City of Salem Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board or Committee: Redevelopment Authority, Regular Meeting
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Third Floor Conference Room, 120 Washington Street
Members Present: Chairperson Michael Brennan, Michael Connelly, Robert Mitnik, and Russell Vickers
Members Absent: Conrad Baldini
Others Present: Executive Director and City Planner Lynn Duncan, Economic Development Manager Tom Daniel, CDBG Planner Kirsten Kinzer
Recorder: Andrea Bray
Chairperson Brennan calls the meeting to order.
Executive Director’s Report
Old Salem Jail: Planning Director Lynn Duncan states that NBV and the city are working together on securing the financing for the project.
Old Town Hall: Duncan states that CDBG Planner Kirsten Kinzer has been working with Gordon College to submit a grant request. Kinzer explains that this grant would provide $200,000 to replace the heating system and install interior storm windows. Kinzer says they are also seeking funds for asbestos abatement, and the city is paying $75,000 to open the bathrooms in the basement for public use. Kinzer clarifies that the grant proposal is to replace the oil-burning boiler with a natural gas burning boiler.
Urban Land Institute: Daniel states that the ULI is currently finalizing the report from the September workshop, and they will present the report at a future SRA meeting, most likely the January meeting. He describes the key recommendations from the report which include: (1) the best development option at this time for the Church Street parking lot is to develop it as residential, and (2) they recommend that the city embark on a parking management plan for downtown. Daniel states that he is putting together an RFP for the parking study.
Old/New Business
Development Project Review
1. 15 Peabody Street Park: Discussion and vote on design revision
Kinzer states that they went out to bid with the original design which included the complete Harborwalk and the park as one job, and that complicated the bids and they were all significantly over the budget. To rectify this, Kinzer explains that they scaled back any expensive elements of the design, but they have kept every programmatic element of the original design in place.
Letitia Tormay, with Landworks Studio, describes the previous design, which had two concrete paths, a playground, a low area for drainage, a large green gathering mound, and an art wall. She explains that in the new design the two walks were moved to each side of the park and the programmatic elements have been moved to the middle. She states that the park still has the plaza at Peabody Street with game tables and benches, the same play area with equipment, the same drainage design as the previous one, and the mound is still at the water’s edge. She says the new design has a low seating height concrete wall that starts at the water and zig-zags its way through the park with an art wall on either side, so there is seating throughout the park. The design will still have the wall between the
power substation and the park, and it will contain climbing plants. The art has move off of this wall to the seating wall.
Tormay shows images of the chain link fabric for the wall, the benches, and game tables. She says they have scaled back on the lighting with simple poles along the property line near the power substation and bollards with lights along one side.
Brennan expresses concern about the benches because they may provide a place for people to sleep. He states that these benches are highly inviting. Duncan agrees with Brennan on this concern. Brennan strongly recommends that they use benches that have dividers and arms at the ends, or eliminate the benches from the project and buy something appropriate later. The other members agree.
Duncan suggests that they find a substitute design and present it to the chair of the DRB for approval.
Tormay explains that they saved $100,000 by removing the cantilevered walkway, and placing the walkway back on the water’s edge.
Mitnik asks about the gauge of the wire fence. He expresses concern about seeing dents in the fence.
Tormay explains that this is heavy gauge metal and it is a security fence, and it will be eventually covered with greenery. She adds that the park and the small section of the Harborwalk associated with it will go out as a single bid and the remaining sections of the Harborwalk will go out as a separate bid. She states that the original metal rail was too expensive and they changed to a PVC rail which will save $100,000.
Mitnik states that the rail height code is 3’6”.
Kinzer states that she just released bid specifications today and only one party so far has responded.
Mitnik asks about the four comments from the DRB.
Tormay states that they wanted the wall to turn at the water’s edge and they wanted the tiles and metal to have no rough edges (no 90 degree angles).
Mitnik suggests recessing the tile into the wall so the top won’t break off.
Tormay states that it would be very expensive to recess the tiles and a tile artist, who has done many outdoor projects, recommended that they use a bullnose with a sealant. She explains the other DRB clarifications include the use of stone dust to accommodate the grade change at the plaza on Peabody Street where the sidewalk meets the concrete, and a more simplified canopy with four beams along the back and one on the lawn area and an angled top, and there will be a break between the canopy and the roof.
Brennan asks about the bench under the canopy.
Tormay states that the bench is 18 inches wide.
Brennan states that they will add that bench for reconsideration because it is under cover and even more inviting.
Mitnik: Motion to accept the DRB’s recommendation to approve the park design with the exception of the bench design which will change to discourage people from sleeping on them (having dividers in the middle and arm rests at each end), seconded by Vickers. Passes 4-0.
Duncan congratulates Kinzer for all of her hard work on this project and states that she will be moving on and this is the last time that she will be at the SRA meeting.
Brennan asks Kinzer where she will be going.
Kinzer states that she will be going back to school in the fall and she is in the process of applying now, and in the meantime, she will fulfill a long-term dream to travel in Central and South America and do some volunteer work.
Duncan adds that Kinzer will be getting married in the summer.
Sign, Awning, and Lighting Review
2. 6 Central Street (China Trade House): Discussion and vote on proposed signage
Daniel states that this is a simple sign and it will be hand-carved in China with a red background and the image and lettering will be in gold.
Daniel states that this is the same owner as for the Salem Oriental Gallery,
Connelly: Motion to accept the DRB’s recommendation and approve this sign design, seconded by Mitnik. Passes 4-0.
Other
3. Revised 2009 Meeting Schedule
Daniel states that the SRA approved this 2009 schedule and then he realized that the November meeting was going to be on Veterans’ Day, so that meeting has been changed to the first Wednesday in November.
Mitnik: Motion to approve the new 2009 meeting schedule, seconded by Vickers. Passes 4-0.
Approval of Minutes – November 12, 2008 – Annual Meeting and Regular Meeting
Mitnik: Motion to approve the Annual Meeting and the Regular Meeting minutes from November 12, 2009, seconded by Vickers.
Connelly: Motion to adjourn, seconded by Vickers. Passes 4-0.
The meeting is adjourned at 6:40 PM.
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