This Sunday, March 4
4-6pm
at 591 Summit
Please join us!
----
And, if you want, go to Cathedral Family Day first, then head on over:
Cathedral Community & Family Day
(St. Paul, MN) Please join us for the fifth annual Cathedral Community & Family Day. This festive and free open house is set for 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 4. The Cathedral of Saint Paul is located at 239 Selby Avenue, at the corner of Summit Avenue and John Ireland Boulevard.
Highlights this year include:
· · Story-telling by New York Times best-selling author Tom Hegg (“A Cup of Christmas Tea”), who will delight us with his original tale of John Ireland’s early years in St. Paul.
· The first-time ever chance to enter the Sanctuary for demonstrations on the recently refurbished 1927 E.M.Skinner pipe organ.
· History Hunts for all ages; learn new facts and win prizes.
· Costumed characters and guides will highlight the Cathedral’s history, art and restoration projects.
· Create mosaic art with the Minnesota Children’s Museum.
· Learn to tie knots like a pirate with staff from the Science Museum of Minnesota.
· View artistic depictions of the Cathedral created by students from the St. Paul College of Visual Arts.
· Hear live entertainment by faculty and students from St. Joseph’s School of Music.
· Enjoy refreshments for sale by the Cathedral Young Adults.
For more information, go to www.cathedralheritagefoundation.org, or phone 651-288-1776.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Member Social Event this Sunday!
The Board of Directors of Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association invites you to a:
SARPA Member Social Event
Sunday, March 4 from 4 to 6 p.m.
We have also invited more than a dozen Summit Avenue homeowners whose homes were celebrate their 100th "birthdays" this year!
Hosting the event are Kit and Marilyn Natz at 591 Summit Avenue.
The SARPA board will hold a short business meeting at 5:30, which is open to all SARPA members.
Hope to see you there.
SARPA Member Social Event
Sunday, March 4 from 4 to 6 p.m.
We have also invited more than a dozen Summit Avenue homeowners whose homes were celebrate their 100th "birthdays" this year!
Hosting the event are Kit and Marilyn Natz at 591 Summit Avenue.
The SARPA board will hold a short business meeting at 5:30, which is open to all SARPA members.
Hope to see you there.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
SARPA's Position on Solar Technology
SARPA Whitepaper on Solar Energy Modifications
As adopted by the SARPA board on 16 January, 2012
SARPA (the Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association) is dedicated to the preservation of the historic, residential, and urban park character of Summit Avenue. SARPA was commissioned in 1986 by Mayor George Latimer and the St. Paul City Council to preserve the residential quality of Summit Avenue for future generations.
A recent focus of SARPA has been to promote and encourage the fact that SARPA, while being an important historic resource, is also a street of unusual diversity. Many different kinds of people live along the street, from young to old, families to single residents, owners to renters. It’s also a street with myriad uses, from single family homes to multiple units, churches, synagogues, schools, reception houses, the Governor’s Mansion, a historic house museum, and several parks and open spaces. As such, SARPA is mainly concerned with the quality of life for all who live on — and who use — the street, and this concern is generally prioritized over individual situations.
With its interest in the diversity of historic resources, SARPA has been especially interested in the confluence of historic preservation and “green building,” particularly recent National Trust endeavors (please see source list at the end of this document). We support the Trust’s assertion that “the greenest building is the one that is already built” in that historic preservation is the “original” green building by retaining existing resources. We also support the combination of historic preservation and energy efficiency tax credits.
While energy conservation methods such as passive solar methods and geothermal wells are more or less invisible post-construction, private solar panels cause a different set of problems, enough so that they are specifically addressed in 2011 amendments to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. These amendments are as follows:
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (2011)
Solar Technology
Recommended:
• Considering on-site, solar technology only after implementing all appropriate treatments to improve energy efficiency of the building, which often have greater life-cycle cost benefit than on-site renewable energy.
• Analyzing whether solar technology can be used successfully and will benefit a historic building without compromising its character or the character of the site or the surrounding historic district.
• Installing a solar device in a compatible location on the site or on a non-historic building or addition where it will have minimal impact on the historic building and its site.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building only after other locations have been investigated and determined infeasible.
• Installing a low-profile solar device on the historic building so that it is not visible or only minimally visible from the public right of way: for example, on a flat roof and set back to take advantage of a parapet or other roof feature to screen solar panels from view; or on a secondary slope of a roof, out of view from the public right of way.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building in a manner that does not damage historic roofing material or negatively impact the building’s historic character and is reversible.
• Installing solar roof panels horizontally – flat or parallel to the roof – to reduce visibility.
Not Recommended:
• Installing on-site, solar technology without first implementing all appropriate treatments to the building to improve its energy efficiency.
• Installing a solar device without first analyzing its potential benefit or whether it will negatively impact the character of the historic building or site or the surrounding historic district.
• Placing a solar device in a highly-visible location where it will negatively impact the historic building and its site.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building without first considering other locations.
• Installing a solar device in a prominent location on the building where it will negatively impact its historic character.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building in a manner that damages historic roofing material or replaces it with an incompatible material and is not reversible.
• Removing historic roof features to install solar panels.
• Altering a historic, character-defining roof slope to install solar panels.
• Installing solar devices that are not reversible.
• Placing solar roof panels vertically where they are highly visible and will negatively impact the historic character of the building.
SARPA’s policies have aligned with the Secretary’s Standards in the past, and our position on solar technology is no different. In general, and in keeping with its position of prioritizing the character of the district as a whole over individual instances, SARPA shall not support solar technology alterations that do not conform to these standards.
In general, that means that solar technology use on Summit shall be implemented only after other methods have been exhausted, and that such alterations shall be unobtrusive and reversible. SARPA encourages Summit Avenue homeowners to investigate a wide spectrum of energy conservation options to best preserve the quality and character of their home and of the street in general.
Sources:
- Historic Preservation and Green Building: A Lasting Relationship (http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/sustainability/additional-resources/HPandGreenBuildingArticle.pdf)
- Sustainable Stewardship (http://berkeleyheritage.com/speeches/richard_moe.html)
- Historic Preservation and Sustainable Architecture: Friend or Foes? (http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/05/historic-preservation-and-green-architecture-friends-of-foes-.html)
As adopted by the SARPA board on 16 January, 2012
SARPA (the Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association) is dedicated to the preservation of the historic, residential, and urban park character of Summit Avenue. SARPA was commissioned in 1986 by Mayor George Latimer and the St. Paul City Council to preserve the residential quality of Summit Avenue for future generations.
A recent focus of SARPA has been to promote and encourage the fact that SARPA, while being an important historic resource, is also a street of unusual diversity. Many different kinds of people live along the street, from young to old, families to single residents, owners to renters. It’s also a street with myriad uses, from single family homes to multiple units, churches, synagogues, schools, reception houses, the Governor’s Mansion, a historic house museum, and several parks and open spaces. As such, SARPA is mainly concerned with the quality of life for all who live on — and who use — the street, and this concern is generally prioritized over individual situations.
With its interest in the diversity of historic resources, SARPA has been especially interested in the confluence of historic preservation and “green building,” particularly recent National Trust endeavors (please see source list at the end of this document). We support the Trust’s assertion that “the greenest building is the one that is already built” in that historic preservation is the “original” green building by retaining existing resources. We also support the combination of historic preservation and energy efficiency tax credits.
While energy conservation methods such as passive solar methods and geothermal wells are more or less invisible post-construction, private solar panels cause a different set of problems, enough so that they are specifically addressed in 2011 amendments to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. These amendments are as follows:
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (2011)
Solar Technology
Recommended:
• Considering on-site, solar technology only after implementing all appropriate treatments to improve energy efficiency of the building, which often have greater life-cycle cost benefit than on-site renewable energy.
• Analyzing whether solar technology can be used successfully and will benefit a historic building without compromising its character or the character of the site or the surrounding historic district.
• Installing a solar device in a compatible location on the site or on a non-historic building or addition where it will have minimal impact on the historic building and its site.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building only after other locations have been investigated and determined infeasible.
• Installing a low-profile solar device on the historic building so that it is not visible or only minimally visible from the public right of way: for example, on a flat roof and set back to take advantage of a parapet or other roof feature to screen solar panels from view; or on a secondary slope of a roof, out of view from the public right of way.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building in a manner that does not damage historic roofing material or negatively impact the building’s historic character and is reversible.
• Installing solar roof panels horizontally – flat or parallel to the roof – to reduce visibility.
Not Recommended:
• Installing on-site, solar technology without first implementing all appropriate treatments to the building to improve its energy efficiency.
• Installing a solar device without first analyzing its potential benefit or whether it will negatively impact the character of the historic building or site or the surrounding historic district.
• Placing a solar device in a highly-visible location where it will negatively impact the historic building and its site.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building without first considering other locations.
• Installing a solar device in a prominent location on the building where it will negatively impact its historic character.
• Installing a solar device on the historic building in a manner that damages historic roofing material or replaces it with an incompatible material and is not reversible.
• Removing historic roof features to install solar panels.
• Altering a historic, character-defining roof slope to install solar panels.
• Installing solar devices that are not reversible.
• Placing solar roof panels vertically where they are highly visible and will negatively impact the historic character of the building.
SARPA’s policies have aligned with the Secretary’s Standards in the past, and our position on solar technology is no different. In general, and in keeping with its position of prioritizing the character of the district as a whole over individual instances, SARPA shall not support solar technology alterations that do not conform to these standards.
In general, that means that solar technology use on Summit shall be implemented only after other methods have been exhausted, and that such alterations shall be unobtrusive and reversible. SARPA encourages Summit Avenue homeowners to investigate a wide spectrum of energy conservation options to best preserve the quality and character of their home and of the street in general.
Sources:
- Historic Preservation and Green Building: A Lasting Relationship (http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/sustainability/additional-resources/HPandGreenBuildingArticle.pdf)
- Sustainable Stewardship (http://berkeleyheritage.com/speeches/richard_moe.html)
- Historic Preservation and Sustainable Architecture: Friend or Foes? (http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/05/historic-preservation-and-green-architecture-friends-of-foes-.html)
Monday, January 9, 2012
Crashed Ice
Have you been wondering what on earth is happening at the eastern end of Summit next to the Cathedral? It's not church construction, or light rail, or Winter Carnival prep — it's the first-of-its-kind Red Bull Crashed Ice event!
Red Bull provides this description:
The extreme sport of ice cross downhill heads into a new season in 2012. The world championship battle will take place this year, as in 2010 for the first time, in both Europe and North America.
Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2012 calendar:
Saint Paul (USA) –January 12-14
Valkenburg (NED) – February 2-4
Are (SWE) – February 16-18
Quebec City (CAN) – March 15-17
The combination of speedskating, boardercross and downhill skiing has only been around for 10 years but ice cross downhill has already overtaken many other established sports.
There are participants from 30 nations – 15,000 athletes packed into the pre-qualifying in Canada alone last year – and venues around the world that are bursting at the seams with spectators.
The rules are simple: four athletes line up at the start and the first across the finish line wins. Speed, agility, perserverance, toughness and courage at speeds of up to 60kph are the ingredients needed for success.
But I think we all know it will be even wilder and crazier than that!
The City of Saint Paul has a new website just for the event:
www.stpaul.gov/crashedice
Monday, December 12, 2011
Solar Panels?
The Union Park District Council has invited interested community members to their joint Parks and Rec/Land Use meeting on Tuesday, December 13 regarding a proposal by Summit Avenue homeowners to install solar panels at their home at 2279 Summit, extending on to Mississippi River Boulevard right-of-way parkland (the parkland had, until recently, been thought to be part of the Summit parcel and had been maintained by the homeowners).
There are six panels, each ten feet tall and four feet wide.
The homeowners applied for a diversion of the parkland, which the St. Paul Parks Commission denied on November 9, 2011 due to precedent and visual impact on the parkway. The homeowners are appealing, citing the history of maintaining the land and concerns that the panels, if built entirely on their property, would have to be 10-12 feet taller to maintain efficiency.
The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level conference room at the Merriam Park Community Center (at 2000 St. Anthony).
SARPA just learned of the issue tonight and has not taken a board position.
There are six panels, each ten feet tall and four feet wide.
The homeowners applied for a diversion of the parkland, which the St. Paul Parks Commission denied on November 9, 2011 due to precedent and visual impact on the parkway. The homeowners are appealing, citing the history of maintaining the land and concerns that the panels, if built entirely on their property, would have to be 10-12 feet taller to maintain efficiency.
The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level conference room at the Merriam Park Community Center (at 2000 St. Anthony).
SARPA just learned of the issue tonight and has not taken a board position.
Holiday Lights Contest!
Announcing - The Summit Holiday Lights Contest!
Please put your nominations for your favorite holiday lights on Summit in comments below or on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Summit-Avenue-Residential-Preservation-Association-SARPA).
The sooner the better, we'll be judging just before Christmas!
Win fabulous prizes, fame, or something!
Please put your nominations for your favorite holiday lights on Summit in comments below or on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Summit-Avenue-Residential-Preservation-Association-SARPA).
The sooner the better, we'll be judging just before Christmas!
Win fabulous prizes, fame, or something!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Holiday Greens
Big Thanks to Emerald Acres Tree Farm for again donating cheery holiday boughs to fill the planters over Ayd Mill Road!
And even more thanks to SARPA board members (and board emeriti) Carolyn Will, Mary Lynch, Alison Enestvedt and Mary Michels for placing the boughs on a cold winter afternoon!
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