60GroveSt-PBAmendment-NewBldg-TransLtr-113017Griffin
Engineering
Group, LLC
November 30, 2017
City of Salem Planning Board
Attn: Mr. Tom Daniel, Director
Dept. of Planning & Community Development
120 Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Salem, MA 01970
Subject: Proposed Amendments to Planning Board Decisions
Grove Street Apartments
60 & 64 Grove Street and 1, 3, & 5 Harmony Grove Road
Dear Board Members:
On behalf of the Applicant, LAR Properties, LLC (LAR), this letter requests that
the Planning Board amend its Site Plan Review, Planned Unit Development
Special Permit and Flood Hazard District Special Permits for the subject project
(reference: Planning Board decisions dated December 11, 2014). LAR is in
the process of transferring ownership of the site from MRM Project Management,
LLC.
LAR is a well-known developer that owns and is redeveloping other multi -family
properties close to the former Salem Oil & Grease Company site. LAR
proposes to modify the City's 2014 approvals as they relate to the planned
restoration of the two and three-story office buildings at 60 Grove Street.
Instead of restoring the office buildings, LAR proposes demolition and
construction of a smaller, two-story community building with associated
walkways, patio, parking lot, landscaping and utilities.
The need to demolish the existing buildings at 60 Grove Street became apparent
in 2015 and 2016 when environmental remediation work was undertaken by
MRM Project Management. The buildings are beyond repair and cannot be
renovated as was first proposed approximately 6 years ago. There are so many
structural, architectural and other deficiencies in the 100+ year -old buildings that
renovation and reuse is impossible. Our attached inspection letter dated April
13, 2016, summarizes building deficiencies.
Salvaging the office building was also made difficult by the Chapter 91
Waterways License for the parcel. The entire parcel is within filled tidelands,
created in the late 1800's when the North River Canal was constructed, and
therefore is subject to DEP Waterways jurisdiction. The Waterways license
restricts first -floor building uses to defined "Facilities of Public Accommodation",
which constrain many typical commercial building uses. Re-establishing
Phone 978-927-5111 I Fax 978-927-5103 I www.griffineng.com
495 Cabot Street 2nd Floor Beverly, MA 01915
Salem Planning Board
November 30, 2017
Re: 60 Grove Street
Page 2
commercial uses of the first floor of the building in a manner consistent with the
Chapter 91 license was pursued by MRM Project Management, but no parties
were interested in the deficient buildings.
The site and architectural plans associated with this request are listed below.
The architectural plans were prepared by Khalsa Design of Somerville.
Last Prepared
Sheet Description Revised By
C-3 Overall Site Plan 11/29/17 GEG, LLC
C-3A Site Layout Plan 11/29/17 GEG, LLC
C-4A Grading, Drainage and 11/29/17 GEG, LLC
Erosion Control
C-5A Utilities Plan 11/29/17 GEG, LLC
C-11 60 Grove Street Landscape Plan 11/29/17 GEG, LLC
A-000 Architectural Cover Sheet 11/29/17 Khalsa Design
A-100 First & Second Floor Plan 11/29/17 Khalsa Design
A-101 Roof Plan 11/29/17 Khalsa Design
A-300 Front & Side Elevations 11/29/17 Khalsa Design
A-301 Rear & Side Elevations 11/29/17 Khalsa Design
The proposed two-story building footprint is approximately 1,620 sq. ft. and will
be of conventional wood -frame construction on a cast -in -place concrete
foundation. The first floor is intended for community meetings and gatherings,
uses that are compliant with the aforementioned Chapter 91 restrictions. The
"Great Room" is approximately 600 sf in size and includes a small kitchenette so
that food can be brought in. An approximately 580 sf patio will be suitable for
outdoor gatherings. The second floor is approximately 850 sq. ft. and will be
used as office space by LAR Properties. The building will have views of the
North River Canal, and will be complemented by landscaping throughout the
parcel.
The reconstructed parking lot provides fifteen (15) vehicle spaces. A
handicapped accessible space is provided adjacent to the building; two
accessible building entrances are provided.
The proposed site improvements will reduce the building footprint area on the
parcel from approximately 8,600 square feet to 2,200 square feet (including the
patio). Impervious areas on the parcel will be reduced by approximately 14,500
sq. ft. The site redevelopment work will significantly reduce the amount of
stormwater runoff directed to the Grove Street drainage system and increase the
Salem Planning Board
November 30, 2017
Re: 60 Grove Street
amount of flood storage capacity available on the parcel.
Page 3
In September 2016 we wrote the Planning Board describing how the large and
deteriorating buildings at the site, and their stringent reuse restrictions, had
become counterproductive to Salem Oil & Grease Site redevelopment. Unused
for over ten years, the existing buildings have become potential safety hazards
and a neighborhood blight. Demolishing the buildings and constructing a
modest, energy -efficient, accessible building with greater buffer distance to the
canal, as LAR proposes, will create an attractive, publically-accessible meeting
space and landscaped area along the canal, and will facilitate the Salem Oil &
Grease Site redevelopment project.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to meeting
with the Board in the near future to present our plans in more detail and respond
to your comments. Should you have any questions or require additional
information, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned or Attorney
Joseph Correnti (978-744-0212).
Very truly yours,
Gri Engineeripg Grou
Robert H. Griffin, P.E
Attachments: Plans as listed above
Structural Assessment Letter dated April 13, 2016
Cc: PDF of all items sent to City by email.
Attorney Joseph Correnti (w/ enclosures)
LAR Properties, LLC
Khalsa Design
MRM Project Management, LLC (w/ enclosures)