Skip Navigation
This table is used for column layout.
May 17, 2010
Salem State Neighborhood Advisory Committee

Minutes
Monday, May 17, 2010
6:00 p.m.
Salem State College

Attendees:      Beth Bower, Maureen Fry, Jack Hoar, Marcia Lambert, Joseph O’Keefe, John Ronan, Jason Silva, Andrew Soll, and John Walsh

Absent: Julie Goutzos, Robert McCarthy, Kathy Neville, and James Rose

Other:  Karen Cady, Michael & Stephanie Eugenio, Leif Lamoray, Dana Lothrop,

MARSH HALL (NEW RESIDENCE HALL) UPDATES
  • Construction Update (provided by Leif Lamoray, Leftfield Inc. Project Manager):
  • Construction remains on track for a July 15, 2010, completion date.
  • An Open House for neighbors will be scheduled over the summer. The date will be announced at the June meeting.
  • Bike Path Landscaping Update
  • Landscaping preparation work is underway. Planting will begin in next 10 days.
  • Two natural paths were added to the plan as requested by the Committee.
  • The holly berry was changed to dogwood.
HVAC SYSTEM AT BUILDING 1 UPDATE
  • Noise abatement equipment is due to arrive on campus the week of June 8. Contractors are on stand-by to install the equipment over the following weekend (June 12) when the cooling tower can be shut down.
LIBRARY & LEARNING COMMONS UPDATE
  • Electrical Relocation
  • The Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) has chosen a contractor and will be moving forward with the process after commencement. In the meantime, they will begin preparation work for the relocation.
  • Trenching will not take place until after commencement and will take place on the college side of the street only.
  • All work will take place on the college side of Lafayette Street. National Grid expects no interruption in service for neighboring properties.
  • Electrical relocation will be complete by August 25, 2010.
  • There is no word from DCAM on the plan for demolition at this time. At this time we do not expect demolition of the superstructure to start until after Labor Day.
  • Member Questions:
  • Will the building be encapsulated during the demolition? – Mr. Soll responded that the demolition technique has not been determined, but that the college will share the process with the committee once the demolition is planned.
  • When will the tennis courts be impacted? – Mr. Soll responded that the tennis courts behind Meier Hall are now out of use and will not have nets installed this year even though they will not be immediately impacted physically. A test well will be installed on the tennis court in the week after commencement to determine the capacity for geo-thermal heating and cooling of the building. Once demolition commences, the tennis courts will become temporary parking for faculty and staff. When demolition is complete and construction of the new building commences, the tennis courts will become a staging area for the contractor.
  • Audience Questions:
  • What is the length of time for the demolition process? – Mr. Soll responded that the demolition process, once started, is expected to take four to six months at most. College Drive will be shut down during this time. When it is closed, a temporary road will be created through Parking Lot A next to the existing library building to allow normal traffic flow to continue.
  • Where is the concrete being removed to? – Mr. Soll responded that there is no removal plan in place at this time. He speculated that trucks would exit onto Lafayette Street and only be allowed to turn right. Cars would continue to follow their usual path along College Drive, exiting to Loring Avenue. He added that he would advise the committee at a future SSCNAC meeting when a plan is available.
BASEBALL FIELD
  • Jason Silva noted that the language in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) between the City and the college regarding the Central Campus ball field allowed for a PA system as long as it was in compliance with the noise ordinance. Beth Bower stated that she would check with the Athletic Department to make sure they were adhering to the ordinance.
  • There was discussion around what was said at a meeting prior to the construction of the ball field, but Ms. Bower noted that the conversations that took place between the City and the college’s previous administration are what lead to the MOU. The MOU is attached.
  • An audience member stated that Sunday rentals on the baseball field are exceeding the agreed upon hours of field use. Ms. Bower responded that the college agreed that no games would begin before 11 a.m. on Sundays, and that she will check with the Athletic Department to make sure this was being followed. She would also post the rental schedule on the Community Connections update page of the Salem State website.
  • Ms. Bower said that she would report back on the PA system and the rental schedule at the June SSCNAC meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
  • Commencement
  • The college reminded the committee that three commencement ceremonies would take place at the O’Keefe Center as follows:
  • Graduate Commencement: Thursday, May 20 at 4 pm
  • Undergraduate Commencement – School of Arts & Sciences: Saturday, May 21 at 10 am
  • Undergraduate Commencement – Bertolon School of Business and Schools of Human Services: Saturday, May 21 at 3 pm
  • Central Campus
  • The college notified the committee that there would be environmental testing taking place on Central Campus around Building One, the academic building that houses the Bertolon School of Business, the Music Department, Recital Hall and the interim library.
  • The Salem State College Assistance Corporation (SSCAC), owner of the Central Campus property, and the college were notified by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that a review and reassessment of perchloroethane (PCE) levels on the property needs to be completed. PCE, which was used by GTE Sylvania in its operations, is a cleaning solvent commonly used by dry cleaners.
  • The college and SSCAC ordered a series of tests of the indoor air in Building One and three existing monitoring sites along the bike path to the east of Building One. The test results for the indoor air in Building One and two of the monitoring sites nearest the existing and new residence halls were within acceptable levels. One of the monitoring sites, which is located behind Building One, did exhibit PCE slightly above laboratory reportable levels.
  • While the analysis is still being reviewed, it is likely that DEP will recommend additional testing, and the college’s environmental consultant is working directly with the agency to develop an appropriate testing and monitoring plan.
  • The college and the SSCAC are being diligent and thorough in pursuing the issue. An informational meeting is planned for Monday, May 24, at 7 pm in room 106 of the Enterprise Center on Central Campus to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to obtain additional information and ask questions. The college contacted the media and presented a letter that went to Raymond Road residents that abut the college’s Central Campus, as well as an email that was sent to the Salem State Neighborhood email list and a message posted on the Community Connections website notifying the public of the informational meeting.
  • The college will further inform the community through SSCNAC as additional information becomes available.
Questions:
  • Are the new residence halls built on a contaminated site? – Ms. Bower stated that the area of concern is directly around Building One and not under the residence halls.
  • How are the sites identified for investigation? – Ms. Bower noted that the investigation was directed by DEP and that they base their requests for investigation on the activity that took place on the site and the materials reported to be contained within the site as reflected in their database.
  • Parking in Front of Mainstage Auditorium
  • Jack Hoar asked how the new service zone in front of the Mainstage Auditorium was working. Mr. Soll responded that it is going well and is used by both vendor delivery trucks and college maintenance vehicles because of the current location of the college’s workshops. He added that the workshops will be moving by the end of the calendar year. This should reduce the use of the loading zone in front of the theatre by college vehicles.
MEETING SCHEDULE
The next meeting of the SSCNAC will take place on Monday, June 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Enterprise Center Training Room B located on Central Campus at 121 Loring Avenue.