Council suggests red paint to give Lakeport building a brick look

LACONIA — The City Council is persisting in its effort to get Lakeport Landing Marina to change the appearance of its new showroom and storage building in Lakeport Square.

On Monday the council heard from City Manager Scott Myers that marina owner Erica Blizzard had turned down the council’s request that a portion of the facade of the multistory building be finished in brick or a brick-like material.

Councilor Bruce Cheney and others on the council are pressing the issue of the building’s aesthetics, arguing that Lakeport Landing and and its agents who presented plans for building to the city indicated there would be brick on part of the exterior that would serve as an architectural reminder of the brick hose tower of the Lakeport Fire Station which was partly demolished to make way for the new building.

Cheney said Monday he wanted Myers to approach Blizzard yet again to see “if she would consider painting the tower so it would appear more like brick. … so the building looks like what was intended.”

Last month Cheney asked Myers to discuss the matter with Blizzard in an effort to resolve the issue without having to resort to legal action.

On Monday Myers reported that Blizzard was not amenable to changing the building’s appearance. Blizzard informed him that various brick or brick-like alternatives she considered were either cost-prohibitive, unfeasible, or could not be warrantied.

He also said that if the city was to initiate some kind of legal proceeding, it could cost the city between $2,500 and $10,000 in legal fees.

Cheney said he preferred the matter could be resolved without having to involve lawyers. But referring to Myers’ mention of the potential legal costs, the councilor said legal costs was something that Blizzard should consider too.

Ward 6 City Councilor Tony Felch, in whose ward the building is located, opposed the idea of painting the corrugated metal tower, saying: “If you paint it, it’s going to stick out like a sore thumb.”

After about 20 minutes of discussion and debate the council voted 4-1 to have Myers talk to Blizzard about the repainting proposal. Felch cast the one dissenting vote.