40 Boston Street Statement of GroundsSTATEMENT OF GROUNDS
The Petitioner, 40 Boston Street LLC, owner of 40 Boston Street (the “Property”), seeks
a special permit for a change from one nonconforming use (print shop) to another
nonconforming use (office). [Section 3.3.2] The site is situated on the corner of Boston
Street and Federal Street, and it is zoned Residential Two-Family (“R2”). Despite the
residential zoning, there is a long history of nonconforming commercial uses at the
Property. The building is a commercial structure that has been used for commercial
purposes since its construction in the early 1900s. Over the years, the Property has been
used as a retail store, a law office, and most recently a print shop. The building will be
leased for office use, although no tenants have been identified as of this date.
The Property is situated on the boundary of three zoning districts. It is located across the
street from the Business Highway (“B2”) district and directly next to the North River Canal
Corridor (“NRCC”) district, which both allow commercial uses, including office use. Office
use will be complementary to the neighborhood character and result in a positive fiscal
impact by keeping jobs in Salem. The proposed use will also serve economic and
community needs by adding commercial office space along the Boston Street entrance
corridor. The proposed use is not expected to have significant impacts on traffic flow or
parking and loading. Compared to the print shop use, it is expected that there will be
fewer short trips in and out of the building. No change is anticipated to usage of utilities
and public services, given the ongoing commercial nature of the use. There are no
proposed changes to the footprint of the building, which covers most of the Property, thus
no changes to the natural environment are anticipated. The proposed use will maintain
the Property on the commercial tax roll and is expected to have a positive impact on
employment.
Wherefore, the Petitioner requests the necessary relief be granted.