EAST INDIA SQUARE FOUNTAIN MODIFICATIONS SRA APPROVAL CITY OF SALEM MASSACHUSETTS
} DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
KIMBERLEY DRiscon
MAYOR 98 WASHINGTON STREET ♦ SALEM,MASSACHUSETTS 01970
TELE:978-619-5685
TOM DANIn,AICP
DIRECTOR
June 28, 2019
Salem Redevelopment Authority
98 Washington Street, Second Floor
Salem, MA 01970
RE: Proposed Modifications to East India Square Fountain Area
Dear Chair Harrington and Members of the SRA:
In a joint effort with the Planning Department and Licensing Department new regulations governing the
vending of merchandise on the public way in the B5, Central Development zoning district have been
developed and have been recently adopted by the Licensing Board. The need to create such regulations
has steadily grown more important over the years as visitors to Salem have increased, not only during
the Halloween season, but year-round. Business owners have seen this increase in tourists and, to take
advantage of the growing foot traffic,have been putting more carts, clothing racks, tables, etc. on the
public way. Not only was this increasing visual clutter, more importantly, it was creating an
accessibility and public safety concern as navigation along the public way becomes more challenging.
The newly-adopted regulations will go into full force and effect on August 1, 2019.
In the past, some Witch City Mall store owners, who do not have frontage on a public way, have been
allowed to set-up vending tents in front of the Peabody Essex Museum's East India Marine Hall.
Because of the new expansion of the museum and the new streetscape in this location, it has been
decided that vendor tents not be allowed in front of East India Marine Hall and the new expansion
building on the pedestrian mall. Therefore, new permanent spaces need to be provided to the businesses
being displaced that are grandfathered under this new regulation.
The Proposal: After conducting several site visits to the fountain, the project team believes the best
option to ensure accessibility in this area of Essex Street is to slightly modify the spaces along the
northern and eastern property lines where benches used to be located Currently,these spaces measure 7
1/4' in length by 3' in depth. The proposal is to lengthen the some of the spaces so that they will allow
for a 10' x 10' tent to be set into them, then preserving more space around the fountain for pedestrians—
see drawings provided. This project, if approved, will allow for up to 4 tents to be nestled into the spaces
creating an outdoor market type of feel around the fountain.
Construction Work: The City's Department of Public Services will be conducting the work. In speaking
with Ray Jodoin, Director of Operations. Currently these `cut-outs' feature cobblestones. If approved,
this project will simply widen the cut-outs and install stone dust. This will allow for the modifications
to be easily returned to their original condition as the interior mall businesses lose their grandfathering
protection and/or a larger improvement project at the fountain is initiated. Mr. Jodoin anticipates a few
weeks to mobilize his crew and conduct the work. The goal is to complete the improvements by, or very
close to,the regulations' effective date of August 1st.
I look forward to discussing this project with you at the July 10a` SRA meeting.
Sincerely,
x,
Kate Newhall-Smith
Principal Planner
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