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February 22, 2010
Salem state college neighborhood advisory committee

February 22, 2010 – Minutes
Attendees:      Beth Bower, Maureen Fry, Jack Hoar, Marcia Lambert, Kathy Neville, Joseph O’Keefe, John Ronan, James Rose, Jason Silva, Andrew Soll, and John Walsh

Absent:         Robert McCarthy

Other:  Karen Cady, David Coleman, Tom Devine, Michael & Stephanie Eugenio, Thomas Furey, Leif Lamoray, Steve Manning, Pauline McCarthy, Barry O’Leary and Dick & Ruthie Yanis


NEW RESIDENCE HALL UPDATES
  • Construction Update (provided by Leif Lamoray, Leftfield Inc. Project Manager):
  • Construction is progressing and is on track for a July 2010 completion date.
  • The interior finishes have begun.
  • The mechanicals are 95 percent complete. Most large mechanicals, including the roof mechanicals, have arrived and are already in place.
  • Green roof installation should begin next month.
  • There are mechanical louvers in the penthouse on the center section of the residence hall that face the Building 1 parking lot.
  • There will be an open house of the building for the community before occupancy.
HVAC SYSTEM AT BUILDING 1 UPDATE – NOISE REPORT
  • The committee was reminded that there was a presentation on the noise report at the January meeting. Beth Bower and Andrew Soll recently met with Mr. and Mrs. Eugenio to review the report in detail and listen to their concerns.
  • The college is reviewing the option of closing in the cooling tower equipment and will keep the Eugenios and the committee updated on the progress of the noise screening.
LIBRARY & LEARNING COMMONS UPDATE
  • The Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) is the state agency responsible for the library project. They are working with architects from Shepley Bulfinch in Boston.
  • The site of the new library is behind the existing library building and Meier Hall. The building will not exceed the height of Meier Hall from any sight line. The location of the new building will allow for green space in a quadrangle between the new building, Meier Hall, Ellison Campus Center and Dining Commons. The tennis courts will be removed. In the long term, the modular unit that houses Human Resources and the parking areas will become green space as well. The goal of these initiatives is to draw activity to the center of campus.
  • Both entrances to the building are level and require no stairs or ramp. The main entrance will run flush with the quad space where the tennis courts are currently located. The second entrance will run flush with the sidewalk near the commuter parking lot and Peabody Hall. There is no connection between the new building and Meier Hall.
  • The schematic design stage of the new library building is complete. The details of the building are not finalized with regard to materials and interior build out. The next stage of the project is design development.
  • The building is split into two main functions: library and learning commons. Andrew Soll provided a PowerPoint presentation on the schematic design of the new library building by floor. His presentation can be viewed on the college’s Web site at  http://www.salemstate.edu/facilities_docs/Update_Web_post_20100222.pdf:
  • General Building Features
  • Center atrium to allow natural light through the center
  • Glass walls on the exterior to north and east
  • Open interior space
  • Street Level (Level 0)
  • Entrance is located near the commuter lot and directly accesses the learning commons service area. There is no entrance to the library proper on this floor. There are stairs and elevators that bring you to the quad level lobby of the building and the library proper entrance, which are located near the main entrance off the quad.
  • Learning commons side will house academic advising and disabilities services.
  • Library side will house bound periodicals, microforms, archives, instructional lab/classroom, reading and group study areas and library technical services.
  • Quad Level (Level 1)
  • Entrance is located off the quad and directly accesses the learning commons service area and the secure entrance to the library proper.
  • Learning Commons side will house the grant-funded student support services program, general student academic support services, writing center and honors program.
  • Library side will house current periodicals, collections, instructional lab/classroom, circulation and reference desk, library systems, interlibrary loan, and reading and group study areas.
  • Level 2
  • Library occupies entire floor, which will house collections, instructional lab/classroom, educational resource collection (similar to the children’s space in the old building), office and faculty space, and reading and group study areas.
  • Level 3
  • Library occupies entire floor, which will house collections, conference room, office and faculty space, and reading and group study areas.
  • Existing Library Building Demolition
  • The existing library distributes electrical service from the street to five buildings on campus. These electrical connections will be re-located over the summer in preparation for the library demolition. The college has no indication from DCAM that neighborhood service will be interrupted during this process.
  • Once the electrical sources have been moved, the structural demolition will begin. The college has received no information regarding this process at this time, with the exception that the building will not be imploded. The college will provide an update on the process to the SSCNAC as soon as it becomes available.
  • The site of the existing library building has been slated to become an extension of Meier Hall or a small, free standing building for science labs. Bonding capacity to fund this project has been identified by the state for this project, but planning has not been authorized, and no timeline has been determined.
  • Committee/Neighborhood Concerns and Follow Up
  • The neighbors would like the college to consider refraining from performing construction work during the summer. The college responded that the timing for the library project has not been determined. They were told that, with regard to the demolition project, the trucks will be louder than the actual demolition. The electrical relocation work is expected to go throughout the summer into August. The college will follow up with DCAM on a projected timeline.
  • There was concern that the same poor construction quality of the existing library building will become an issue for the new library building. The college assured the committee that it is confident this will not be an issue with current and future construction projects on campus. The existing library building project took place during the late 1960s when there weren’t as many checks and balances in the construction of public buildings.  Our experience, and that of other state agencies, led to the creation of DCAM to oversee state building projects to assure quality control of both design and construction.
  • There was concern for traffic flow and how College Drive will be used during the demolition of the existing building. The college is considering a temporary road through parking lot A when College Drive is not accessible. Truck traffic will be advised to use main roads and avoid residential side streets in a similar way to the Marsh Hall project.
  • The committee and the neighbors would like the college to respond to the following items with regard to the demolition of the existing building. The college will address these concerns and provide more information on the library project in general at future SSCNAC meetings. The college will also assist DCAM in arranging pre-construction surveys with neighbors surrounding the site areas prior to the start of construction.
  • Schedule
  • Noise
  • Utility Interference
  • Effects on Rainbow Terrace
  • Traffic
  • Dust
  • Potential Asbestos Removal
MEETING SCHEDULE
  • The next meeting of the SSCNAC will take place on Monday, March 15 at 6:00 p.m. in the Enterprise Center Training Room B located on Central Campus at 121 Loring Avenue.