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9 South Mason Recommendation 12.29.16 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 DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street Page 1 of 3 MEMORANDUM TO: Members of the Planning Board FROM: Paul Durand, Chairman, Design Review Board SUBJECT: DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street, 3A Buffum Street Ext., and 23 Mason Street DATE: December 29, 2016 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 appeared before the DRB for the first time on October 26, 2016, to present plans for the construction of a proposed a four building, 29 unit residential development. Three existing structures on the property would be removed. Two existing buildings will remain on the site: 1.) A three story concrete structure (that was once a Hood ice cream factory), which will be rehabbed to ultimately include 10 units. 2.) A wood framed building at the northeast corner of the site that will be rehabbed and added onto, to ultimately house six units. Two additional structures will be built on the site, which will house seven and six units respectively. As currently designed the site will accommodate a total of 55 surface parking spaces, which meets standards set forth by zoning. DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street Page 2 of 3 In addition to the above information, the applicant provided details on lighting for the parking areas, compatibility with the surrounding area, materials, and landscaping. Some of the materials detailed include red brick for the main building, a white Azek trim, metal cladding on the top floor bays with painted trim boards at the top. Cast stone heads would be installed above the windows. Below is a sampling of major comments made by DRB Members at the October 26th meeting in regards to this project:  The mass of the main building is boxy and the upper level patios should provide some relief to the mass of the structure.  The grills of the third floor windows could vary more to break up the façade and using a more industrial/modern glass to lighten the look of the third floor would be preferable.  Porticos over the doors, dormers, and break lines could be varied to break up the very repetitive façade.  The transformer planned for the entrance of the site should be sited in a less visible/prominent location, if possible. The applicant returned for a second meeting before the DRB on November 15, 2016. A number of revisions in response to previous comments from the DRB were presented, including the following:  Metal panels were incorporated at the top level of the townhouse units on the primary concrete building, at the new 3rd floor.  At the other three wood frame buildings, horizontal trim details were added to the facades, and the double entry roofs were made into shed roofs.  Lanterns were introduced at the rear entry doors and recessed fixtures were shown at the underside of the entries.  A new color palette was shown, that will be in keeping with the industrial look of the existing concrete building; a light grey façade was proposed, with charcoal or black aluminum paneling, thin lines at the roof edges, with oversized steel windows.  The stair towers were previously designed to mimic the concrete façade but their façade material was changed to a new material that will match the new 3rd floor. In response to the revisions, the Board provided the following comments:  The canopy and stair towers should be modified to look more industrial and with less glass.  The variation in roofs at the three wood-framed buildings was praised.  The trim boards should be carried up the dormers to provide breaks in the façade, the dormers on the front elevation of Building 3 should be alternated to break up the rhythm and additional vertical trim and trim at the water table.  Simple shed roofs over the rear entries would also help breakup the flat rear façade with brackets and longer roofs over the double doors. DRB Recommendation – 9 South Mason Street Page 3 of 3 A final meeting was held to review this project on December 20, 2016. The applicant presented the following revisions:  The third floor addition of the main (concrete) building was adjusted at the eave line.  The canopy roofs on the stair towers/loading dock areas were adjusted to be flat.  The landscaping was updated to better reflect the civil drawings. Recommendation At a regular meeting of the Design Review Board held on December 20, 2016, the Board voted unanimously (5-0) to recommend approval of the proposed project at 9 South Mason Street, 3A Buffum Street Ext., and 23 Mason Street as modified by the applicant in plans presented at that meeting (landscape plan dated 12/20/16; floor plans dated 12/2/16). As part of its recommendation, the DRB requests the following: 1. The partition walls between units on the third floor of building 1 (the concrete building) shall be lowered as much as possible so as to still provide adequate privacy, but shall be no lower than six (6) feet. 2. The canopies on the first floor of building 1 (the concrete building) shall project no further than the end of the decks over which they are installed. 3. All black and white plans/drawings shall align and match with the color renderings. 4. The applicant shall submit final construction plans to the Design Review Board (DRB) for its review and approval prior to obtaining a building permit. 5. All plans, materials and color samples shall be in accordance with those submitted to and approved by the DRB on December 20, 2016. 6. All future proposed signage shall be approved by the DRB prior to issuance of sign permits. The signage for the buildings and the site shall conform to the City of Salem’s Sign Ordinance and NRCC zoning code. 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 Andrew Shapiro, Economic Development Planner, at 978-619-5685 or ashapiro@salem.com if you have any questions regarding this recommendation.