--City of Salem Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board or Committee: Design Review Board, Regular Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at 6:00pm
Meeting Location: Third Floor Conference Room, 120 Washington Street
Members Present: Paul Durand, Glenn Kennedy, David Jaquith, Ernest DeMaio, and Christopher Dynia
Members Absent: Helen Sides and J. Michael Sullivan
Others Present: Andrew Shapiro
Recorder: Jennifer Pennell
Paul Durand calls the meeting to order.
Urban Renewal Area Projects Under Review
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- 2-26 Front Street (Goldberg Properties): Discussion of proposed replacement of roof.
*This item was taken out of order*
The submission under review includes a letter, cut sheet, and sample of the proposed products. Steve and Jay Goldberg were present.
Steve Goldberg noted that the current roof material is synthetic. The proposal would replace the existing with a new synthetic roof in the winter green mix color finish.
Durand noted that he felt like the proposal looks good.
DeMaio questioned if snow guards would be replaced but continue to match the existing.
Steve Goldberg commented that they would be replaced.
DeMaio noted that snow guards should not be a bright metal finish. They should keep with the character of the building and consist of either a powder-coated steel, copper, or a color that matches with the roof. The material should not be shiny, it should not be galvanized steel.
Jaquith questioned whether the roof is currently failing.
Steve Goldberg confirmed that it is.
DeMaio questioned if trim would be placed around the buildings edges.
Goldberg commented that there would be no trim just copper gutters on the front and rear of the building.
Jaquith: Motion to approve the winter green roofing with a non-bright metal snow guard.
Seconded by: Kennedy, Passes 5-0.
- 24 Derby Street (Artists’ Row): Discussion of installation of signage for:
Stall #5 (DINO and Sheila Farren Billings)
Stall #1 (Boston Woodturning)
Stall #4 (Nikky Bergman Jewelry, Witch City Wicks, and The Pack Paper Co.)
Stall #2 (Ceramics by Sibel)
The submission under review includes a letter, drawings, and photos of the proposed signage.
Stall #5:
Sheila Billings was present on behalf of the applicant.
Kennedy commented that the separation between the two names could be brought together a bit more to sit centered within the sign. Kennedy noted that the signage elements appear like they are falling off. Kennedy questioned if the silver hooks could be a powder coated black finish to match.
Billings questioned whether the artwork could be repositioned to provide separation from the text.
Kennedy agreed that that would be fine.
Kennedy: Motion to approve with the recommendations listed below.
- Reducing the space between the top and bottom of the signage
- Provide black powder coated hooks
Seconded by: Jaquith, Passes 5-0.
Stall #1
Tommy Gagnon was present.
Kennedy that he likes the shape of the sign, but that the proposed signage element could fit and be centered more in the spacing of the sign.
Gagnon explained that it is a real wood-carved sign and that he had already began building/carving it. He showed the Board a picture of the sign in its current state on his phone.
Kennedy asked if a black rule around the border would be used.
Gagnon confirmed that the rule would be used.
Kennedy commented that the text located below could be reduced if needed.
Shapiro noted that the signs being presented for Artists’ Row are temporary/seasonal.
Durand noted that the sign seems very high quality and that some of Kennedy’s proposed revisions seem minor.
Durand: Motion to approve.
Seconded by: Jaquith, Passes 5-0.
Stall #4
Nikki Bergman and Liz Frasier were present.
Jaquith questioned the colors being used for the signage.
Bergman replied noting that it would be navy blue with off-white lettering.
DeMaio asked if the edge of the sign would also be navy blue.
Bergman noted that the edge would be navy blue.
Jaquith asked about the connectors between the three signs.
Bergman said that they would be powder coated black carbineers. They had considered a bar that would have made the sign more rigid.
Kennedy commented that the proposed connection located at the top needs to be stable to prevent any movement caused by wind. The navy blue finish could have a hint of slate.
Kennedy: Motion to approve with black grommets.
Seconded by: Jaquith, Passes 5-0.
Stall #2
Sibel was present.
Jaquith questioned whether the brown in the sign would be wood grain.
Sibel noted that the proposed brown color represents the actual wood finish. The lettering would be made of glazed ceramic stoneware.
Kennedy asked how the ceramic letters are attached.
Sibel explained that small holes are drilled and the letters are screwed in.
Jaquith: Motion to approve.
Seconded by: Kennedy, Passes 5-0.
- 45 Lafayette Street (The Cheese Shop of Salem): Discussion of proposed installation of signage.
The submission under review includes a cut sheet and drawings of the proposed signage.
Peter Endicott of the Cheese Shop noted that the proposed building sign would fit within the existing sign band over the entrance. The existing light fixtures would remain. Signage would be printed on metal. There are fixed black awnings that will remain. The goal was to keep the sign simple and easy to read.
Kennedy asked if the result of the design was what was being sought.
Endicott commented that the sign turned out more traditional than originally intended. The sign was designed with the manager’s input and with informal input from the Derby Loft residents.
Shapiro questioned whether the signage needed to be approved by the Derby Lofts condo association.
Endicott noted that the sign did not need to be approved by the condo association.
DeMaio commented that the wall sign’s text needs to be adjusted. The top of “H” in shop and bottom of “P” in shop are centered in field. This causes the whole line of the text feels like it is favoring the top of the sign and not centered in the field.
Kennedy commented that pushing down the text, slightly, as a unit would balance off the text on the sign. The vertical signage text spacing could be brought in very slightly to be more legible. This would make the lettering appear more as a name.
Jaquith: Motion to approve with recommendations listed below.
- Lowering the band of letters on the long sign slightly
- Correcting the spacing on the blade sign.
Seconded by: Kennedy, Passes 5-0.
- 7 Church Street (Jodi Bee Bakes): Discussion of proposed installation of signage and proposed outdoor seating area.
The submission under review includes photos and cut sheets of the proposed signage and outdoor seating.
Jodi Bradbury was present.
Shapiro explained that the signage is being supported by the City’s Storefront Improvement Program. On-Contract Architect Dale Gienapp and his firm developed the designs for the signage.
Dynia commented that the bee logo located over the door appears lost. Dynia questioned if the element could have a solid background.
Bradbury noted that she feels the same way and that she’s been playing with the coloring. She welcomed any feedback.
DeMaio noted that similarly, the bee seems to be lost on the awning.
Bradbury noted that she is not fond of having a backer.
Durand commented that the color of the bee is probably the best contrast. Black would get lost especially where it is on a green awning. The 3D bee could be lowered 2 brick courses above the door. A backer is not necessarily a good solution.
Kennedy noted that he would not recommend putting a backer on the bee element but it would require some sort of connector. The three individual pieces would need to be tied together or mounted on the wall independently with pins. Kennedy commented that the bee could be gold instead of the proposed off white color. Gold could replace the off white lettering on the on the awning as well. The bands on the top of the windows could be gold with the black lettering to provide just enough contrast.
Bradbury agreed that gold could look good and that she would explore that option.
Kennedy noted that he would be willing to work with the applicant before the SRA meeting.
Kennedy: Motion to approve as presented with recommendations listed below.
- Lowering the bee above the door 2 brick courses
- Exploring a lighter gold color scheme to replace the off white color.
Seconded by: Jaquith, Passes 5-0.
Three tables, thirty inches in diameter each would be lined along the storefront windows along Church Street.
DeMaio noted that the sidewalk material changes from concrete to granite block then to brick. Seating should be held from the granite block towards Washington Street and remain off the brick. This is a heavy traffic area.
Bradbury commented that she would agree to this request.
Jaquith: Motion to approve the location and design of tables and chairs as presented.
Seconded by: Durand, Passes 5-0.
- 144 Washington Street (Hauswitch Home and Healing): Discussion of proposed installation of signage.
The submission under review includes photos and cut sheets of the proposed signage.
Kennedy commented that the proposed signage uses two different fonts. Spacing between the two lines could be tightened up a bit on the signage above the door. Kennedy commented that the text could come closer together. The proposed text border could move down a bit to make the image on the blade sign read more easily.
Jaquith: Motion to approve with recommendations listed below.
- Tightening the two lines of text on the wall sign
- Move the border text located on the blade sign slightly
Seconded by: Kennedy, Passes 5-0.
Minutes
Approval of the minutes from the April 22, 2015 regular meeting.
Jaquith: Motion to approve.
Seconded by: Kennedy, Passes 5-0.
Adjournment
Jaquith: Motion to adjourn,
Seconded by Kennedy. Passes 5-0.
Meeting is adjourned at 7:14 pm.
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