URGENT: Harvard Square Landmark and Design and Programming Process

Dear Petitioners for Harvard Square Landmark Petitioners: This is a watershed moment for Harvard Square. We need your help for getting the best design team and plan for the iconic Harvard Square Kiosk Plaza--one of the most important public spaces in the world. The City released a call for an architect to re-design Harvard Square. The scope however of their statement doesn't include actual design or the important plaza space that surrounds the Kiosk. This means that MBTA's shabby subway entrance is not included, nor are all the other areas such as the Pit that everyone knows and has experienced. TODAY is the last day to send formal emails/questions/concerns to the City of Cambridge about process and design considerations for this important public space. Deadline for proposal is Sept 21, but OurHarvardSq is working to try to push deadline forward. Application here: http://www2.cambridgema.gov/purchasing/documents/3615/Bid3615.pdf Please email: purchasing@cambridgema.gov and Kathy Watkins, City Engineer, kwatkins@cambridgema.gov and Lisa Peterson, Assistant City Manager, lpeterson@cambridgema.gov Secondly, this October 5, the Cambridge Historical Commission will vote on whether to Landmark the Harvard Square Kiosk. Meeting: Thursday, October 5, 2017 6:00 PM Details and Agenda closer to date found here: http://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/Calendar/View?guid=73895668-28c3-469a-b367-cfcfdc1eb519&start=20171005T180000&end=20171005T180000 Unfortunately, the design ideas submitted by the local architect (Galante) that brought such citizen anger last summer still appears to be what the City Staff want to use. This futuristic, Times Square design is NOT what Cambridge citizens want. Write to Charles Sullivan at csullivan@cambridgema.gov and to the other city staff above to express your concerns! Finally, Working Group for Harvard Square Programming and Use is up and running with Project for Public Spaces: Please follow their progress here: http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/Projects/Parks/HSquarePublicSpace OurHarvardSquare is collaborating with Working Group Members to make sure the Working Group is as effective and influential as possible. Please join the Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/HarvardSqKioskPlaza/?fref=nf As always, please send feedback, comments and questions to: ourharvardsq@gmail.com Thanks, Our Harvard Square