2024-02-28 Casa de Abuela ZBA Additional Information (1)JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
2024.02.28
Zoning Board of Appeals
City of Salem
Casa de Abuela, North Shore Community Development Coalition
Additional Information
Dear Members,
During the February 14th meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals, board members requested additional
information on the following topics.
Operations
Currently there are (2) 2-yard dumpsters located in the rear of 98 Lafayette. These dumpsters are picked up
twice per week. The dumpsters are wheeled down the access alley to the curb, where they are picked up by
the waste management contractor. The proposed structure will be located in the vicinity of the current
dumpsters, which will be moved to a new location on site within a new trash enclosure. The new trash
enclosure will be a black metal slat fence, or similar. The new location will not negatively impact trash
operations as building management will still wheel the dumpsters to the curb twice per week. The new
location is less visible from the street than the current location. Residents will have to travel ~90’-0” further
to dispose of trash; building management will have better access to the street, as the dumpster will now be
wheeled down the narrower alley to the curb.
Image 1: Current Dumpster Location & Rear Open Space
Security, Access, and Operations
The proposed structure will have (2) lockable exterior doors. All exterior windows will be wood-slat louvers,
in the traditional Dominican style, and will be lockable from the interior of the structure.
Two new wrought-iron gates will be installed, one at each alley entrance, to limit access to the rear open
area during off-hours. The new gates will be lockable from the exterior, street-facing side, but will allow
egress from the building stairwells and rear open space. The gates will be set back from the face of the
building so their operation does not impede the sidewalk.
JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
Currently, the rear open area (referred to as “el Patio”) is open and accessible 24 hours per day. The Patio is
located on private property that NSCDC allows the public to access. There are existing chain link fences at
each alley entrance, but they are rarely, if ever, closed or locked. NSCDC hosts special events in the rear
open area during the summer months. The maximum capacity for these events has been 50 people,
typically. Photos of the existing space and previous events (Party in the Patio, YouthBuild Graduation,
Harbor Crossing Monthly Meetings, etc) have been included here as supplemental information.
Google Link to view space 360
The proposed structure and the Patio will be open to the public from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily, in line with
NSCDC’s office hours. NSCDC will host programmatic events in this space throughout the year. In the past,
events typically have ended between 8-9pm. NSCDC will follow local ordinances in regards to sound / noise.
It is anticipated that the structure will receive more use from May 1 – November 1, with more limited hours
during the winter months. Staff will be available onsite at select times to give tours of the structure.
NSCDC’s offices are located next door at 96 Lafayette Street.
There are currently (4) cameras installed in el Patio, one in each alley, and two in the Patio area itself.
Exterior lighting is also currently installed in el Patio. Additional lighting will be provided, as noted on the
attached plan. No additional cameras are required as part of this project.
Parking and Loading Requirements
Per the Salem Zoning Code, section 5.1.9 Central Development (B5) District: The parking requirements for
the B5 District will be as follows: 1. Nonresidential uses in the B5 District shall not be required to provide off-
street parking since the community will accept the responsibility for nonresidential parking in this district.
In regards to Loading Requirements, Section 5.2 notes that “new nonresidential uses in the B-5 District…shall
be subject to the following schedule: Gross Floor Area of Structures 0 - 20,000 sf; Required Loading Bays:
none*. No loading is anticipated as part of this project.
Interior Planning, Precedent Images
NSCDC has designed this structure based on in-person surveys of (18) traditional Dominican grandmother’s
houses. The dimensions and interiors of this structure are based on the home of Cristina Fresolina Cruz
(“Fresa”) in Cien Fuegos, Santiago, Dominican Republic. NSCDC has provided photos from that survey,
which have informed the interior space planning of the structure. See attached supplemental information.
We look forward to presenting this additional information to you at the March 20, 2024 meeting.
Regards,
Michael Proscia
Jones Architecture
Associate
Attachments: 2024-02-28 Casa de Abuela ZBA Additional Information - Drawings
JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
Image 2: Event hosted in el Patio
Image 3: Event hosted in el Patio
JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
Image 4: Event hosted in el Patio
Image 5: Event hosted in el Patio
JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
Image 7: Event hosted in el Patio
JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
Research of Casa De Abuela in Dominican Republic: 18 Abuelas interviewed in January-February 2024
Image 8: Christina Fresolina Cruz , Cien Fuegos, Santiago Dom. Rep.
JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
Image 9: Isabel Agripina “Chavela” Loma De Blanco, Dominican Republic.
JONES ARCHITECTURE • 10 DERBY SQUARE • SALEM, MA 01970 • WWW.JONESARCH.COM
Image 10: Dominga Contreras, Cien Fuegos, Dominican Republic.