaws that would give the GPA membership the right to vote on Association expenses over a certain stated amount.  Pres. Pineo agreed that a presentation should be made in January, and that further discussion regarding the proposed amendment may be necessary.

 

9.                  The annual Arts and Cultural Council Luncheon will be held on Oct. 31st, and the late Bob Macon will be one of the honorees.  Roz Goldman has reserved a GPA table at a cost of $350 and email and the phone tree will be used to entice GP neighbors to attend the event.

 

10.              Pres. Pineo announced that he has two copies of the Environmental Guide book that he will share with anyone interested in reading them. 

 

11.              John Lovenheim reported that the City is receiving proposals for development of the lots on Charlotte St., and that the small building on the corner of Charlotte and Winthrop Sts. has been sold.  Additionally, he announced that the Library would sponsor a “march of support” on Oct. 8th, in protest of the County budget cuts.  A fund raising dinner will also be held by the Library on Oct. 23rd.

 

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 AM.

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Judy Gregory, Secretary