Salem State University Neighborhood Advisory Committee

Salem State University Neighborhood Advisory Committee October 5, 2016 – Minutes Attendees: Chairman Dominick Pangallo, Adria Leach, Ben Szalewicz, Marcia Lambert, Dana Lothrop, Jack Hoar, Polly Wilbert, Councillor Steve Dibble, Councillor Josh Turiel Absent: Richard RIggs Guests: 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Approval of September 7, 2016 Minutes • Approved 3. Construction Updates A. Sophia Gordon Center for the Creative & Performing Arts - Ben Szalewicz, SSU • Main stage is progressing nicely • Working on outside landscaping • Second floor is almost complete • Scheduled to be completed by end of the year. • Questions/Comments • Chairman Pangallo asked for confirmation on the timing of the sidewalks being available. Ben advised in December upon completion of the project. • Polly requested to have the timeline of when the sign will be installed. She would like to discuss what level of brightness the sign will have. • Dana asked if the width of the sidewalk is going to be changed. Ben advised that nothing has changed since the plans were originally presented, and added the curb line is not changing. B. O’Keefe Center rink replacement – Ben Szalewicz, SSU • New ice is being laid down and the project is on schedule. • Ice will be ready for the start of hockey. • Questions/Comments o Polly & Councillor Turiel commended and thanked SSU for this successful project. C. 287 Lafayette Street – Ben Szalewicz, SSU • A final decision of the screening has been designed. • A neighbor commented that the screening issue has been going on for over a year. They have all agreed on the color and screening, now they would like a timeline of installation. Ben advised that he will check with David P on the time frame. • Polly requested that Councillor Turiel provide an email update to the neighbors on the timeline once David provides it to Ben. Polly also requested to know if the panels will be painted prior to them going up, or once installed. • Councillor Turiel provided an update on traffic as it relates to 287 Lafayette. He advised there are issues with students and faculty parking on Lafayette Street. Because of this issue, parking in front of Andrew Michaels & the Coach House will now become short term parking. If restricted parking needs to be extended further and further away, then that is what will happen so people are forced to go the lot. Adria asked when the new parking plans would pass.  Councillor Turiel advised that the final pass will be effective after next week’s meeting. Adria will work on getting that message out to students and faculty. 4. Old Business A. Garage Update – Ben Szalewicz, SSU • Baffles have not arrived yet. There was an issue with the manufacture and hoping they will be delivered within the next few weeks. • Questions/Comments • Polly asked what the occupancy amounts have been. Adria advised during peak times it has been 90% - 100% full. • Councillor Dibble asked what happens when the garage is at 100% capacity. Adria advised parking is available at the Weir property and South Campus. Shuttles are available from South Campus. B. North Campus precinct study – presented by Sazaki • The Focus of the North Campus Precinct Study o Campus Master Vision Plan o Campus Center Study o New Science Building Study o Horace Mann Flip • Slow roll out due to study starting up in the summer when students and faculty were not on campus. • Moving along now, holding focus groups with faculty, staff & students. • Met with neighbors on September 20th • Will be back to SSUNA at December 7th meeting. • Looking at: o Space Use & Academic Planning o Student Life Need new dining hall Need more residential space o Maintaining North Campus historic character • Space Use/Summary o Classrooms Misalignment between section sizes & room inventory o Labs Science study has been completed Possibly relocating some South Campus science programs to North Campus. o Offices There are office space moves that need to happen • Student Life o Housing Large gaps of residential hall needs • 284 single bedrooms needed & 254 of double bedrooms needed o Councillor Dibble requested to get confirmation if the 254 should be doubled for the double bed count.  o Dining Need to plan out what the right food service for North Campus would be. o Ellison Campus Center Study Campus “HUB” that supports diversity • North Campus Planning Focus o How can we best use open space and campus accessibility? o What can be co-located? o If dining is moved, what will take it’s spot. • North Campus Goals o Have landscape quality o Accessibility o Organization of functional uses o North campus wayfinding • Ongoing tasks o Focus on connections with the neighborhood o Maintain historic features • Look at how parking can be redistributed throughout North Campus • Looking to improve the pedestrian environment • Neighborhood Engagement Strategy o SSUNA Presentations (May, Oct, Dec) o Neighborhood Meeting Survey • A map of the campus was presented during the neighborhood meeting with Sazaki and neighbors were given the chance to leave notes of what they liked/did not like about the way the campus was functioning. A lot of notes and suggestions were taken away during the exercise at the neighborhood meeting. The map was in the back of the room for people in the SSUNA meeting to leave notes. • Questions/Comments o Polly asked for the square footage of Horace Mann & Harrington. Ben advised that while he didn’t know the square footage, Horace Mann is smaller. o Councillor Dibble asked for an update on the status of the agreement to have the Harrington building leased, sold or given so the city can occupy it. Adria advised the process has not yet started. o A neighbor asked what the plans are for the pedestrian traffic on Loring and Raymond Road. Sazaki advised they will need to examine class schedules & street scape. Also added that a lot of academic activity is still happening at South Campus, and foot traffic may decrease when the campus moves. o A neighbor expressed concerns about the 500 students that are in need of housing. Sazaki advised a lot of these students are living off campus and want to live on campus. Councillor Turiel stated that keeping students living on campus is far better for the neighborhood, school and students. o Polly asked for clarification on the occupancy email. Adria advised that there are not as many forced triples as the previous year. Polly asked for the exact numbers on this. o A neighbor asked how the college was going to accommodate the students during the renovations. Sazaki stated that this is part of their next steps in planning. They will look  at if there are opportunities to reorganize some of the activities on North Campus so that students can use that. The goal is to not have people move twice. o Councillor Dibble expressed concern about the gap in housing demand, and where will those students park if housing is provided. Sazaki suggested that limiting cars allowed on campus through developing policies would be a good strategy for handling this problem. Sazaki commented that you do not need to increase supply, you need to decrease demand. o A neighbor commented that spots on South Campus are open and students are not parking there because they don’t want to pay for the parking sticker. Sazaki advised that parking fees are not part of the study. Adria advised that there is a waitlist for parking, which means that all the resident stickers have been sold. SSU is beginning to go through the waitlist now. o A neighbor asked if the parking fees can be included in tuition. Polly advised that they can roll the fee into their financial aid package. She expressed concern about student debt and having to pay interest on the parking fee if they roll it into their financial aid package. Polly stated she believes the parking fees were part of the bond agreement. Adria will look into if all the fees are going towards the garage bond. A neighbor asked if staff have to pay park. Adria advised they pay less then students pay but they do pay. She also added staff are not allowed to park in the garage. o Councillor Dibble requested to have the actual number of students in need of housing. o Councillor Dibble requested that the final plans are sent out prior to the final presentation meeting so the appropriate people can review it before the meeting. Adria advised that SSU has asked Sazaki to come back either in January or February to present their final plans. o A neighbor requested that the use of shuttles and shuttle times be added as an item to the study. C. SSUNAC Membership – postponed D. Loring Ave parking and Central Campus Parking • Councillor Dibble presented a map that laid out where SSU could add some additional parking. o Requesting an additional 160 new dorm resident parking spaces • Councillor Dibble advised that there is a petition going around to have resident only parking on the section of Loring Ave to Jefferson. • A neighbor asked why a dorm with parking underneath could not be built. Polly advised if the campus was further removed from residential areas that it could be a possibility but it would not work at SSU right now. o Polly suggested expanding the zip car program. E. Neighborhood disturbances • Adria advised that large parties took place in Ward 5. The students involved have been identified and there will be a meeting with those students. The University wants to send a message that if you get in trouble off campus, you are going to get in trouble on campus too. • Adria advised the living off campus brochure is with the marketing department and will hopefully be distributed soon. • Polly advised that Officer Rocheville came to the neighborhood meeting and expressed his concern about the students partying in the neighborhoods. There was a party of 200 people and the Salem Police do not have the capacity to make arrests at a party of that size. Polly asked if SSU is hosting student engagement activities on the weekends to keep students on campus. Adria advised she will speak to the Dean about what they are doing to keep students on campus. • Councillor Dibble expressed his desire to have student engagement activities on the weekends. He stated there recently was a large group of intoxicated students on Station Road causing problems. • Councillor Turiel suggested that both SPD and SSU police could both respond to issues such as this. 5. New Business • Adria introduced the new director of public relations for SSU, Nicole Giambusso • Ben advised SSU has signed a lease for office space at 331 Lafayette. They will be leasing the top two floors and using it for office space. 6. Next meeting: Wednesday, November 2, 7:00pm Enterprise Center