Planning Office for Urban Affairs Memorandum & Presentation1
Planning Office for Urban Affairs, Inc.
84 State Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 350-8885 (617) 350-8889 (fax)
MEMORANDUM
TO: Catherine Racer, Massachusetts Department of Housing and
Community Development
Paul Silverstone, Mass Housing
CC: Lynn Duncan, Director, Salem Department of Planning &
Community Development
Salem Historical Commission
FROM: Lisa B. Alberghini, President
SUBJECT: Consideration of Alternatives, St. Josephs’ Redevelopment
DATE: August 17, 2011
As specified in 36 CFR § 800.6 (a), the consultation process is meant to “develop and evaluate
alternatives or modifications to the undertaking that could avoid, minimize or mitigate adverse
effects on historic properties.” As your office facilitates this process, the purpose of this
memorandum is to outline the development and evaluation of alternatives to limit effects on
historic properties undertaken by the Planning Office for Urban Affairs (POUA) over the past six
years, in close consultation with the City of Salem and numerous stakeholders. The proposed
development is the result of an extensive local review process and intensive design work that
was completed in partnership with the City of Salem, historic preservation groups and
professionals, regulatory bodies, neighbors and other stakeholders to arrive at an innovative
and sensitive plan that reflects an analysis of alternatives and that we believe balances
preservation with the need for sustainable and feasible development and affordable housing at
this location. The conclusions of this memorandum are subject to supplementation as the
consultation process continues.
City of Salem’s 2005 Parcel Re-Use Study
Planning for the redevelopment of St. Joseph’s was begun by the City of Salem prior to the
developer’s acquisition of the property, and the results of their analysis showed that it would be
extremely difficult to avoid the removal of the former church structure in any redevelopment
scenario.
The City commissioned an independent third-party review by Crosswhite Property Advisors in
2004, which was delivered in November 2005, to study development options that would be
economically feasible and appropriate to the neighborhood context. Crosswhite Property
Advisors held seven committee and public meetings with local stakeholders. The Parcel Re-Use
Study was the result of economic and market analysis, architectural and engineering studies,
historical review and meetings with stakeholders. The “major themes” that surfaced during the
community input process were important to shaping POUA’s approach to the site. These
themes were:
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• Site is an integral part of the Point Neighborhood
• Mixed-use and mixed-income development is necessary
• Development should replace meeting space lost with the church’s closure
• Development should deliver community services
• Scale and massing of new construction should be consistent with the existing
neighborhood
• Development should address neighborhood traffic, parking and pedestrian concerns
• Site should remain publicly accessible “part of the community”
• Site should generate tax revenue for the City of Salem
The Parcel Re-Use Study’s analysis concluded that “among the physically possible and market
supported uses, the only one which was also a community preference was housing, the
community preference being for affordable housing” (p. 31). The Re-Use Study also notes that
the former convent building, which is proposed to be taken down, is not historically significant
(p. 25) and that the former church, also proposed to be eliminated, has several limitations,
including:
• There this no market-supported use for this building (p.31)
• Additional floors within the building would require construction of a structure within a
structure (p. 24) (Note: Additional floors would be needed for a residential use, but
constructing a structure within this structure is not financially feasible)
• Deep vertical cracks exist in every vertical corner of the building, stress lines and
horizontal cracks exist for long stretches of the walls, thermal cracks exist in some of the
walls, the chimney is cracked and fragmented and the steel structure within the tower is
rusting (p. 10, 11)
• The structure is limited as to future uses without significant modifications (p. 11)
Given the above factors, and noting an urban design and development efficiency perspective,
the Parcel Re-Use Study illustrates that elimination of the church would be part of the most
probable development scenario that could include approximately 167 units on the campus, or a
density of 62 units per acre (p. 35). That probable development scenario illustrated by the City-
sponsored independent third party review also called for the elimination of the former rectory
building, the oldest structure on site, built around 1917.
In contrast to the development scenario described above, which was proposed by the City’s
Parcel Re-Use Study, the developer plans to preserve the two oldest structure on site (the 1917
rectory and the 1921 school) and limit density to 76 units, approximately 30 units per acre, with
51 units proposed at this time.
Preserving Church for Assembly or Arts Space
Upon acquiring the property in 2005, POUA closely studied the re-use of the church as
assembly or arts space, as an alternative to taking down the former church. POUA solicited
interest in re-using the church through the broker who sold us the property, and over several
months, and no interested party was identified. In the first year that the developer owned the
building, at the request of Historic Salem, Inc. (HSI), POUA contacted five entities identified by
HSI as potential users of the church structure: Boon Gallery, the City of Salem’s Department of
Business and Economic Development, the Hamilton Hall, Hawthorne Hotel, and the Waterfront
Hotel. Only two responded after repeated attempts to contact them, and only one of those
parties (Boon Gallery) asked to tour the building. The other party indicated that it had no ability
to retrofit or use the building. After analyzing the building, Boon Gallery concluded it could not
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utilize the church. One potential user for the church contacted the developer in 2009, but after
they were asked to produce plans for reuse and to illustrate their financing capability, this user
did not return our phone calls. Finally, after six years of meeting with abutters, neighbors and
city officials, there remain no viable re-use options for the former church structure.
Preserving Church with Retrofit for Housing
During early design development conversations, POUA was asked to explore the alternative of
converting the church structure to housing, to keep the building and the campus intact. After
careful study with The Architectural Team (TAT), POUA identified four reasons why it would be
infeasible to convert the church to housing: (1) unworkable floor plans, (2) difficult retrofit
requirements, (3) excessive cost and (4) destroying the interior and exterior integrity of the
building. Based on TAT’s study, the resultant units in a converted church would be long and
narrow with a “box car” quality, and would likely violate code requirements given the size of the
windows and the lack of daylight penetration. The retrofit requirements included the removal
and replacement of the existing foundation, construction of a new internal structural system to
accommodate new floors, reinforcement of the existing ceiling system to accommodate a new
mechanical system, replacement of the existing floor which was designed only to support
assembly, replacement of the existing decaying structural system, addition of punched windows,
bringing the building up to current seismic code and the potential for hidden conditions. The
cost of the aforementioned retrofits, in addition to the construction of the residential units, would
put the cost of rehabilitation far above the market-supported sales or rent prices. The
developer’s design team and Tremont Preservation Services both determined that the windows
required to be added to the building’s exterior to comply with code requirements would corrupt
the exterior and appearance and essence of the church building:
In order to retrofit the church for housing, the required addition of windows will
dramatically impact the exterior and interior of the church in such a way that its integrity
would be impaired. …It is not clear that once these changes were made [new window
openings, new structure inside the existing building] that the church would retain enough
of its integrity to be eligible of listing on the National Register of Historic Places (Tremont
Preservation Services, Letter to Developer, August 3, 2006).
Tremont Preservation Services also acknowledged that “a church can be one of the most
difficult structures to adapt to a new use due to the nature of its original function and design.”
POUA has redeveloped only two former church structures in its 42-year history. In one case,
the former church was demolished and another, the former church was retrofitted as housing.
In the case of the former St. Jean Batiste parish in Lynn, MA, where the church was demolished
because of its structural condition, POUA accomplished a widely recognized neighborhood
revitalization project with the creation of 14 homes for first-time buyers, 24 new apartments and
a new community center, on a 1.5 acre site where a former church, rectory, school building and
gymnasium had stood. The only time that POUA has ever retrofitted a church was in the
instance of the former St. Aidan church in Brookline. This was possible only because the wood-
frame building was structurally sound, and the structure was similar to a large Tudor house, with
dormers and interior spaces that were far more easily adaptable. Even with these conditions,
the high cost of construction could only be supported in a very high-end real estate market like
Brookline (where the median single family house price is more than $1 million), and was
planned during the very strong real estate market in 2005-2006. None of the three conditions
that were present in the retro-fit of the St. Aidan church – adaptable structure, high-end location
and strong real estate market – are present in the case of the former St. Joseph’s church
structure.
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Preserving the Convent
Though the 1962 convent building is the most recently constructed and the building found by the
Parcel Re-use Study to be in the best condition, like the church, it is difficult to adapt. Its walls
are load-bearing and could only efficiently be retrofitted as SRO housing, something that is
incompatible with the needs of the neighborhood. The removal of this building will allow for safe
site access off of Harbor Street and additional parking and landscaping. Additional, as it is
under 50 years old, the Parcel Re-Use Study noted that the convent building is ineligible for
listing on the National Register.
Evaluation of Alternatives to Avoid Adverse Effects
Given the foregoing study of alternatives, understanding the City Study’s recommendations,
trying to secure a viable arts or community buyer or tenant for the church, and analyzing the
costs and design implications of retrofitting the structure for housing, the developer has found
that while it is regrettable, it is impossible to avoid taking down the church and convent in the
redevelopment of the former parish property.
Design Development with the Community to Minimize and Mitigate Adverse Effects
Soon after it acquired the site in June 2005, POUA began to meet with the Point Neighborhood
Association, the South Salem Neighborhood Association and the Lafayette Place Neighborhood
Association and other interested stakeholders to learn about the area and gather
recommendations for the site. Using the Parcel Re-Use Study as a guide, POUA approached
the redevelopment of the former parish property as a neighborhood revitalization initiative, and
was sensitive to the need for historic preservation where possible, including the potential re-use
of the former church and convent buildings. Over the course of the first thirteen months that the
developer owned the site, approximately 120 neighborhood residents, city officials,
representatives of various local organizations and representatives of social service
organizations participated in a wide ranging discussion of the needs and opportunities for
neighborhood revitalization, housing development and historic preservation at the site. The
developer was able to define a plan which responds to the needs of existing families, and offers
stability through investment and economic development. Many Salem entities and institutions
were involved in the community process including:
• Mayor of the City of Salem
• City of Salem Department of Planning & Community Development
• Local City Councilors
• Point Neighborhood residents (represented in part by the Point Neighborhood Association)
• South Salem Neighborhood Association
• Lafayette Place Neighborhood Association
• Salem Harbor Community Development Corporation
• Historic Salem Inc.
• The Salem Enterprise Center at Salem State College
• HAWC (Helping Abused Women with Children)
• Salem Boys and Girls Club
The developer held more than fifteen meetings over the course of a year and a half with these
parties during a thoughtful and inclusive planning process that included discussions about
historic preservation.
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The most prominent suggestions to come from this process were for affordable housing and
community space, including apartments and space for the elderly, as well as small retail and
possible day care center locations. In 2006, in advance of a Planning Board hearing, 138
individuals from the neighborhood signed a petition in support of the developer’s plans. The
developer has continued to meet regularly with the Point Neighborhood Association over the
last five years, with its most recent meeting in September 2010, in which neighbors strongly
supported the long-stalled development moving forward, especially for more quality, affordable
housing and for convenient retail opportunities, despite the need to demolish the former convent
and church.
In addition to the public meetings held by Crosswhite Property Advisors to gather public
comment on the St. Joseph’s Redevelopment, public comment was received at no fewer than
11 hearings related to six zoning and planning board approvals that were sought for the project
before the Salem City Council, the Salem Planning Board, the Salem Zoning Board of Appeals
and the Salem Historical Commission.
Urban and Architectural Design Features to Minimize and Mitigate Adverse Effects
The St. Joseph’s redevelopment plan meets the urban design requirements that respect the
history of the site, suggested by the St. Joseph’s Parcel Re-Use Study and Tremont
Preservation Services, to “establish a street wall along Lafayette Street, reflect the existing
scale of the site…and provide community services, which are an integral part of the social
connection between this site and the surrounding Point neighborhood.”
The site’s development plan has been largely the same since it was first unveiled to the
community in February 2006: the preservation of the school and rectory, the removal of the
convent and church and the construction of a new building along Lafayette. The new building
has gone through four design modifications (two design schemes at 6 stories and two design
schemes at 4 stories) to incorporate the feedback of the neighbors, Historic Salem, the Planning
Board of the City of Salem and the members of the Salem Design Review Board. As evidence
of the level of local scrutiny that this design has received, the developer’s plans have also been
unanimously approved four times by the City of Salem’s governing bodies: (Zoning Board of
Appeals in August 2006 for height variances, and in March 2007 for a Comprehensive Permit;
and the Planning Board for Planned Unit Development in September 2006 and September
2010.)
It is clear from neighborhood discussions that quality, affordable housing is essential to
neighborhood stability. However, the range of development concepts considered to accomplish
the objective reflected the diversity of interest in early design discussions. The Architectural
Team prepared several separate development concepts that reflected a range of densities. The
Parcel Re-Use Study estimated that the site could support densities at the site up to 167 units.
The developer’s first plan presented to the public moderated between these options. In
February 2006, the developer unveiled a six-story building that included between 75 and 97
units of affordable and market-rate rental and homebuyer condominiums. The architect and
developer believed that the large scale of the church and school buildings that occupied the site
in the past would allow the site to support a larger scale building. The 2006 design for the new
6-story building had a more modern look that the developer then modified with a mansard roof
and additional bays to give the building a more historic look in 2007. A third design lowered the
height and reduced the density of the building with the mansard roof and articulated bays as a
four-story building.
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With significant input from members of the City’s Design Review Board, the final September
2010 design replaced the mansard roof with a strong 4th story cornice line, set back the
southern half of the Lafayette Street façade to break up the building and added bays along the
south Dow Street façade to mimic the more residential buildings in the blocks to the south. The
proposed building is in keeping with the recommendation of Historic Salem for a four-story
building on the site. Its western elevation fronts on Lafayette Park and Lafayette Street/MA 114,
a high-traffic corridor that is a gateway to Downtown Salem. As suggested by members of the
Design Review Board, the new building is of brick construction, matching the materials of the
existing rectory and school and a majority of the building stock throughout the neighborhood. It
also restores the street wall along Lafayette which was lost when the school building formerly
located at the corner of Lafayette and Dow was demolished in 1982. Eliminating the asphalt
parking lot frontage along such a prominent entrance corridor to the City is an improvement to
the neighborhood as well.
A consistent component of the new building’s design was mixed-use commercial space on the
first floor of the new building, to enliven the streetscape and create more business traffic on
Lafayette Street south of Downtown Salem. The first floor was originally designed to include an
18,000 square foot Community Life Center serving Salem’s Senior Citizens and the Point
community. This proposal was strongly supported by the neighborhood, but ultimately the City
Council favored an alternative location for the Senior Center. Subsequent first-floor schemes
have included a varying level of commercial space, from 4,400 square feet distributed across 2-
3 smaller storefronts facing Lafayette Street (the current plan) to 15,000 square feet with a
drive-through to be leased to a national chain. The developer has always reserved space on
the first floor for at least 750 square feet of community meeting space. The façade, window
treatment and signage standards for tenants in these spaces would be strictly governed by the
City’s Entrance Corridor Overlay District and other design guidelines.
Additionally, the current plan will minimize adverse effects by preserving the two oldest buildings
on the site and will memorialize the presence of the former church and parish property with
interpretive plaque(s) and other efforts. The developer’s contribution to the renovations of
Lafayette Park is another key mitigating measure offered by the developer as part of the St.
Joseph’s redevelopment. The War Memorial in Lafayette Park across the street was donated
by parishioners of St. Joseph’s and is another permanent reminder in the neighborhood of the
parish’s legacy. Finally, absent the current proposed plan, it is likely that the site would see total
demolition if developed by a private, for-profit developer.
The St. Joseph’s campus has a history of constant building, moving, razing and rebuilding of
structures in order to respond to the changing needs of the parish and the community. The site
has had at least two prior churches, two prior schools and one prior convent that were
demolished. We believe the current proposed plan is a continuation of that constant, dynamic
change, that it honors the legacy of the parish and that it responds to contemporary needs. In
addition to the design benefits that it affords the Lafayette Street corridor, the Point
neighborhood and the City of Salem, there are numerous community and economic benefits
associated with the project as well that mitigate adverse effects of the plan:
• Providing up to 76 new units of quality housing (51 proposed in the new building,
25 in existing buildings), the majority of which will be affordable workforce units,
with access to an extensive public transportation network;
• Creating over 100 construction jobs, and permanent jobs associated with
operating and managing the residential and neighborhood retail uses planned for
the site;
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• Creating new economic activity and retail traffic, and reinvigorating the
streetscape at this critical gateway to both the Point Neighborhood and the
Downtown Salem Business District;
• Leveraging a $1 million in state grant funding for much-needed traffic
improvements along the Lafayette Street corridor;
• Removing blight associated with a large vacant block that is vulnerable to
vandalism and criminal activity since it was vacated nearly seven years ago; and
• Reversing the trend of disinvestment in the Point Neighborhood.
In closing, POUA would like to underscore the amount of time dedicated to the local process
and the amount of professional study that has gone into the current redevelopment plan for the
St. Joseph’s property and the number of alternatives and modifications suggested, proposed,
considered, investigated, partially/fully developed or incorporated into the St. Joseph’s
Redevelopment plan in conjunction with local advisory bodies to address avoiding, minimizing
or mitigating adverse effect – from the provision of affordable housing, to construction of
possible Community Life Center at the site, to thoughtful landscaping, streetscape design,
building height and scale, building design, building materials and the leveraging of area park
and streetscape improvements.
It is our belief that the final development, which preserves the two oldest structures on the site,
will be one that is viable, provides much needed workforce housing and investment in the Point
Neighborhood, respects the history of the site and honors the legacy of St. Joseph’s Parish.
With the help and participation of dozens of Salem residents, it is a development that everyone
across the City of Salem can be proud of for years to come.
St. Joseph’s
Redevelopment
Consideration of alternatives to avoid, minimize or mitigate
adverse effects on historic properties
Report to the Salem Historical Commission
August 17, 2011
1.City’s 2005 Parcel Re-Use Study
2.Outreach for Church Re-use
3.2006 Study of conversion of church
building for housing
4.Design development in partnership with
City 2005 -2011
Alternatives to Avoid, Minimize
and Mitigate
1. St. Joseph’s Parcel Re-Use
Study
Independent,City-commissioned Study
Included economic and market analysis,
architectural and engineering inspection and
analysis, historical review and meetings with
stakeholders
St. Joseph’s Parcel Re-Use Study
Conclusions
Former convent building is not historically significant (p. 25)
No market-supported use for the former church(p.31)
◦Additional floors within the building would require construction of a structure within a structure (p. 24)
◦Deep vertical cracks exist in every vertical corner of the building, stress lines and horizontal cracks exist for long stretches of the walls, thermal cracks exist in some of the walls, the chimney is cracked and fragmented and the steel structure within the tower is rusting (p. 10, 11)
◦The church structure is limited as to future uses without significant modifications (p. 11)
“Among the physically possible and market supported uses, the only one which was also a community preference was housing, the community preference being for affordable housing.” (p. 31)
Recommended continuous street wall and retail along Lafayette, which would require demolition of the former church
Most feasible redevelopment scenario has greater density than current proposal
St. Joseph’s Parcel Re-Use Study
Conclusions
St. Joseph’s Parcel Re-Use Study:
Conclusions
City’s 2005 Study Current Plan
Number of units 167 units 76 units
Floor Area Ratio 2.30 0.67
Density 62 units/acre 28 units/acre
2. Outreach for Church Reuse
All groups identified by Historic Salem, Inc.
for possible reuse of the former church were
contacted by POUA. None could identify a
viable plan to re-use the structure.
◦Boon Gallery
◦City of Salem
◦Hamilton Hall
◦Hawthorne Hotel
◦Waterfront Hotel
Real estate broker sought potential buyers of
the church to re-use the structure. There
were no interested buyers.
3. Developer’s 2006 Study of
Conversion of Church to Housing
Tremont Preservation Services, 2006: Addition of
new windows needed for housing would “impair
the integrity of the church” inside and outside
Cost-prohibitive structural work, and the
construction of a second “structure” within
former church
Architect determines that floor plan of residential
units would be inferior, deep “box car”
apartments, lacking in windows
Revisions needed to exterior façade would
dramatically alter the character of the building.
Alternatives to Avoid Adverse
Effects, Not Feasible
Through these three investigations (City’s
2005 Parcel Re-Use Study, Outreach for Church
Re -use and Developer’s Study for Conversion to
Housing), and through outreach to community
and public bodies, POUA has concluded that
there are no feasible alternatives to avoid the
removal of the church and convent.
Therefore, POUA has worked diligently with
stakeholders to identify a plan that will
minimize and mitigate adverse effects
4. Public Participation in Design
Development: Timeline
August 2004
St. Joseph’s Parish closes.
December 2004-June 2005
Crosswhite Property Advisors, an independent third-party commissioned by the City of Salem to Study St. Joseph’s reuse options, holds seven committee and public meetings with stakeholders.
June 2005
POUA acquires the former St. Joseph’s property, begins discussions with the community and starts to undertake analysis of redevelopment options.
June 2005 –January 2006
POUA holds 3 meetings with the Point Neighborhood Association, 1 meeting with the South Salem Neighborhood Association, 1 meeting with the Lafayette Place Neighborhood Association and 2 meetings with Historic Salem, Inc. to solicit input for the property redevelopment plan.
July 2005 –June 2006
POUA worked with four entities proposed by HSI to market the church for re-use as a cultural or arts facility: two were not interested, one indicated some interest but never followed through, one looked at the church building, performed some calculations and determined it could not be re-used.
November 2005
Crosswhite Property Advisors completes “St. Joseph Parcel Reuse Study” for the City of Salem, indicating that the most economically feasible/likely plan is to demolish the church and rectory and develop 167 units.
Public Participation in Design
Development: Timeline Cont’d.
February 2006
POUA unveils plan build a new 6-story mixed income rental and condominium building with
Community Life Center on the first floor, at the location of the former church structure, which
would be removed.
March –May 2006
POUA works with architects, engineers, City and community representatives on development plan
over several meetings.
June 2006
City and POUA host meetings unveiling plans to take down the former church and build a new
structure with housing and a Community Life Center.
July 2006
City-hosted neighborhood meeting to review plan to take down the former church, build a new 6 -story
mixed income rental and condominium building with Community Life Center on the first floor.
July –August, 2006
Applications to the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning Board for variances and Site Plan
Approval, Environmental Impact Statements and Design Narrative prepared for Planning Board
and City Departments. Meetings were held with the Board of Health, City Engineer, and the Fire
Department to prepare for public hearings.
Public Participation in Design
Development: Timeline Cont’d.
August 2006
POUA applies to the City of Salem to waive Demolition Delay ordinance for the St. Joseph’s Convent and Church
and makes presentation to the Salem Historical Commission.
August 3, 2006
At a City Planning Board Meeting, the Board makes the following design suggestions to POUA, which POUA then
incorporates into September 14 Design:
Articulate the Façade –POUA recesses the center of the front facade
Create a Front Entrance -Recesses center and adds significant Lafayette Street entrance.
More Contextual –POUA adds mansard roof and dormers to mirror nearby buildings and the design of the
former school that was demolished in 1981.
More Residential, Less Downtown –POUA eliminates faceted corner and 2-story glazed entry
Develop Massing Plans –POUA presents massing studies that show proposed development in keeping with
massing of existing and earlier demolished buildings on the site.
August 24, 2006
ZBA votes 5-0 to grant variances for height and number of stories to construct a six-story building and 97 units
of housing across the site
September 14, 2006
Planning Board votes 9-0 to grant a Special PUD Permit for six story building and 97 units of housing
September 22, 2006
Abutters appeal Zoning and Planning Board approvals. Cases filed in Superior Court.
Public Participation in Design
Development: Timeline Cont’d.
January 24, 2007
Comprehensive Permit Application submitted to the City of Salem ZBA for six story building and 97 units of housing.
March 8, 2007
ZBA votes 6-0 to grant a Comprehensive Permit for six story building and 97 units of housing.
June 2008
Salem City Council votes 6-0 to amend the City of Salem Zoning Ordinance and associated Zoning Map by extending the adjacent B-5 Central Development District to include the St. Joseph’s Church parcel located at 129-151 Lafayette Street.
August –September 2008
As a result of POUA’s proposed redevelopment plan for St. Joseph’s site, the City of Salem becomes eligible to apply for a $1 million Public Works Economic Development Grant to undertake 2 signalization improvements on Lafayette Street, add new streetscape and make improvements to Lafayette Park. This is a major mitigating measure and a highly valued improvement made available to the City only because of the proposed redevelopment.
October 2008 –June 2010
St. Joseph’s project on hold while litigation challenging the B-5 zoning change is in court. Defendants City of Salem and the development entity Salem Lafayette Development LLC win Motion for Summary Judgment and Appeal. Plaintiff’s Application for Further Appellate Review was ultimately denied by the Supreme Judicial Court.
Public Participation in Design
Development: Timeline Cont’d.
December 2009
POUA submitted Project Notification Form for Section 106 Process to MHC, triggered by its application to the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Section 202 capital funding for senior apartments
in the former school building.
January 6, 2010
POUA meets with Salem Historical Commission to review Project Notification Form.
January 16, 2010
POUA meets with Point Neighborhood Association for project updates.
July 26, 2010
POUA meets with Point Neighborhood Association for updates on appeal resolution, planning board applications,
development schedule.
July 30 –September 16, 2010
POUA submits applications to Planning Board for hearing. Salem Planning Board votes unanimously on
September 16, 2010 to approve the Plan “Mixed Use with Neighborhood Commercial.”
December 27, 2010 –March 17, 2011
Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD)awards funding subsidies to the
four-story building as the first phase of St. Joseph’s Development.
August 2, 2011
MassHousing and DHCD Undertake Public Comment Process for Section 106 Review
Preservation of oldest structures, Rectory and
School, are of paramount importance; and
always part of plan
POUA followed recommendations of City’s Parcel
Re -Use Study for urban design, housing and
first-floor retail and services
Plans for new building continue street wall along
Lafayette Street and reflect the existing scale of
the site
Public Participation in Design
Development, 2005 –2011
Outcomes
Public Participation in Design
Development, 2005 –2011
Outcomes
Design crafted with input from community
groups and through more than two dozen
community meetings and public hearings
Made substantial design changes at the request
of the Planning Board, members of the Design
Review Board and others
Reduced height and changed design and
materials of new building several times.
Reduced new building from six stories to four
stories, from 75 to 51 units
Context for New Construction
The Architectural Team
2006 Concept: 6 stories, 75+ units
The Architectural Team
2006 Concept 2: Revised
Architectural Detail
The Architectural Team
2007 Concept: 4 stories, 45 units
The Architectural Team
2011 Concept: 4 stories, 51 units,
clean design, eliminates plan for
drive-through and large retail
The Architectural Team
Design Benefits of Plan that
Minimize and Mitigate Adverse
Effects
Historic post-fire Rectory (1917) and School
(1920) buildings will remain.
Revitalizes important gateway parcel
Eliminates asphalt parking lot in entrance
corridor
New masonry building that keeps street wall
and adds new retail
New landscaping, including re-use of church’s
granite steps at back courtyard
Economic and Community Benefits
of Plan that Minimize and Mitigate
Adverse Effects
$20 million investment in the City and Point Neighborhood
Revitalizes neighborhood and catalyzes additional
improvements
51 new units of affordable housing
4400 square feet of neighborhood retail
100 construction jobs + 5 permanent jobs
$1 million state grant for Lafayette Street traffic and
streetscape improvements
Eliminates vacant and obsolete buildings, improving
neighborhood safety for businesses and residents
Reestablishes community meeting space that had been
provided in the former church
The Architectural Team
Additional Notes on Church
Retrofit
St. Aidan, Brookline; first church adapted as
housing by POUA. Feasible only because it
was a Tudor-style structure that was more
easily adaptable, was located in a very
competitive market (median condo price
$1m), and was initiated at height of market
in 2005-2006
St. Jean Batiste, Lynn; demolished church for
apartments, widely recognized as successful
infill development