From:	Dan Buckler <daniel.c.buckler@gmail.com>
Sent:	Friday, July 8, 2022 5:00 PM
To:	Elmer, Linda
Subject:	In support of HPC file #220279 St. Mark's Church Certificate of Appropriateness


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Ms. Elmer,
 
I write to you to register my support for the St. Mark’s development plan – to demolish the current 
Parish Hall, to build a new facility for the church, and to construct an apartment building on the existing 
empty space owned by St. Mark’s.
 
There is little doubt about the unique character of the Downer neighborhood, and little doubt about the 
role of St. Mark’s in this area – aesthetically, historically, and culturally. Indeed, the church is central to 
the neighborhood’s singularity as a place akin to a small European village, a reputation repeatedly 
emphasized in the Historic Designation Study Report for the Downer Avenue Commercial District.
 
I do not see that character changing by any means with the proposed development plan. On the 
contrary, the character of the neighborhood will be *sustained* by deepening the ability of St. Mark’s to 
remain present and viable, and by the additional residents who will patronize the small businesses that 
also help shape the neighborhood’s personality.
 
The renderings and descriptions of the proposed apartment building and modest parish hall seem 
eminently in line with the aesthetics of nearby buildings across the criteria that the Historic Preservation 
Commission considers.
 
I know that any change is difficult. But this plan will help preserve the integrity and sustainability of the 
entire neighborhood.
 
Thank you for your time,
Dan Buckler