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DRB Recommendation Re Mason 2018-04-02DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street Page 1 of 3 KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL MAYOR TOM DANIEL, AICP DIRECTOR CITY OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 120 WASHINGTON STREET  SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 01970 TEL: 978-745-9595  FAX: 978-740-0404 MEMORANDUM TO: Members of the Planning Board FROM: Paul Durand, Chair, Design Review Board SUBJECT: DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street, 3A Buffum Street Ext., and 23 Mason Street DATE: April 2, 2018 CC: Tom Daniel, AICP, Director, Dept. of Planning & Community Development All projects proposed in the North River Canal Corridor (NRCC) Neighborhood Mixed Use District that require Site Plan Review by the Planning Board are also required to receive a recommendation by the City’s Design Review Board (DRB). The DRB’s role is to review proposals to ensure that they are designed to complement and harmonize with adjacent land uses with respect to architecture, scale, landscaping and screening. Proposal and DRB Revi ew The applicant proposed changes to the four building, 29-unit residential development project approved by the Planning Board in January 2017 to be reviewed by the Design Review Board. The proposed changes are to Buildings 1 and 3. For building 1, the applicant proposed material changes to the exterior of the stair tower, third floor addition, lowering the height of the stair tower by 2 feet, changing the style of window, simplifying the window and spandrel at the stair tower, and exterior color changes. For building 3, the applicant proposed changes to the finished floor level to accommodate grade change and to break up the massing of the building. Additional changes include dormer changes, removal of shutters, addition of flood vents, and change in exterior colors. Below is a summary of comments made by DRB Members at the February 28, 2018 meeting regarding this project: Building 1 • The proposed window changes are out of scale and out of character compared to the original approved plans. • The material changes, specifically integration of the windows with the paneling, are DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street Page 2 of 3 considered subpar in relation to the design to the approved plans. Building 3 • The windows on the front of the building (south elevation) should all be the same size. • The clapboard siding should have less reveal. There also needs to be greater differentiation in the color of the siding. • Consider adding design elements that “breaks up” the rear dormers (north elevation). • The Board approved of the proposed changes to the floor finish level to accommodate grade changes and to break up the massing of the building. The applicant returned for a second DRB meeting on March 28, 2018. A number of revisions in response to previous comments from the DRB were presented, including the following: Building 1 • The window pattern was revised to more closely match the original approved plans. • The Stair Towers was revised to more closely match the original approved design. Building 3 • The window sizes were revised to match. • The size of the siding reveal was revised to be more consistent with the balance of the architectural details • Suggested trim details included on the rear-facing shed dormers During the meeting additional changes were discussed: Building 1 • Adding two sets of windows to top floor on north and south elevations of the building. • Changing from two single to one triple window on the lowest level on the north and south elevations to match the windows in the floors above. Building 3 • Changing the only first floor single window on the south elevation to a double window to match the rest of the first floor. • Change spacing of the first floor windows on the west elevation of the building. DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street Page 3 of 3 Recommendation At a regular meeting of the Design Review Board held on March 28, 2018, the Board voted unanimously (6-0) to recommend approval of the proposed design changes at 9 South Mason Street, 3A Buffum Street Ext., and 23 Mason Street as modified by the applicant in plans presented at that meeting (Building 1 and Building 3 Elevation Plans dated November 16, 2017 with revisions through 3/15/2018) and with additional changes discussed at the meeting as noted above. The Applicant is required to construct the project in accordance with all details of the approved drawings. Permission to make changes from such approved drawings must be requested by the Applicant in writing to the Director of Planning and Community Development who, in turn, will reply in writing giving approval or disapproval of the changes. No changes in the work are to be undertaken until such approval has been obtained. Please contact Matt Coogan, Principal Planner, at 978-619-5685 or mcoogan@salem.com if you have any questions regarding this recommendation.