South Salem - From Trail-Oriented Development to Transit-Oriented Development: A Study of Market Potential

2017·22.8 MB·English

by  City of Salem, Massachusetts

SOUTH SALEM
FROM TRAIL-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT
TO TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT:
A STUDY OF MARKET POTENTIAL
SUMMER 2017
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
MAPC would like to thank our project partners from the City of Salem, the Salem Partnership, and the South Salem Station Working Group for their assistance
and input throughout the entirety of this project.
MAPC Staff
South Salem Station Working Group
Chris Kuschel, AICP, Project Manager, Senior Regional Planner
Kimberly Driscoll, Mayor, City of Salem
Amanda Chisholm, AICP, Chief Economic Development Planner
Tom Daniel, AICP, Director Planning and Community Development, City
Josh Fiala, AICP AIA LEED AP, Senior Land Use Planner
of Salem
Barry Keppard, AICP, Public Health Director
Beth Debski, AICP, Executive Director, Salem Partnership
Karina Milchman, AICP, Regional Planner II & Housing Specialist,
Laura Fleming, North Shore Medical Center Coordinator of the Inner Core Committee
Travis Pollack, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner
David Hark, The Drumlin Group
Sandy Heaphy, MHP Enterprises, Inc.
John Keenan, Salem State University
Adria Leach, Salem State University
Mark Leavitt, Salem Touchless Car Wash
James Muse, The Salem Partnership
Mickey Northcutt, North Shore Community Development Coalition
Matt Picarsic, The Salem Partnership
To request additional copies of this document contact:
Chris Kuschel
[email protected]
617.933.0731

01 INTRODUCTION
02 BACKGROUND
02 SOUTH SALEM STATION PLANNING
05 ASSESSING THE IMPACTS
06 PLANNING PROCESS
07 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
09 EXISTING CONDITIONS
09 LOCATION
12 TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
16 ZONING AND LAND USE
24 KEY STAKEHOLDERS
26 PUBLIC HEALTH
31 MARKET ANALYSIS
31 MARKET STUDY CONTEXT
38 RESIDENTIAL MARKET ANALYSIS
50 COMMERCIAL ANALYSIS OVERVIEW
51 RETAIL MARKET ANALYSIS
55 OFFICE MARKET ANALYSIS
65 DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS
66 TRAIL-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW
68 DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO: TrOD
76 DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO: TOD
83 NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE
83 INTRODUCTION TO NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE
85 THREE SCENARIOS FOR CHANGE
86 RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE
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89 MANAGING NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE
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91 RECOMMENDATIONS
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101 TAX IMPACT ANALYSIS
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102 MBTA EXPANSION PROJECTS
102 VALUE CAPTURE OPTIONS T
104 ESTIMATION OF FUTURE LOCAL TAXES N
105 ESTIMATION OF FUTURE STATE TAXES AND JOB CREATION
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106 IMPLICATIONS OF ANALYSIS
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With numerous restaurants, a walkable downtown, world-famous museums
and historic sites, and a commuter rail station providing access to Boston,
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the City of Salem has experienced a revitalization in recent years. While the
downtown continues to grow and develop, the City is also looking towards other
areas for future growth. Among the City’s priorities is the area south of the
downtown from Washington Street to Jefferson Avenue (South Salem). Adjacent I
to this area is:
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» The Point, a diverse residential neighborhood;
» Salem State University (SSU), a growing university; and, C
» North Shore Medical Center (NSMC), the largest healthcare provider in the
area and undergoing a major expansion.
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In order to accommodate future growth, increase access for current and future
residents to Boston, and reduce the automobile needs for commuters to SSU
and NSMC, the City has set a long-term goal of bringing a commuter rail station
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to this area of Salem. An additional commuter rail stop within the South Salem
area could help to reduce severe traffic and parking problems while offering
a convenient transportation alternative to residents and SSU commuting
students, staff and faculty. Equally important, a new stop will be a catalyst for O
appropriately scaled transit-oriented development in the Canal Street area,
including mixed use with increased bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
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INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND SOUTH SALEM STATION PLANNING plan for the South Salem commuter rail station,
the station would be built to accommodate the
The genesis for a second commuter rail station in The City has now returned its focus to
proposed trail parallel to the railroad, with three
Salem traces back approximately 25 years. In constructing a commuter rail station in
entrances to the northbound rail platform from the
1989, the City contracted with CPF /Domenech & South Salem and understanding its effects on
trail.
Hicks, Inc. for the preparation of a Feasibility Study the neighborhood and community at large. In
for a Proposed Salem State College Commuter collaboration with the Salem Partnership and SSU,
Rail Station. At that time, the Feasibility Study the City has studied the feasibility of constructing
concluded that, “a stop would be physically feasible this second commuter rail station in Salem. The
and would be well supported by the potential Salem Partnership, a non-profit focused on City
ridership of SSU students, faculty and staff. revitalization, entered into a contract with AECOM to
Potential additional ridership could be at least examine the need for and feasibility of an additional
equal to current ridership at the existing Salem commuter rail station on the Newburyport/Rockport
Commuter Rail Station and could be much greater line to be provided in the South Salem area,
(according to 1987 statistics as many as 1,400 supported in part by mitigation funds from Salem
riders per day). The existence of a station would State University. AECOM reviewed several potential
reduce traffic and parking congestion in the area locations in the area bordered by Canal Street
and would also help to fill return trains with ‘reverse and Jefferson Avenue for the station, prepared
commuters’ from the Boston area.” conceptual design plans, developed cost estimates,
and identified advantages and disadvantages of
The MBTA conducted its own ridership survey in
each of the potential locations. The proposed
2000 and determined that the new stop would
stop would be sited along the MBTA’s East Route
generate enough riders to justify its construction.
(Rockport/Newburyport Line), approximately ¾ mile
In fact, the MBTA put money in its five-year
south of the existing Salem Station at Washington
capital budget for the stop. Although it came
Street. The area currently includes railroad sidings
close to fruition, the City at the time made the
serving adjacent commercial properties. The
decision to focus its energy on reconstructing the
proposed stop would be designed and constructed
existing station, the busiest in the entire MBTA
to current MBTA Commuter Rail Design Standards,
commuter rail network (excluding downtown Boston
Massachusetts State Building Code, and the latest
locations). The station was moved north from its
ADA and MAAB requirements for accessibility.
previous location in 1987 and reconstructed with
ADA compliant facilities and other amenities. In Through a public process, the City has focused
2002, the MBTA shifted the $8.1 million that on an alternative that best addressed abutter
was set aside to build a commuter rail station in concerns. AECOM then developed several options
South Salem to help pay for a new garage at the for parking and connecting the station west towards
downtown Salem commuter rail station. In 2014 Jefferson Avenue and NSMC for the preferred
construction of the new, 715 space garage was option, Location 3. According to the latest concept
completed.
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Figure 1. Location alternatives for proposed South Salem commuter rail station Figure 2. South Salem Station Location 3 conceptual plans (Source: AECOM)
LOCATION 4
LOCATION 3
LOCATION 2
LOCATION 1
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INTRODUCTION
Location 3 satisfies most of the project objectives. The City needs to coordinate with the MBTA and potential modifications necessitated by
It also includes three design alternatives to provide to identify and investigate additional criteria, the new stop.
access to Jefferson Avenue and the North Shore including:
» Coordinating with MBTA Railroad Operations
Medical Center from the station. Option A would
» Further identifying right-of-way impacts, for the relocation of railroad sidings, tracks,
construct a 20 foot walkway (which would likely
proposed property acquisitions and and signal systems serving the adjacent rail
also accommodate cyclists), while Options B and
associated costs; yards; and,
C would include a vehicular driveway, parking, and
» Determining potential impacts to abutters » Identifying and developing long term
an 8 foot sidewalk. Each option would construct
(long and short term) and identify potential operations and maintenance requirements
a pedestrian bridge over the tracks with sloped
mitigation; and costs.
walkways connecting to both platforms, which also
would provide an east-west pedestrian connection » Ensuring that the station design does not
from Canal Street to Jefferson Avenue. preclude the potential future plans of both
the MBTA and the City of Salem;
The proposed commuter rail concept includes
drop-off vehicular access from Canal Street. The » Further identifying right-of-way impacts and
Jefferson Avenue side will provide additional proposed property acquisitions;
vehicular access, including a drop-off area and
» Coordinating with freight operators for
potentially parking space.
requirements of trackage rights agreements
Figure 3. West side access and parking availability alternatives for Location 3. (Source: AECOM)
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