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March 21, 2011
Salem State University Neighborhood Advisory Committee
March 21, 2011 – Minutes

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

Absent: Julie Goutzos, Marcia Lambert, Robert McCarthy, Kathy Neville, and John Ronan

Guests:         David Coleman, Pamela Knight, and Dana Lothrop

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
  • Library and Learning Commons
  • Demolition of Existing Building
  • The initial phase of demolition is scheduled to begin as early as this week. The schedule is dependent on the response from the EPA.
  • The back 20 percent of the building (away from Lafayette Street) will be included in this phase of demolition.
  • The initial phase will include the removal of windows, which will stored in the building for the time being, and brick infill, which will be sorted and stored in the building until a full load is ready to be removed by truck. No debris will be stored outside the building.
  • Once this is complete, the contractor will begin demolition of the superstructure of this portion of the building. The superstructure will be cut into large pieces that will be lowered by a crane and stored in the building in accordance with an EPA-approved plan. Debris will be accumulated inside the building until a full truckload is ready for removal. A scrim will cover all open areas of the building to contain debris.
  • There is no timetable for demolition of the remainder of the building. The focus is on the 20 percent of the building that overlaps the footprint of the new facility. This focus will enable new construction to proceed, helping to keep the cost of construction down. The intention is to have the old building down before the opening of the new building. The contractor for the second phase of demolition has not been identified at this time.
  • Trucks will be onsite soon for debris removal. Trucks will be capped and will be pulling in on pavement, so there is no need for a wheel-wash station. It is estimated that about four or five trucks will be needed per week to remove debris.
  • Construction of New Facility
  • The contractor will continue work on storm water drain structures under the tennis court area. When the project is complete, this area will become green space with detention structures underneath.
  • Former Weir Property
  • The Stanley Building renovations are essentially complete.
  • Contracts are in place to prepare space in the building for a new data center.
  • There will be an emergency generator installed for the data center later this spring
  • When the data center preparations and generator installation are complete, the data center will move to the Weir property from the Central Campus classroom building.
  • Summer Work
  • Interior work on water heaters and boilers is planned in the Bates Complex.
  • Renovations are also scheduled for the Sullivan Building and lower O’Keefe Building.
  • Comments:
  • Dana Lothrop: Can the Series banner that is hanging from the library building be removed? Can the grassy area in front of the library building be maintained?  - The university will work with the contractor to maintain the site and remove the banner from the building.
  • Pamela Knight: Will the vibration monitors be installed in neighboring homes prior to the start of the demolition work? – As far as the university is aware, the monitors should be installed prior to the start of the demolition work. They have requested that a monitor be installed on Ms. Knight’s property, but they are waiting for a response from DCAM and the architects.
  • Pamela Knight: DCAM has not responded to her previous claim. An adjuster reviewed her property in August of 2010, but there has been no follow up from the insurance company or DCAM since that visit. – The university offered to facilitate a meeting between Ms. Knight and the deputy commissioner of DCAM, who informed the university that he is pursuing the matter with the insurance agent. The university will follow up with Ms. Knight to set up this meeting.
  • Pamela Knight: Ms. Knight’s tenants reported hearing construction work at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning. They notified campus police and were told that there was no work scheduled. – The university confirmed that no construction is to take place on Sundays. They requested that Ms. Knight provide them with a date when the noise occurred so they could investigate the situation. Dave Coleman noted that the noise could have been snow removal which would sound similar to construction.
  • Jason Silva requested that DCAM or its representative attend future SSUNAC meetings while the library project is in progress on campus.  The university will pursue the request with DCAM.
  • The committee agreed that no demolition work should take place until the vibration monitors are in place.
NEIGHBORHOOD DISTURBANCES
  • There are no current issues.
PARKING
  • James Lister at 410 Lafayette Street contacted Councillor O’Keefe regarding cars parked in front of his home, which often block his driveway. The university will facilitate a meeting with Mr. Lister, city and police officials to discuss this issue.
  • An aggressive campaign to get students to park in the Jeffries Furniture lot (Canal Street) began before the holiday break. Campus Police have reported that the lot has been heavily used since the start of school. Chief Anglin and Beth Bower are scheduled to meet with the remaining students who have been found parking in the Loring Avenue area.
  • Councillor O’Keefe reported that Lt. Preczewski informed him that the state would not approve a resident parking only option for Loring Avenue. Because it is a state highway, pursuing resident parking would most likely lead to a complete parking ban on Loring Avenue from Jefferson Avenue to Vinnin Square.  For this reason, Councillor O’Keefe indicated he would not pursue resident parking.
ISSUES IN PROGRESS
  • HVAC System at Building 1 Update
  • No update at this time since the system is down for the winter.
  • Baseball Field
  • Documents regarding parking were sent to all university opponents, Salem High School and field renters. Examples of these documents were distributed at the meeting.
  • There were not many reported issues last season.
  • Signs for “No Parking During Field Usage” were scheduled to be installed on Monroe Road.
  • Councillor O’Keefe requested that signage for “Baseball Parking” be added to the Central Campus signs at the south Loring Avenue parking lot entrance. The university suggested that it put directional sandwich board signs out at this entrance for home games.
  • The university informed the committee that there will be 15 signs advertising supports along the interior of the fence for the length of the university season. The signs will face homeplate.  No objections or concerns were raised.
  • Dana Lothrop: What are the hours of play for weekend activities on the field? The university will confirm the hours, will provide them to Mr. Lothrop, and will report them to the committee at the April meeting.
  • Central Campus Environmental Updates
  • The LSP is preparing the report. Testing on campus and in one residence is complete.
  • Loring Avenue Traffic Study at Raymond Road
  • In response to complaints related to pedestrians crossing at Raymond Road, the city engaged Fay, Spafford and Throndike (FST) to do a study of pedestrian and vehicular traffic at the Raymond Road/Loring Avenue junction. The study will also examine the intersection of Broadway and Loring Avenue. The university is sharing the cost of the study with the city.
  • Traffic counts were taken on Tuesday, March 1, in the afternoon, as Tuesdays are the busiest days for classes.
  • The company is now working on the report and will make recommendations.
NEW BUSINESS
  • Pickman Park Playground Project
  • Councillor O’Keefe reported that the neighborhood association originally received a $20K grant for park renovations from the mayor’s office. The mayor has provided an additional $10K grant for this project. The university will reach out to its community for volunteers to help build the park when a date is identified.
  • Vision Plan
  • Dana Lothrop: Is there a five-year or ten-year master plan for the university? What is the plan for housing or academic programming?
  • DCAM created a master plan in 2007.
  • In 2008, a committee of university, city, local business, and neighborhood representatives worked with Sasaki Associates on a study of how the Weir property might be used. This is currently a conceptual plan only.
  • The plan that will best answer Mr. Lothrop’s questions is the university’s 2009-2014 strategic plan. This can be viewed at: http://www.salemstate.edu/President/strategic_plan_08.pdf 
  • Marsh Hall Rooftop Equipment
  • David Coleman reported that he is still hearing a hum from the rooftop of Marsh Hall. He believes that the noise is coming from the roof closest to Raymond Road and is coming from a piece of equipment that is run year round. He thinks it may be coming from an air handling unit on the edge of the building that is outside the screened area. – The university reported that the sound screening and attenuating equipment was installed as recommended by the sound engineer. The university will circle back to the owner’s representative for further information.
MEETING SCHEDULE
  • The next meeting will be on Monday, April 25, at 6:00 p.m. in the Enterprise Center Training Room B located on Central Campus at 121 Loring Avenue, due to the Patriot’s Day holiday on April 18.