Letter to the Neighbors

Dear Neighbors, 

We have some exciting news.  After more than ten years of planning by the community, the Roland Water Tower is being stabilized. The City completed the design and Roland Park Community Foundation (RPCF) hired Lewis Contractors to get started on construction in September.

The Tower has been a landmark on Roland Avenue since 1905 but it hasn’t been in use since the 1930’s. This project will stabilize the Tower so it will not deteriorate further. The exterior will be cleaned, missing pieces replaced, it will be closed to the elements, the roof repaired and the fence will be removed. 

The first thing that will happen is that the overgrown trees around the Tower will be pruned by the City. This is absolutely necessary to allow room for the scaffolding. One of the zelkovas will be removed by the City because it is dying.  When construction starts in September, the loop road around the Tower will be closed to traffic and the site will be fenced off for safety reasons. 

Keep Informed! We will be communicating with neighbors multiple ways:

• Email updates will go out regularly. Sign up at http://www.rolandwatertower.org.
• www.Rolandwatertower.org will have the most updated information about the project
• Updates on the Friends of the Roland Water Tower FaceBook page. Please like this page!
• Notifications through nearby neighborhood associations

We are sure you have lots of questions, so we will hold a virtual town hall to explain more about the construction and what to expect. The Town Hall is set for September 22nd at 8 pm.  Add your name to our group database at www.rolandwatertower.org for the Zoom invite.  Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke and Delegate Sandy Rosenberg will be joining us on the call. 

Join Team Tower!

• Hundreds of people donated to the Roland Water Tower stabilization, but we still need more! Donations of any size are needed and welcome. Please consider making a donation at www.rolandwatertower.org. 
• In the fall, we will be working with a landscape architect, hired by the RPCF, to create a new park space under the Tower. A committee with representatives from Hoes Heights, Rolden and Roland Park are selecting the landscape firm. Neighbors will be invited to help with planning the park.
• Interested in volunteering to help with planning, fundraising, flyering, social media? Let us know!

We want to hear from you with any questions or concerns or ideas you have. Email us at rolandwatertower@rolandpark.org.

 Warmly,

Suzanne Frasier, Mary Page Michel, Julia Pierson, and Lydia Wilson

Friends of the RWT Roland Park Rolden Hoes Heights

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is responsible for the construction project?

• The Roland Park Community Foundation is spearheading the project and is the fiscal sponsor. They have hired Lewis Contractors to complete the construction work. The City owns the property and managed the stabilization design process.
• How do I report a problem at the job site? Email rolandwatertower@rolandpark.org. We want to keep a log of issues, so please always email so we have documentation. 

What can we expect during construction?

• Scaffolding will be around the Tower to complete the exterior work and because existing steps are not usable.
• One of the zelkova trees will be removed because it has died.  The other trees will be trimmed so that the scaffolding can be put up.  
• For safety reasons, the entire worksite will be blocked off and the loop road will be closed

throughout the construction period.

• The construction will take approximately seven months, contingent upon the weather and supplies arriving on time.
• The construction day will be from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Occasionally they may need to work on the weekend.
• We know it is going to be a pain but it is going to be worth it!

What will happen to the falcons residing in the tower?

• Peregrine falcons have made the Tower their roosting site for several years. We have consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services about how best to accommodate the falcons so they will return after construction. They advised us to place a special box in the belvedere of the Tower for their nest. They may leave for a period of time, but they will likely return because the Tower is an ideal habitat for them. The construction will start before they roost this year, so the timing is perfect!

How can I have input into the park design?

• In the coming months, we will be asking for the neighborhood to help design the park and raise funds for its construction so it can be put in place after the Tower work is completed. If you go the website, scroll down to where it asks for your contact info under the heading group contact info.

How can I help?

• Please consider making a donation to the project at www.rolandwatertower.org. 
• Volunteer! We need volunteers to help with planning, fundraising, flyering and social media.
• Sign up at www.rolandwatertower.org for updates!