Keewaydin Drive Office Takes Step in the Right Direction

While there is still work to be done before town planners will decide on a new four-story office building at 28 Keewaydin Drive, the project took a step in the right direction on Tuesday.

The Salem Planning Board voted to approve a conditional use permit for parking on the site, which would be located in an underground garage. In the updated project plan presented by Osomor LLC (the company proposing to construct the building), 256 parking spaces are being provided.

That number is up from a previous proposal of 200, as are the number of seats in the building, jumping from 200 to 213. The size of the proposal also spiked to 103,007 square feet, not including the parking.

When non-occupiable space such as stairwells, elevator cores, bathrooms, a fitness center and locker rooms, storage area, HVAC equipment area and service area are subtracted, the size shrinks down closer to the original proposal of a 75,000-square-foot blueprint.

Gordon Leedy, who serves as Director of Land Development at Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., spoke on behalf of the applicant and of the conditional use permit.

"We’re very much meeting the spirit of your ordinance in terms of providing adequate parking, making sure there is enough parking space on the site to accommodate likely users," he said.

He added that it has been Osomor's intention all along to have the parking located in a structure beneath the building for aesthetic reasons and to minimize environmental impacts.

As part of the conditional use permit, the applicant can't have the cars exceeding the spaces provided. The motion was submitted by board member Ronald Belanger, who said that he wants to encourage business to come to Salem and that he believes a company like Osomor will manage their parking properly.

Stephen Pernaw, who serves as Salem's traffic consultant, said that he believes the proposed parking is sufficient for the Osomor proposal. He did voice some concerns for the potential of the building.

"My concern is what happens in the future if the building is sold and re-tenanted (and) re-configured as a conventional office building?," asked Pernaw. "If that were to happen in the future, then you're probably going to need additional on-site parking."

Given the spacious and unique design of the Osomor proposal, Pernaw said less parking works.

One abutter in particular made his first public appearance to stake a position against the manner in which the project was handled

Richard Conley, CEO of AlpCo Diagnostics at 26 Keewaydin Drive, said he has sent letters of concern to the Board of Selectmen and Planning Board related to the impact that the Osomor project will have on the operations of the companies housed in what is known as the Tartan I building.

He said that a proposed security gate for the Osomor building near the existing cul-de-sac will cause a "funnel" impact of traffic in that area. Conley said that trucks currently go back and forth, accessing the loading docks for the Tartan building.

"Theoretically, you're going to have 250 cars and trucks going back and forth through that funnel if you will," he said.

Conley also questioned the legality of taking the existing Keewaydin extension out of public servitude and then "in essence giving part of it back to (Osomor) for their sole benefit."

Leedy said that a change is in the works to move the security gate away from the cul-de-sac, placing it further on the Osomor property.

Salem Selectmen approved releasing the town's dedication for the 400-foot portion of Keewaydin Drive during a March 11 meeting. The action is contingent upon the passage of the Osomor plan.

Planning Board Chairman Robert Campbell asked Conley to give some sort of basis on which the planners can act on his concerns.

"Appeal to me or this board or appeal to the courts," said Campbell. "Beyond that I don't know what we can do."

A consolidation of three lots, needed for the passage of the Osomor site plan, also received conditional approval upon passage of the proposal.