​January 4, 2023
 
Mr. Larry Spang, Chair
Salem Historical Commission
98 Washington Street
Salem, MA  01970
 
 
Dear Mr. Spang
 
Historic Salem, Inc. has been following the proposed addition to 301 Essex Street (Jerry’s) since before it was submitted to the Salem Redevelopment Authority (SRA) for review in July 2022.
 
Changes at this prominent location deserve rigorous review, a process that is
currently on-going under SRA guidelines and now continues with the Applicant’s demolition delay request waiver to the Salem Historical Commission.
 
This building is significant for its history, location and turn of the century commercial building style. Similarly, the building itself in this location is preferably preserved.  That said, we agree that a multi-floor addition to this building is in keeping with its downtown location and, once the design has been settled, has the potential to visually strengthen this key entrance to downtown.
We also understand that the addition will necessitate the demolition of the roof. 
 
In order for the appropriate review processes to run their prescribed courses, we urge the SHC to postpone the vote or find the building Significant and Preferably Preserved and deny the request to waive the demolition delay period until the DRB and SRA, the primary review bodies under the Downtown Renewal Plan, have given the project Preliminary Design Approval. At that point, the SHC can then review submitted plans and accept them as conditions that allow the waiver to be approved.
 
We also note that the application does not appear to be complete, lacking for example, existing conditions photographs and a description of the “proposed reuse, reconstruction, or replacement”.
 
For your information we are submitting our comment letters for the project scale and design sent to the SRA on 7/12/2022, 8/10/2022, 11/09/2022 and DRB 12/21/2022.
 
Thank you for your thoughtful review of this project and for considering our comments.
 
Respectfully,
 
Richard Lindeman
President