Dear Dr. Harold Koenig,
Harold, my letter to the editor really needs to be an open letter to you, because you are the sole obstacle for getting the sign completed and re-hung by cables and poles in a timely and affordable manner. We can beat this thing to death, but if you are unwilling I can only appeal to you to step aside and let this project be completed by folks willing to honor it as the historic resource its designation and rich history deserves.
You may personally hate the old sign, but this is no longer about your likes or dislikes.
Blame Historical Resources Board Senior Staff Cathy Winterrowd, me, or the “preservationists” if you want, but it became perfectly clear in the last half hour of the Kensington Talmadge Planning Group June 10 panel discussion that your personal agenda is the only thing hindering the solution. Unfortunately, many of the folks had left by then, including Charles Shaw who authored the article in last week’s issue. Had the full group stayed they’d know:
The bottom line is that we all learned from Jim Miller, President of the Structural Engineers Association of San Diego, that whether the sign is restored or replicated it can safely be suspended by cables and poles as long as it is properly strengthened and engineered for the weight and wind loads. It will conform to the State’s Historic Building Code.
If the sign can be repaired, the lead can be mitigated by simply painting over it. If the sign can’t be repaired, it must be exactly replicated and reinstalled in its historic context.
Kensington’s 100-year anniversary is just around the corner. Let’s get the sign repaired, or replicated if necessary and designed to safely hang by cables and poles, thereby conforming to the State’s Guidelines for Historic Resources. Harold, you’ve had numerous offers to help get this achieved and even further donations if needed. My offer stands to be of any assistance I can be.
Sincerely,
Celia Conover
17-year Kensington Resident and Co-owner of StudioConover in Little Italy,
A Design and Architectural Consulting firm specializing in Exterior Color &Materials
