Historical Commission

SALEM HISTORICAL COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES December 15, 2021 A special meeting of the Salem Historical Commission was held on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at 6:00 pm. VIRTUAL ZOOM MEETING. Present were: Rebecca English, Vijay Joyce (Acting Chair), Milo Martinez, Mark Meche and Mark Pattison. Not present: Reed Cutting, Stacey Norkun, and Larry Spang. Staff: Patti Kelleher 127 Derby Street - continuation Louise Spohr submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace windows - continuation Documents & Exhibits • Application: 11/1/21 • Photographs Ms. Kelleher stated that the applicant is exploring other options and requested a continuation. VOTE: Ms. English made a motion to continue the application to the next meeting. Mr. Pattison seconded the motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce were in favor and the motion so carried. 284 Lafayette Street - continuation Coach House Inn, LLC submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace gutters Documents & Exhibits • Application: 11/4/21 • Photographs Nick Giallousis was present to discuss the project. Ms. Kelleher stated that the Commission requested additional information for the applicant. Mr. Giallousis noted that the Commission suggested Duragutter to maintain the integrity of the building. Duragutter is the closest match they could find, and the existing details would remain, unless they were replaced in kind. The fasteners would be hidden, and the gutters would be continuous. It would sit out 3/8” of an inch more making the difference minimal. Mr. Joyce asked if it could be installed at the high pediment at the roof, above the entry door. Mr. Giallousis replied yes and it would involve a simple mitered gutter. Ms. Kelleher stated that the Commission previously approved this product. Mr. Giallousis noted that the aluminum is ¼” thick, and costs $17 per linear foot for the material only, while a fiberglass gutter is $35. The joints are sealed from the inside and will be painted the trim color to match the house, Thornwood White by Benjamin Moore. A paint appropriate for metal would be used for the gutter. Public Comment: No one else in the assembly wished to speak. Mr. Martinez – this gutter will be minimally invasive. VOTE: Martinez made a motion to approve the Duragutter, painted to match the trim color of the house. Pattison seconded the motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce and the motion so carried. 159 Derby Street - continuation James Bostick/Paul Nathan Art submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness for new gutters and downspouts  Historical Commission meeting minutes, December 15, 2021 Page 2 of 7 Documents & Exhibits • Application: 11/1/21 • Photographs Jim Bostick, Director of Salem Arts, on behalf of Paul Nathan, Owner, and Robert Bouve (Chairperson) were present to speak. Mr. Bouve stated that they will use the half-round gutter applied to the two different types of corners. The downspouts will be installed at the outside of the rear bumpout, and at the rear of the bumpout. Mr. Bostick noted that the rear downspout is like the Kosciusko Street side of the building. Mr. Meche asked if the gutter will have an elbow or vacuum break that extends from the high side of the building to the low at the rear bump-out. Mr. Bouve replied that there will be two separate gutters, but all joints would be soldered. The gutters will be attached to the roof with clips and the downspouts will also be round. Mr. Joyce asked if the cornice be removed to install the gutter. Mr. Bouve replied no, the gutter will sit under the cornice. Mr. Meche noted his concern with the angled gutter at the jog in the wall although there is no alternative. Mr. Bouve replied that they are trying to eliminate a slipping hazard by keeping water away from the door. He noted that the ramp is on hold because they’ve used their budget to focus on the gutter, downspout, and masonry repairs. Mr. Meche suggested rerouting the downspout along the side of the main body of the building with a downspout below the ramp as well as leaving the gutter and downspout copper so they can patina to green rather than painting it while to match the trim color. Mr. Joyce noted his concern with historic methods which would be to paint them white to so blend. Mr. Bostick suggested copper gutters and white downspouts. Mr. Joyce replied that keeping them copper would be the most historic approach and would add to the charm of the building. Ms. English did not have a preference. Ms. Kelleher stated that the Design Guidelines recommend that gutters be painted to match the underlying material and the painting of copper guidelines should be determined on a case-by-case basis. Mr. Martinez noted that painted gutters were wood and very few were half round, so this would be a good example of letting the half round be painted white. Mr. Bouve noted that any material to be painted would be aluminum, they don’t want an anodize look and he’s unknown of a factory finish might appear. Mr. Pattison replied that a brush painted finish would be most appropriate. Public Comment: No one in the assembly wished to speak. VOTE: Mr. Martinez made a motion to approve the application and allow the half-round gutters and round downspouts to be painted white to match the building trim. Mr. Meche seconded the motion. Mr. Martinez amended his motion to include that the downspouts would be round. Meche seconded the amendment. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison were in favor, Joyce was opposed due to preference for maintaining the copper, and the motion so carried (4-1). 361 Essex Street - continuation Darcy Birse submitted an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness to add new gutters Documents & Exhibits • Application: 8/21/21 • Photographs Ms. Kelleher stated that she has requested additional information about the request but has not received the information. The owner has requested numerous continuations and is again not present. VOTE: Ms. English made a motion to deny the application for new gutters without prejudice. Mr. Pattison seconded the motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce and the motion so carried.  Historical Commission meeting minutes, December 15, 2021 Page 3 of 7 361 Essex Street- continuation Darcy Birse submitted an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for fencing and curbing Documents & Exhibits • Application: 11/1/21 • Photographs Ms. Kelleher stated that she requested additional information, however; the applicant has not responded. VOTE: Ms. English made a motion to deny application for fencing and curbing without prejudice. Mr. Pattison seconded the motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce and the motion so carried. 78 Washington Square Milo Martinez submitted an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness to add new vent Documents & Exhibits • Application: 11/30/21 • Photographs Mr. Martinez recused himself as the applicant. Mr. Martinez stated that the 5-unit building has 2 heaters and one broke over the summer. Two heaters are tanked, and they want to switch the broken one with a tankless. They are currently vented through the chimney, which require an intake and outtake, but chimney is not up to code for that type of installation. The low-profile vent would be installed close to the interior corner on the water table. This side of the house has multiple utilities and it partially obscured by a brick wall and only 5-6-feet along the sidewalk where this area of visible. A conduit would need to be moved to accommodate this location. Mr. Joyce asked if the vent cover would overtake the width of the water table. Mr. Martinez replied no. Mr. Meche asked if the Plumbing Inspector would approve of it. Mr. Martinez replied that he believes his installer would only propose products that would be approved by the inspector. Mr. Meche asked what would occur when the second take is installed. Mr. Martinez replied that they may be able to share an intake but not an outtake. Public Comment: No one in the assembly wished to speak. Mr. Joyce asked if it could be placed elsewhere. Mr. Martinez replied, either on the other side of the chimney or as a long run across the entire basement to the foundation at Unit 1 by the driveway, which is even more visible. Mr. Meche suggested installing it inside. Mr. Martinez replied that it could have gone through the furnace room and then to the exterior. He suggested an approval that allowed not installing it above a certain height. VOTE: Mr. Meche made a motion to approve as presented, to be painted the trim color, with the outtake location to be confirmed by Commissioner Meche. Ms. English seconded the motion. Roll Call: Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce in favor and the motion so carried. 7 Cambridge Street Hamilton Hall submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness for gutters, downspouts, site work and repairs Documents & Exhibits • Application: 11/24/21 • Photographs • Drawings by Spencer Preservation Group dated 10/26/21  Historical Commission meeting minutes, December 15, 2021 Page 4 of 7 Lynn Spencer and Doug Manley of Spencer Preservation Group were present to discuss the project. Ms. Spencer stated that 1-year ago they were tasked with creating a conditions assessment and master plan renovation recommendation for Hamilton Hall. The project is now partially funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund and is a high priority project. Mr. Manley stated that at the Cambridge Street side of the building, the sidewalk is uneven and pitched towards the building, the portico roof needs to be re- roofed and its gutter has two outlets but no downspouts allowing the water to spill onto the sidewalk and ice up in winter months. The entry roof would be replaced with flat seam copper, with a new copper gutter and new copper downspouts directed underground into a catch basin or into a cast iron boot leading to a drywell. All replacements would be in-kind, and at the rear, a 4-inch downspout would also be replaced in kind. They would relay the brick and curb so the paving pitches away from the building and would reset the curb and curb tilt for handicapped accessibility. At the north elevation, staining and organic growth would be cleaned off all surfaces with a low- pressure bio-wash. Repairs at the eave will wait for a later date. Mr. Meche noted his concern with the gutter detail indicating that the drip edge was soldered into the roof, since it is usually proud of the drip height, otherwise it would be submerged in water. Ms. Kelleher asked for the existing gutter material. Mr. Manley replied copper painted white, they will drain the downspouts underground and they will install a small granite curb around window wells to keep water on the sidewalk from entering them. The downspout will have a cast iron boot at grade. A catch basin is in place, but they require the help of the City Engineer to determine if it can be routed there or to a drywell below the new brick paving, and only the rain from this roof will be directed there. Ms. Kelleher noted that the City Engineer had concerns with the condition of the catch basin which may require improvements, so a dry well may be the preferred option. Mr. Manely noted that they would install an asphalt below the paving to direct water to the street. Ms. English requested additional information about the extent of the brick work. Mr. Manely replied that very little of the brick sidewalk is on city land, but they need to meet the city sidewalk so they will do the work all along Cambridge Street themselves. Mr. Meche suggested the existing paving, which is more than likely already sitting on stone dust, be installed on well compacted stone dust again with a fabric liner, rather than on an impervious material such as asphalt. He asked their civil engineer or landscape architects to consider alternatives. Mr. Pattison agreed. Mr. Manley stated that the Massachusetts Historic Commission holds the preservation restriction to the property, they submitted their proposed plans for review, and they were approved. Mr. Joyce suggested the pervious vs. impervious nature of the paving base be addressed. Mr. Meche suggested the applicant propose a more appropriate detail and suggested the use of pervious paving. Mr. Pattison agreed. Ms. Kelleher noted that paving is not within the Commission’s jurisdiction and should only be a recommendation. The city is also hoping to redo the sidewalk on Cambridge Street and perhaps could be folded into the Hamilton Hall project and the City Engineer should weigh-in on the sidewalk reinstallation. Mr. Manley agreed that their proposed paving should align with the city engineers proposed work. Mr. Meche asked if the applicants disagreed with their paving suggestion. Mr. Manley replied that at the Athenaeum they wanted to create a stable surface that would not move for future accessibility and that’s why asphalt base was proposed below that brick sidewalk too. Future master plan work includes a front accessible entry. Mr. Meche replied that the surface could be stabilized. Mr. Pattison added that it should be voiced as a concern, and this could be the catalyst that sets a precedent for the engineering department. Ms. Spenser stated that she appreciates the concerns with ground water recharge and drainage, and since the current base is sand and not stone dust, she suggested pervious asphalt as a compromise. This has been an issue with brick sidewalks throughout Salem and asphalt was used as a base at the Salem Library. Public Comment: Peter Pitman, Architect at Pitman & Wardley, Associates. Ms. Spencer’s recommendation can resolve the concerns since tamped surfaces don’t always remain level, although the proposed plan should tie-into the city standards for sidewalks and stabilization. No one else in the assembly wished to speak. VOTE: Mr. Martinez made a motion to approve replacing the gutters, add downspouts tied to the pilasters terminated into the ground and painted to match the trim.  Historical Commission meeting minutes, December 15, 2021 Page 5 of 7 Mr. Meche amended the motion to include a recommendation to integrate pervious paving into the brick paving. Mr. Martinez accepted the amendment and Mr. Meche seconded the amended motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce in favor and the motion so carried. VOTE: Mr. Martinez made a motion to approve the roof replacement and repointing of the brick. Mr. Meche seconded the motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce in favor and the motion so carried. 186 Federal Street James Carria submitted an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a rear fence Documents & Exhibits • Application: 12/1/21 • Photographs Mr. Carria stated that the rear fence is in a state of disrepair, and they want to conceal the lot behind them at the corner of Boston and Bridge Streets. The fence will be over 100 yards away from the street and they are proposing a 6-foot-high vinyl fence from Lowe’s. He’s had pressure treated fences previously and they rot and have formaldehyde in them which raises health concerns for their family. He noted that several houses in the district have similar vinyl fences. Mr. Meche asked if the grade drops at the rear of the site drops. Ms. Carria replied yes and noted that the fence would be U-shaped and not visible from either side of the house. Mr. Martinez stated that vinyl fences aren’t approved by the Commission, suggested that any others may be violation, noted that he would not approve it, and recommended a site visit. Mr. Joyce agreed. Mr. Carria noted that they plan to plant arborvitaes in front of the new fence and there is little to no historic detail on the home to retain. He does not want a fence that they must pay to maintain since many surrounding fences are falling. Mr. Meche noted the various historic details, such as the entrance door, and stated that the Commission has fence guidelines to follow. Despite the aluminum siding, the home is still on Federal Street and within the Commission’s jurisdiction. Mr. Martinez noted the details and elements of this home that are historic details and a fence that is right of the property is a better solution. Mr. Joyce agreed, noted the Greek Revival details of the home, and that the condition of the rear site won’t exist forever, so they must consider the longevity when making decision. Mr. Carria suggested planting arborvitaes only. Mr. Carria noted the existing vinyl fence that has been installed behind their home at the CLC building property. Ms. Kelleher replied that the Commission’s jurisdiction does not include things visible from Bridge Street. She also suggested a site visit. Mr. Joyce noted his concern with the longevity of vinyl fences and their tendency to warp over time. Mr. Pattison suggested a painted Cedar fence. Mr. Meche noted that PVC also has hazardous materials. Ms. Kelleher suggested the applicant explore white cedar options. Public Comment: No one in the assembly wished to speak. VOTE: Mr. Pattison made a motion to continue the application to the next meeting. Ms. English seconded the motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce were in favor and the motion so carried. Comments on draft Memorandum of Agreement for Salem State University South Campus Disposition Ms. Kelleher stated that the State is looking to sell the historic property and wants to enter into a MOA with MHC. She had some suggested edits to the MOA language for the Commission to consider as did HSI but MHC has already approved the MOA as drafted. She noted that the MOA is between MHC and DCAMM and the SHC and HSI are interested parties. MHC approved the MOA and moving it forward is important for the vacant buildings. There would be an RFP for interested developers that will preserve the building in the future and MHC found an adverse effect since the sale would occur without a preservation restriction on the historic buildings. There was a similar MOA process with the transfer of the Courthouse projects to the SRA, but in that case there was an established set of criteria that gave preference to developers proposing to restore the historic buildings.  Historical Commission meeting minutes, December 15, 2021 Page 6 of 7 Public Comment: Emily Udy, Historic Salem, Inc. HSI submitted comments the same day as DCAMM’s finalized MOA, so their comments weren’t included. HSI has similar concerns with the weak wording used and agreed that the Commission could ask for changes, although only 14-days were given to respond and then 7-days to respond after that. They hope the RFP is more substantial. Barbara Cleary, HSI. Concerned with the letter being sent before their comments were included and very concerned about the short turn-around periods that were given. Ms. Kelleher suggested a comment letter from the Commission to DCAMM, sharing HSI’s concerns that a longer opportunity was not given to provide input, that stronger language should have been included, and an initial recommendation for the RFP to include language that preservation proposals for the buildings are ranked as highly advantageous. Mr. Meche noted that adaptive reuse tends to change the interiors, but that rehabilitation standards are crafted for flexibility. He suggested including rooms with character defining features which constitute minimal changes and recommend preservation rather than only encouraging preservation. Ms. Kelleher stated that she will draft a letter for the Commission to approve. Other Business: Meeting Minutes VOTE: Mr. Martinez motion to approve September 15, 2021 regular meeting minutes. Ms. English seconded. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce were in favor and the motion so carried. VOTE: Mr. Martinez motion to approve October 6, 2021 regular meeting minutes. Ms. English seconded. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce were in favor and the motion so carried. VOTE: Mr. Martinez motion to approve October 20, 2021 regular meeting minutes. Ms. English seconded. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce were in favor and the motion so carried. VOTE: Mr. Martinez motion to approve November 3, 2021 regular meeting minutes. Ms. English seconded. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce were in favor and the motion so carried. VOTE: Mr. Martinez motion to approve December 1, 2021 regular meeting minutes with Meche’s edits. Ms. English seconded. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce were in favor and the motion so carried. 93 Washington Square Mr. Martinez stated that at the last meeting K-style bronze gutters were approved, and both he and Chair Spang were to determine the final details. The gutters installed across the street may have been custom made and he believes the best option is to have them painted to match the trim so the butt ends are less visible. Ms. Kelleher suggested that if the applicant proposed a paint color change they return to the Commission for another review, since a color change wasn’t included in the responsibilities of those deputized to review the project on site. Mr. Martinez noted that the applicant also suggested Azek for the fascia. Ms. Kelleher noted that the Commission has approved Azek elsewhere in the district and the applicant said it was already approved at the front of the building. Mr. Meche noted that no matter the material it should be painted. Mr. Joyce stated that it would be mostly covered by the new gutter. Mr. Pattison noted that long runs of Azek tend to look wavy. If it’s a cap under 2x’s and built  Historical Commission meeting minutes, December 15, 2021 Page 7 of 7 out to attach the gutter, the bottom 3-4-inches would be visible below the gutter. He’d prefer a cap at the underside of the three boards to conceal the build-up of materials and if the applicant wants it for the fascia, it should be hardwood. Mr. Meche noted that Azek secured to a solid surface would look more supported. The Commission agreed to authorize a color change, but a material change should be wood rather than Azek. Mr. Meche stated that the applicant should submit all associated drawings and details. Design Guidelines Ms. Kelleher requested a review by the Commission to determine if anything is missing, if it’s not reflective of how the Commission would normally review it, tightening the language, etc. January 10th is the new due date. Public Meetings Ms. Kelleher stated that public meetings are still scheduled to return to in-person in April 2022. Adjournment VOTE: Mr. Pattison made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Meche seconded the motion. Roll Call: Martinez, Meche, English, Pattison, Joyce in favor and the motion so carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:30PM Respectfully submitted, Patti Kelleher Preservation Planner