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DRB RECOMMENDATION RIVER VIEW PLACE 18-10-25 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 – 72 Flint Street and 67-69 & 71 Mason Street (Riverview Place) DATE: October 25, 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 revisions to the Riverview Place project that received Planning Board Approvals in 2009 and 2014. These included the reduction of parking spaces from 260 to 195 and elimination of the parking deck, enhancement of landscaping, the reduction in the size and scale of the building fronting Mason Street and moving the commercial space to a location facing the Bridge Street corridor. There were also minor revisions to the footprint of the two main buildings and a material change on the upper floors. The number of units and style of buildings remained the same. The DRB reviewed the project at their September 26, 2018 meeting and had the following comments. They were mainly focused on the proposed townhouses in Building 3. Members agreed that the townhouses were set too far back from the frontage on Mason Street. Members also felt that the individual townhouses needed more distinct features to break up and individualize their appearance on Mason Street. Members also suggested an overhang on the front door entrance on Mason Street. As far as the other changes to the project, members were receptive of all of them, particularly the relocated of the commercial space to Building 2. The applicant returned for a second DRB meeting on October 24, 2018 with an updated that included revisions to the eight townhouse units on Mason Street (Building 3). The townhouses were positioned closer to the Mason Street frontage. In addition, the applicant set back the center four units and changed the exterior of the end units’ material from clapboard to brick. The townhouse entrances on Mason Street were recessed to provide an overhang. At the October 24 meeting, members of the DRB were overall receptive to the changes made to the proposal. They approved of the location of the townhouses closer to the frontage on Mason Street and felt that the design changes to the townhouses adequately addressed their concerns and improved their design. They did suggest further design changes that were agreed upon by the applicant at the meeting. The DRB made a recommendation to the Planning Board and included these changes as conditions to their vote. Recommendation At a regular meeting of the Design Review Board held on October 24, 2018 the Board voted unanimously (4-0) to recommend approval of the proposed changes to 72 Flint Street and 67- 69 and 71 Mason Street development as modified by the applicant in plans presented at that meeting with the following conditions on changes to Building 3: • The frieze board face below the cornice on the façade of brick-faced, end townhouse units will be increased in thickness. • The color of the clapboard for the middle 4 townhouse units will be changed to a lighter, warner gray color. • The material of the return from the brick-faced end townhouse units to the clapboard- faced middle units will be changed from clapboard to brick. • The material of the exterior walls within the recessed entries for the brick townhouse units will be changed from clapboard to wood paneling. • The applicant will locate all utilities on the ends of Building 3. This includes condensers and gas and electric meters. • The applicant will present their 100% construction documents at a future DRB meeting prior to the issuance of a building permit. The Applicant is required to construct the project in accordance with all details of the approved drawings and changes above. 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 repl y 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 Tom Devine, Senior Planner, at 978-619-5685 or tdevine@salem.com if you have any questions regarding this recommendation.