MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING
OF THE SALEM REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
HELD ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2007
A regular meeting of the Salem Redevelopment Authority was (SRA) held in the third floor conference room at the City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street, on Wednesday, October 9, 2007 at 6:00 p.m
Roll Call
Chairman Michael Brennan called the meeting to order, and on roll call the following members were present: Conrad Baldini, Michael Brennan, Michael Connelly, Robert Mitnik and Russell Vickers. Also present was Lynn Duncan, Executive Director PersonNameKirsten Kinzer, CDBG Planner and Andrea Bray, Clerk.
Chairperson Brennan calls the meeting to order.
Executive Director’s Report
Executive Director Lynn Duncan states that the City Council asked for a report on the Old Salem Jail and will hold a meeting on November 6. She reviews the progress that has been made with this project so far including the DRB and Planning Board final approval. She adds that the project is still on track for completion within two years.
Brennan asks how much money they have put up so far.
Duncan says that she will check that.
Vickers asks about a date for the issuance of the draft deed.
Duncan says she does not have a specific timeline from New Boston Ventures.
Vickers states that some of the conditions of the LDA will be in the Deed.
Duncan says that the LDA will be recorded and therefore be permanent, so those conditions will not be in the deed.
Vickers asks about the decision on the situation with Mass Highway.
Duncan says that she will get information on that but does not have any updates currently.
Duncan says that the Annual Meeting is scheduled for November 14, 2007.
Old/New Business
Development Project Review
1. South River Harborwalk – Discussion of Final Design Plans for the South River Harborwalk.
Kinzer introduces Susan St. Pierre of Vine Associates and Frank Taormina of the Planning Department.
St. Pierre states that this has been a slow process because the Harborwalk crosses a property owned by National Grid. She describes the location of the Harborwalk. She describes the park off of Derby Street as having a nautical theme. She says there will be a four foot steel fence along the waterside and solar powered trash compactors will be installed.
Baldini asks about the trash compactors.
Taormina says that the name of the model to be used is “Big Belly” and DPW may only need to empty the trash once-a-week.
St. Pierre says that there is a barbed wire fence on the National Grid property which will be replaced in kind with a black fence.
Vickers asks about the plans for the Peabody Park.
St. Pierre says it will slope down.
Brennen asks who funded the design for this project.
St. Pierre says that it was funded by the Seaport Council through the State
Department of Conservation and Recreation. She adds that they are redrafting the Seaport Bond Bill and she hopes they can fund the earmarked projects.
Vickers asks how much it will cost.
St. Pierre states that she doesn’t have the number.
Mitnik mentions that he saw a pipe rail that is galvanized and available in different colors and will not rust, called AVCON. St. Pierre agrees to look into using this for the rail fence.
Baldini: Motion to send the Final Design to the DRB, seconded by Vickers. (Passes 5-0)
Small Project Review
2. 90 Lafayette Street – Discussion and vote on the proposed façade and alterations.
Kinzer says that this project was reviewed at two DRB meetings and the DRB is recommending approval with the following conditions: (1) the canopy over the new entrance will be silver to match the sign band, (2) the lintels and building base will be made of cast stone, (3) any new mortar will be reviewed and approved by the DRB, and (4) the individual sign proposals will be reviewed by the SRA and DRB.
Kinzer states that they have recommended approval of the proposed lighting and any additional lighting will need further approval.
Developer Matthew Picarsic says that building is right on Lafayette Street and they will clean up the brick façade and they will attract new retailers.
Duncan asks if they have tenants.
Picarsic: No, there is very little interest in the building.
Duncan asks if they are doing this work on spec.
Picarsic states that they are and that the interior space is quite nice. He adds that he anticipates having enough space for two retail tenants, possibly three.
Brennan asks that he look at the market plan that was prepared for the SRA in recruiting tenants.
Vickers: Motion to approve this design with the recommendations of the DRB, seconded by Connelly. (Passes 5-0)
3. Salem News Building - Update
Duncan says that the City did not want to demolish this building during October so the new demolition date is November 1.
Picarsic agrees and states that all of the oil tanks and the electrical equipment have been removed and pest control has been working there for about 6 weeks. He displays the schematic design. He says that the DRB had a number of comments and RCG is working on another submission to be reviewed at the next DRB meeting.
4. 191-211 Washington Street (Hawthorne Building) – Discussion and vote on the proposed awnings and sign brackets.
Kinzer states that his project was before the DRB last month in two parts: (1) a universal blade sign shape and size was approved, and (2) the awnings which will now wrap around both corners of the building. She adds that the color of the Starbucks awning at the corner of the building will be green and the awning at the other corner will be blue and center awnings, red. Kinzer says that the DRB is recommending approval.
Picarsic states that there will be three additional green awnings at Starbucks on the Dodge Street side.
Duncan asks if there is a condition for the all of the awnings to be installed at the same time.
Kinzer states that this issue was not discussed with the DRB.
Picarsic says that he can install the awnings in three groups, one for each color.
Vickers: Motion to approve the façade alterations as recommended by the DRB, provided that the awnings are installed in groups by color, seconded by Connelly. (Passes 5-0)
5. 75-87 Washington Street (Kinsman Block) – discussion and vote on the proposed façade alterations.
Kinzer states that the DRB initially felt that they could recommend approval of the majority of proposal with two outstanding elements (1) a 2nd floor doorway on the alleyway, and (2) the removal of six trees in the front of the building. She states that the DRB recommends that the trees be replaced with trees that are appropriate to an urban setting.
Duncan recaps the process for the removal of the street trees stating that Rennard’s initial reaction to the proposal was that all six were healthy and should not be removed. He later changed his opinion to agree that only three trees were healthy.
Mitnik states that they are not a uniform height and they haven’t been pruned regularly and they don’t look healthy.
Property owner Bill Goldberg explains that he is in favor of the DRB decision. He says that they are at a bit of a standstill now that the arborist feels that they don’t need to come down.
Duncan states that there are separate approval processes and these are shade trees. She adds that per the Shade Tree Ordinance, Dick Rennard must hold a public hearing before the trees can be replaced.
Vickers states that he liked the proposal to light the building and that offset his concern about the removal of these trees.
Goldberg states that the lighting will be executed as planned and he wishes to complete all of these changes as a package. He adds that he may not be able to restore the two end units if the trees are not replaced because he may not be able to find suitable tenants.
Brennan states that he would be willing to approve having the three of the middle tree replace and preserving the remainder of the existing trees. He expresses concern about the removal of any of the trees.
Mitnik states that the trees should complement the building.
Vickers confirms that the Arborist is considering what is healthy and the DRB and the SRA are looking at the design. He adds that the SRA should make the decision based on the DRB’s recommendation.
Kinzer clarifies that any tree different than the exact tree specified needs to be approved by the DRB.
Mitnik offers a compromise with the Arborist to take down the four middle trees and leave the end trees but trim them up.
Much discussion ensues about the trees.
Connelly: Motion to accept the DRB recommendation to replace the trees and the whole package of façade alterations from the DRB, seconded by Vickers. (Passes 3-2 Mitnik and Brennan vote in opposition.)
Sign Review
6. 139 Washington Street (The Pickelpot) – Discussion and vote on the proposed signage.
Kinzer states that this sign was initially flat and Glenn Kennedy helped improve the sign design and the pickle is now raised. She adds that the DRB recommends approval of this design.
Baldini: Motion to approve this design, seconded by Mitnik. (Passes 5-0)
Mitnik: Motion to adjourn, seconded by Vickers. (Passes 5-0)
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