Loading...
DRB RECOMMENDATION 16-18 FRANKLIN 2018-08-29 CITY OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS Design Review Board 98 WASHINGTON STREET  SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 01970 MEMORANDUM TO: Members of the Planning Board FROM: Paul Durand, Chair, Design Review Board SUBJECT: DRB Recommendation – 16 – 18 Franklin Street DATE: August 29, 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 Review The applicant originally proposed in September 2017 to construct 43 residential units. The units were to be split among five residential buildings, each 49’8” in height, with grey standing seam metal roofs, red Boral siding at 4” exposure, off-white Boral trim, aluminum gutters and downspouts to match the roof color, Harvey windows with simulated divided lite grill bars, and gooseneck lighting at doors with no roof overhead (recessed lighting for others). Each building was to have had covered parking and there was also a separate garage building with nine spaces and a trash room. The DRB reviewed the project at their September 27, 2017 meeting and had the following comments. There were concerned about the height, massing, and overall density of the project and the relationship between the proposed buildings and the neighborhood. The Board also felt the number of buildings proposed and their positioning and relationship lacked cohesion in terms of design. Some members encouraged a redesign of the project that took into account the context of the greater neighborhood and the transitional nature of the property between the lower density surrounding neighborhood and the North River Canal Corridor. The applicant redesigned the project and returned to the DRB in April of 2018 with a proposal to construct 48 residential units among five buildings. A building along the frontage of Franklin Street and one perpendicular to the street had townhouse style units with parking and a rear entry garage on the ground floor. The three other mid-rise buildings will have flat-style units in a two and three-bedroom mix. Parking will be located below each of the buildings and vehicular access to the site was limited to one entrance along the Furlong Park boundary of the parcel. The mid-rise apartment buildings would also feature common amenities. Comments from the DRB at the April 25, 2018 meeting included concerns about the density of the project, as well as an apparent lack of cohesive design. The board suggested reducing the density of the project and for the applicant to consider a more cohesive design as far as building typology. Other comments included the concern of the relationship to the project with the surrounding neighborhood, and the concern of the height of the mid-rise buildings. The applicant returned for a third DRB meeting on May 23, 2018 and made design changes resulting from DRB feedback at its April 25, 2018 meeting. The number units were reduced to 42. The height of the mid-rise buildings was reduced by one story making the height below the 50’ restriction for the zoning district. One unit was removed from each of townhouse buildings that increased the amount of open space. The applicant provided a site plan illustrating the changes but did not submit architectural elevations or new renderings. DRB members were overall satisfied with the site plan changes presented as far as position of buildings, and the reduction in height and massing. Members agreed that architectural plans and greater design detail needed to be submitted by the applicant for review at a future meeting. Members were particularly interested in the appearance of the end walls of the townhouses facing the open space along Franklin Street, the relationship between the townhouses and the mid-rise buildings, and the general positioning and design of the windows in all the buildings. The Board requested detailed architectural plans and renderings to consider at the next meeting. The applicant returned for a fourth DRB meeting on June 27, 2018 and submitted an updated application package with architectural drawings, elevations, renderings, and materials. At the meeting Board members were concerned about window placement in the townhouses and suggested a layout with more symmetry and balance, particularly at the end walls that face the entry node green space. The Board also felt that there was too much of a contrast in trim and siding color. For the mid-rise buildings, the Board requested the applicant revise the curtain wall and window arrangement where the gym is located. The Board commented that the entry node greenway space needed to be refined and had issues with the addition of sheds and equipment rooms in the entry node green space at the side of the townhouses. Finally, the Board remained unsatisfied with the relationship between the townhouses and mid-rise buildings and how the site transitions from the townhouses on the street to the taller buildings in the interior of the parcel. Some members had serious concerns of the bulk and density of the project overall. The applicant returned for a fifth DRB meeting on August 22, 2018 with an updated application package with elevation drawings and materials. The plans included an updated design for the two townhouse buildings, including changing from a gabled roof to a flat roof that reduced the height of the buildings under 40 feet and the reduced the overall massing from the street. The applicant has also provided a more detailed landscaping plan for the open space between the two townhouse buildings along Franklin Street and relocated utility sheds to the other side of the buildings and out of the green space. The applicant changed the window design for the townhouses to a more traditional style to connect to the neighborhood. The applicant also made changes to the design of the mid-rise buildings to address DRB comments from the June meeting, including altering the curtain wall of the gym to match the upper floor window layout. The vertical siding has also been changed to horizontal clapboard to achieve a variated look. The DRB meeting members had mixed reaction to the revised proposal. Some members reiterated that the applicant was still not addressing the density concerns for the project. They felt that the buildings were too tall and the site was too dense. They questioned whether Franklin Street was wide enough for the size and scale of the proposed townhouses. They questioned whether the height, density, and massing of the proposal fit into the character of the neighborhood a whether the entire project needed to be redesigned. Other members were receptive to the changes made by the applicant. They felt the applicant had already addressed height and density concerns in prior meetings, and the change from a gabled roof to a flat roof for the townhouse buildings further reduced the height and density in relationship to the streetscape. These members also felt that the design of the townhouse buildings now had a mill building-like feel that better connected to the mid-rise buildings. They felt that the color scheme may need to be refined – there was too much of a contrast between the light siding color and dark trim, and they questioned the use of a seafoam green color on the mid-rise building. They also commented that treatment of the entry node garden improved the pedestrian experience from Franklin Street and made it more interesting and inviting. DRB members debated on what changes could be made to the proposal that could bring the Board to a consensus. Some members felt that the issues with height, density, and massing for insurmountable. Other members felt that the applicant had made a reasonable effort to address all the concerns of the Board during the process. The applicant made clear at the meeting a redesign was not possible and encouraged the Board to take a vote rather than continue to a future meeting. Recommendation At a regular meeting of the Design Review Board held on August 22, 2018 the Board voted 3 in favor, 4 against to recommend approval of the proposed redevelopment 16-18 Franklin Street as presented by the applicant at that meeting. A copy of the draft minutes from the August 22, 2018 are included with this memo. Meeting minutes from the other DRB meetings are available on the DRB website and upon request. Please contact Matt Coogan, Principal Planner, at 978-619-5685 or mcoogan@salem.com if you have any questions regarding this recommendation.