The 24 Norman Street Blog is written and privately maintained by resident George Courage. This blog is no longer endorsed or paid for by either Markwood Management, or Harvest Properties and the opinions, observations and recommendations expressed therein are those of the author alone. This blog welcomes constructive comments, opinions and feedback about anything and everything affecting the quality of life in, near and around 24 Norman Street and Salem, Massachusetts.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Front Door
























The front door key coding system broke earlier this week. Pinanski Electric was here on Wednesday to check it out and discovered that the electronics are completely fried and the entire system is broken beyond repair. Markwwood management will be replacing the entire system with a new one, but this may take several weeks to implement.
This means that you will not be able to get into the building unless you have a key.
This also means that you will not be able to buzz people in, and will have to let them in by going down and opening the front door for them in person. If you do not have a key, contact your landlord, or if you are an owner, Carol at Markwood Management. Also, frantically punching the entry code over and over again will not have any effect. Do not prop either the front or the back door open. This is very much frowned upon by the building management and will only cause more problems. thank you for your patience while we get this fixed.

Break it Down!


















We recently had an overflow of the recycling bins. On Monday, paper and cardboard boxes were blowing around the side parking lot, sidewalk and street. Although much of this was due to the abundant volume of Christmas wrapping and boxes, some of it was due to the fact that someone had placed a large cardboard box in the bin without either removing the foam packing inside it or breaking it down so it was flat. This kept the lid from closing, and so we had the "storm of paper". Although we have two recycling bins for paper, there is a limited amount of space, and it is important to remember to break down boxes so that they take up as little room as possible. And don't just throw them in the dumpster either. In general it is a good idea to compact your trash and recycling into as small an area as possible. Thanks!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Do Not Park In Front of the Dumpster


















There are two rules about the parking area on the side of the building. One is never park in front of the dumpster on Tuesday morning. The second is never park in front of the dumpster on Tuesday morning.
Tuesday, is our trash collection and our recyclables pick-up day. Sear that into your memory banks. If your vehicle is parked in front of the dumpster, or is in anyway blocking access to it, the trash collection people, who have a tight schedule to keep, will go away without emptying it, and we will be stuck with an ugly, smelly and overflowing dumpster, as we were a few weeks ago.
You are also begging to have your car towed away by Bill's Towing Service.
If your car is in the side lot between the hours of 6:30 and 8:30 on Tuesday, you are definitely at risk for being towed, and making yourself very unpopular with your neighbors.
Make sure you inform your visitors about this as well. Thanks!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Chestnut and Norman Streets circa 1860 and 2010










In case you were wondering what this part of Salem looked like during the Civil War, I thought I'd post a picture taken at the corner of Chestnut and Norman Streets around 1860. Next to it is a picture I took at virtually the same spot 150 years later (give or take a month or two).
I was surprised at how much of the area is still recognizable from the original photo.
Note that the railing and staircase of the building on Chestnut street has barely changed at all, while Norman Street has been transformed from a pretty residential neighborhood, into a commercial zone. Notice also the widening of Norman Street to accommodate what is now Route 114. I believe the post at the corner is the remains of the former gas lantern in the first picture.
History is all around us, especially in Salem.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

SHUT the DOOR!

















If you are going outside to load or unload your car, dump your trash, talk on your cellphone, break up with your girlfriend/boyfriend, or have a smoke, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THE DOOR IS SECURELY CLOSED BEHIND YOU.
This has been a recurring problem and is a security concern for the building. The door does not always close on its own, especially in cold or damp weather, and sometimes appears to be closed, when in fact it is not. (see picture above).

Not to be an alarmist or anything, but we live less than a block from a homeless shelter, and near several court buildings. Homeless men regularly go through our recycling bins, and last week a convict escaped from custody at the Salem District Court and was at large for more than an hour before he was recaptured. If you want to run the possibility of strange people wandering the halls of our building, then by all means keep leaving the door open, otherwise take an extra two seconds to check and make sure that the door is indeed securely closed behind you the next time you go out or come in.Thanks!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Great American Smoke-Out

The other night I was witness to a group of young people standing outside 24 Norman St., in the cold, smoking. I had to laugh. It reminded me of an editorial by Robert Moran that ran in the Salem Gazette last week, titled "The state of Smoking in America". Every year, on the Thursday before Thanksgiving, the American Cancer Society encourages American smokers to quit smoking, if not forever, at least for the day. Since there are several smokers living at 24 Norman Street, I thought I would take this opportunity to post a kind of "public service message"and quote some of the statistics about smoking and especially secondhand smoke. Smoking is the most common cause of preventable death. Approximately 450,000 people die from tobacco-related causes each year.
"According to the National Toxicology Program, there are more than 250 poisonous gases, chemicals and metals in tobacco smoke. Eleven of them are class A carcinogens. By definition, Class A carcinogens are pollutants known to cause cancer in humans.
Research has shown second hand smoke causes cancers and cardiac disease in nonsmokers and is associated with a host of diseases and disabilities. In June, in a lengthy editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine, health policy professionals called for a federal ban on smoking in public housing."
Although many of the smokers in the building smoke outside, some do not, and you can smell it clearly in the hallways of the floors that they live on. if you can smell it, then you are being exposed to secondhand smoke. They are not only killing themselves, but they are also killing their neighbors and friends. So how about it? Why not quit? Your lungs will thank you, and if you live in this building, mine will too.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Cafe Polonia Opening in Salem










A Polish restaurant located in South Boston has opened a second location here on the North Shore. Cafe Polonia located at 118 Washington Street next to the Upper Crust Pizzeria, is in the heart of the downtown area. The restaurant opened October 6th.

The original Cafe Polonia, which is located on Dorchester Avenue just outside of Andrew Square in South Boston, features a variety of Polish and East European fare, including beet soup, pierogi, Hungarian goulash, crepes, potato pancakes, and kielbasa.

The new location features an expanded menu featuring Polish, German, Hungarian and Czech specialties.
Their website is here: http://cafepolonia.com/index.html
"Zapraszamy"


Monday, November 15, 2010

Cornerstone Books is closed!












If you have been around Salem the last 5 years or so, you may have had occasion to visit Cornerstone books at 45 Lafayette Street. In case you are not literately inclined, or have been living in a polar ice cave, it was a small, wonderful, local bookstore, with a great selection of the latest titles, friendly and helpful staff, compfy places to sit, coffee, snacks, and the site of many events promoting books of local interest and local authors. It is closed as of November 1st. There is a Salem Gazette article about it online here: http://www.wickedlocal.com/salem/topstories/x1272815625/No-sequel-for-Cornerstone-Books-Bookstore-to-close-Monday
This is indeed a sad day for bibliophiles and Salem residents. Let's hope that someone will buy it and re-opens it.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

New Washing Machine!
























A new washing machine was delivered and installed this last week. This replaces the troublesome middle washer that would sometimes stop working mid-cycle.
It is a high-capacity Whirlpool commercial washer. Happy laundering!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Maintenance Updates

Some recent maintenance updates.
























The hole in the driveway where the bricks were missing was recently repaired. The side parking area was blocked off while the work was being done. Markwood would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused for residents.
















The new labels for the mailboxes with names and numbers have been installed and seem to have improved the appearance of the mailbox area.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Parking Meeting!

Trustee Nate Gravel will be meeting with the Salem Parking Board on Monday, September 13 at 4PM at 120 Washington St. (That is in between the Thyme Cafe and the New Taste of Asia).
Nate is attempting to negotiate a reduction in the parking fees we now pay to the town which constitute almost 1/4 of our entire operating budget. No one seems to be happy
about the current parking situation which basically only allows us to park in Riley Plaza without being ticketed. We would like more consideration of the area around Norman Street and Holyoke Street as resident parking, or some reduction in fees. We do not have high expectations for the meeting as it is unlikely that the city will reduce a handy source of revenue, especially since they are holding all the cards, but we feel it is worth a try. If you can attend the meeting, it would be greatly appreciated. Nate feels that the more residents we have present at the meeting, the more compelling our argument will be. Please spread the word.

Monday, August 30, 2010

A Recommendation From the Fire Department
























Sunday night there was a bit of excitement on the second floor of 24 Norman Street. About 10:30 a smoke/carbon monoxide alarm in unit 202 started going off. The alarm was loud enough to hear clearly in the hallway and in other units. No one was occupying the unit at the time and efforts by Markwood Management to contact the owner were unsuccessful. As a result, the fire department was called, and arrived shortly thereafter to investigate. As there was no key available to unlock the door, the firemen (after trying to gain access through an outside window) were required to break the door to gain access. They quickly determined that there was no smoke, and CO levels were normal. The alarm was apparently faulty. No fire, or leaks..that is the good part. The bad part is that the unit owner now has to replace the door and the lock.

I mention all of this for several reasons, one being that if you hear an alarm going off inside the building, or smell smoke, you need to pay attention, and call someone. Don't just go in your unit and pretend that everything is fine. If this had been an actual emergency or fire, critical minutes could have been lost in getting people out of the building.
Another, is that bad things happen. Even if your unit is fine, what happens in units above and and below you can affect you. Leaking water heaters, overflowing toilets, smoke, various alarms going off, these things can all lead to unpleasant surprises for tenants and owners.

If you are going to be away from your unit for any length of time, or are generally unreachable, and don't want the fire department breaking down your door, you may want to consider providing the fire department with a spare key to your unit. They keep them in a locked box here in the building so that in the case of an emergency, they can actually access the units without having to smash up the place. You can contact Markwood Management to find out how. At the very least you may want to consider giving a key to a trusted neighbor. This is completely voluntary, but which would you rather pay, $3 for a duplicate key, or $200 for a new door?

Friday, August 27, 2010

Street Parking Enforcement













If you own a car and live at 24 Norman Street you may have noticed that parking enforcement on Norman and Holyoke streets has become more stringent in recent weeks. The sight of tickets stuck on the windshields of an entire line of cars is now becoming more frequent. Many of these are on the cars of non-Salem residents, but I have seen plenty on cars with Norman Street parking tags as well. After having received only one ticket in the entire 31/2 years that we have lived here, we have suddenly been "blessed" with 3 in one month. There was a time that you could park your car on Holyoke or Norman street and feel relatively secure that you would not get a ticket as long as your parking tag was visible.

This no longer seems to be the case. Salem also seem to be ticketing on Saturdays during the day. Although parking tickets are usually only an issue during the hours of 8am to 6pm, Monday-Friday, uneven enforcement and the general murkiness of our parking agreement with the City of Salem has made that less certain. It might be prudent to be extra cautious, especially as we draw closer to October and the usual Halloween press of tourists. Parking seems to be a perennial issue in Salem, and problematic for Norman Street residents in particular.

The opening of several new restaurants near us, the imminent opening of the new courthouse, the start of construction of a new garage at the MBTA station, and the hiring of outside "parking consultants" by the city, promise to make this an issue that will get worse over the next few years. Since parking tickets generate revenue for the city, there isn't a lot of incentive for them to play nice.

Remember that the plastic parking tags Norman Street residents are issued, that we pay for in our condo fees, are only good for the Riley Plaza lot across from the post office. That is the only area we are "officially" allowed to park without fear of ticketing (at least we have some legal recourse if we are ticketed there).

With on-street parking hard to find, you might be tempted to risk long-term parking in the dumpster-side lot of the building, but that's not recommended either as your vehicle will eventually get towed. Better a $15 dollar ticket than a $100+ towing fee.

In general, just be aware that ticketing is on the rise. Be careful out there!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A Word About Noise
















If you have lived at 24 Norman Street for any length of time, you have probably come to the realization that noise can definitely be an issue.
There is exterior noise; being located less than two blocks from the fire station, and close to a major intersection. Motorcycle exhausts, trucks, beeping horns, loud bar patrons staggering home at 1:00 am, homeless men going through the recycling bins at 6 in the morning. There is little that can be done about managing this exterior noise, and we accept this as part of living in downtown Salem.
Then there is interior noise. If you live anywhere but on the top floor, there is the creak and thud of people walking on the floor directly over your head, and occasionally other sounds, everything from toilets flushing and loud TV's and stereos, to loud laughing and talking. Because of the age and the size of the building, there is virtually no insulation or sound-proofing between the ceiling of one unit and the floor of another. Most building codes stipulate a foot of space between floors, as well as sound-absorbing material. We do not have that. This means that even activities that would normally be considered OK, (watching TV, loud talking and laughing) can quickly become annoying, especially if they are taking place after midnight. This is noise that can be managed , but it means that respect for, and enforcement of the condo bylaws is critical.
Just for the record, here is an excerpt from the condo documents;

4. No residential Unit Owner shall make or permit any noxious or offensive activity or disturbing noises in the Units or do or permit anything to be done therein which will interfere with the rights, comfort or convenience of other Unit owners. No residential Unit Owner shall play upon or suffer to be played upon any musical instrument or permit to be operated a phonograph or a radio or television or loud speaker or other such device in such unit between the hours of midnight and the following nine o’clock a.m., if the same shall disturb or annoy other occupants of the units, and in no event, shall any Residential Unit Owner practice or suffer to be practiced either vocal or instrumental music for more than two hours in any day or between the hours of six o’clock p.m. And the following nine o’clock a.m.. No residential Unit Owner shall give vocal or instrumental instruction at any time.

This basically means that tenants refrain from any noise-producing activity between the hours of 12 am, and 9am the following morning. It is pretty clear-cut. It is not a perfect world, and things do happen, but generally it is not the responsibility of tenants to accommodate noisy after-hours behavior. It is the responsibility of tenants to modify their behavior to accommodate the bylaw.

If you have an issue with a noisy neighbor, the dispute is best handled through the condo association. Keep track of dates and times and keep the condo association informed. They will speak to the owner or tenant, and if appropriate, will level fines until the person or persons are in compliance.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Recycling Bin























You may have noticed a new, blue recycling bin in the front stairwell. Jeannine Matthews in Unit 209 suggested that a bin be placed there for the recycling of the many papers and flyers that otherwise end up in the trash. It's a great idea, as the trash barrel is frequently filled with other, less-recyclable stuff. Remember the new bin is for paper items only.

Friday, July 30, 2010

A Word on Smoking
























Ahhh, smoking. Some people love it, some people hate it, and its getting harder to find places where you can do it. If you happen to be a resident of or visitor to 24 Norman Street, you may have noticed the new sign on the bulletin board. There is no smoking in any of the common areas of the building, this includes the stairwells, hallways, laundry room, and around the front door, inside or out. (Nothing like running a gauntlet of smoke when you come into the building). This applies to both residents, and guests of residents.
There is nothing prohibiting you from smoking inside your unit, however, given the small size of the units in this building, and the fact that the doors and ceilings are less than air-tight, this may not be your best option. Most people go to the dumpster side of the building, where you can smoke relatively undisturbed. Just remember to clean up after yourselves, and police your cigarette butts when you are done, and to keep the noise down for the benefit of the people living in units on that side of the building.

Friday, July 9, 2010

More Street Sweeping July 12 –July 23, 2010

There is going to be a second round of street sweeping later this month. Residential sectors will be swept from 8AM to 5PM. Sweep days are the next day after your trash day. To find your street sweeping dates, just locate what zone your street is in, and match it with the calendar. Monday sweep schedules are for the preceding Friday's trash day. For example, if you live on Atlantic Street, which has a Friday trash pickup, and you are located in Zone One, both sides of your street will be swept on Monday, April 26th.
Norman Street is officially Zone 2. We are scheduled for sweeping on Wednesday, July 21
* NEW THIS YEAR: ALL RESIDENTIAL AREAS WILL BE POSTED AS NO PARKING/TOW ZONE AREAS -CARS MUST BE REMOVED FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET ON YOUR SWEEP DAY. There will be a concerted enforcement effort to keep cars off the street during posted sweeping times so that our street sweeping is effective. Please remember to move your car.
(Please note: Certain weather conditions prohibit the use of the street sweepers: during moderate to heavy rainfall and extreme cold temperatures, sweepers will not be able to operate. Please check www.salem.com for weather-related canceled sweeps and more information.)
There will be a concerted enforcement effort to keep cars off the street during posted sweeping times so that our street sweeping is effective. Please remember to move your car.

Since our entrance corridors have already been swept, residents will be able to use these main streets as alternative parking areas on the day of their neighborhood sweep.
The following streets are considered entrance corridors and can be used as alternative parking:
Loring Avenue, Lafayette Street,Bridge Street, Boston Street, North Street, and Essex Street (the portion from Boston Street to Washington Street).

Friday, July 2, 2010

Window Air Conditioners
























Markwood Management is about to send letters to those people who have installed window AC units to let them know that the units are not permitted at 24 Norman. They will also be posting the building. Check your condo documents, nothing is allowed to hang out of the windows or from the sills, including air conditioners. If you are subletting, let your landlord know that they will need to get this fixed. If you take a look at the left hand side of the building you can imagine what it would look like if there were more window units. Markwood presumes that the window units have been installed because the in-the-wall AC units are no longer working properly. They suggest using Preferred Air (978-750-8282) and recommend them, but any licensed HVAC vendor is acceptable.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Water Quality Brochure

If you are poking around the front stairway, you may spy a pile of these brochures sitting on the floor. They are the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board 2009 Water Quality Report.
It outlines where our water comes from, how it is processed, and most interesting of all, lists all of the levels of microbiological, inorganic chemical, and heavy-metal contaminants, including copper and lead, that are found in our drinking water. Pick one up. It makes for some interesting reading. On second thought, maybe you don't want to know...

Gardening Anyone?


















Several people in the building have expressed interest in the possibility of starting a small garden in the area on the west (White Hen) side of the building. As you can see in the picture it is partially paved and largely unused. Markwood management is open to the idea, but a lot of questions would need to be answered first. It would likely be modeled on one of those urban community gardens like you see in Boston.



















The condo association would provide the space only, the individuals involved would be responsible for purchasing pots, soil, raised beds, and whatever else is required for a garden and maintaining it. Herbs vegetable, or flowers, maybe some tomato plants. The pots or raised beds would need to be move-able so that maintenance can access that area if they need to. Don’t know what the pest situation would be like either. I’ve never seen squirrels or chipmunks around the building, but you never know. We also need to figure out how much sun that area really gets. It seems like it gets a lot of afternoon sun. Getting access water might also be an issue as there don't seem to ba any outside faucets. I’ll keep you posted if and when this develops.
If you are interested or have any suggestions, please leave a comment or contact me.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Possible Parking Solution?
























On a recent trip to New York City, I spied this contraption in the Chelsea area of the Village. It might be a possible solution to our ever-growing parking problems. It lifts the cars vertically. You can put a lot of cars into a very small space, although you need to remove the cars in the reverse order that they went in. It's a thought anyway...

Two Updates








The repairs to the water damage in the back hallway have been completed. The walls have been stripped, damaged wallboard replaced, skim-coated and painted. The repairs also include a new, more secure door to the roof. The workmen finished the end of last week.
























The bolt hole on the bicycle storage area wall has also been enlarged to better accommodate the bolt, and it now works smoothly.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Outside Storage Area

















For those of you with bicycles, (or a desire to get one) you may be interested to know that there is a small storage area on the driveway side near the front of the building. The door has a combination padlock on it (contact one of the trustees or Markwood Management to get the combination).Because of the shared combination lock, it is still recommended that you have an individual lock for your bike if you are using the area.
There are some hooks on the ceiling for hanging bikes, and a wooden floor so that the area stays fairly dry. The light fixture is currently not working, so night-time use is not recommended.
It may be more convenient than storing your bike in your condo, at the bottom of the back stairwell, or in the space behind the laundry room.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Mailbox Update

It appears that the majority of residents at 24 Norman prefer to have names and unit numbers on the boxes. However, we are also sensitive to concerns about safety. (The reason for the codes rather than unit numbers on the outside directory is security.) Mark suggests that we make the default for the labels: Name and Unit Number. Anyone wishing to omit the name may request this and we will make up a label with the space where the name is engraved kept blank, so that they will have a uniform look.

Regarding the label color, we are considering grey (sample image attached) to accommodate a preference for black lettering. What are your thoughts? Carol will be stopping by the engraving shop this week and will try to get a couple of samples.
The actual sample will be posted in a plastic bag on the bulletin board.

C'mon People
























This morning we found this lovely little "gift" on the front stairway leading to the second floor.
Not sure if this pile of vomit was alcohol-induced, or the result of a sudden attack of the flu, but if you or one of your "friends" happens to vomit anywhere in the building, please clean it up, or call Markwood Management immediately and tell someone about it, don't just let it sit there and fester.

This may be a good time to remind everyone that vomiting, urinating, defecating, smoking, spilling your drink, or leaving your trash in the hallways, or on the grounds is not allowed. This is not a homeless shelter, Thank you.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Back Stairs Repairs











An update on the ongoing repairs to the back stairway that was water-damaged by rain blown under the rooftop doorway during the heavy rainstorms and high winds we experienced earlier this spring. Repairs have been made to the door, and the damaged wallboard and paint on the walls and ceilings have been cleared (in some areas down to the wall studs). New wallboard, skim coat and paint will be coming soon.

Air Conditioning Units


If your air conditioning unit looks like ours does, it's probably pushing 30 years old, and not working very efficiently. You may be interested in replacing it before the really hot summer weather hits. Several people in the building have had their units replaced within the last year or so, including trustee Jessie Zuberek. She used a company called Preferred Air (www.preferredair.com) They are giving a $250 off on unit replacement through May 31st. There are also federal tax credits available on certain qualifying energy-efficient models. If anyone (residents or owners) out there has had good experiences with or would like to recommend another company, we'd love to hear about it.

Blog Flyer!


You may have noticed a flyer sitting on your doorstep this week. Yours truly designed them and building trustee Nate Gravel had them printed and distributed them to all residents of 24 Norman Street. If you received the the flyer, welcome to the blog! Follow us weekly on the blog and please send your e-mail address to markwoodmgt@hotmail.com. Markwood management would love to be able to notify you of upcoming meetings, and other building issues via e-mail. Thanks!

The Back Door


In the past few weeks it has been noticed that the door at the bottom of the back stairwell has frequently been left unlatched. The locking mechanism can stick, and keeps the door from closing completely. Markwood Management had Secure Lock out last week to investigate. They could not duplicate the problem but lubricated the latch. It was noticed again yesterday that the door was again not latched.
We just want to remind residents who use the back door to be sure it has closed completely. The door seems like it has enough weight behind it to close on its own, but the lock sometimes sticks, and if you close it gently, it will sometimes not latch. It also can looked closed from the outside, but still not be latched. (see the picture)
Many residents, when dropping off trash, recycling, going out for a smoke or other errand, find it convenient to leave the door ajar, however, if you are leaving the grounds for any length of time, please make sure the door is closed. This is a potential security issue. Markwood will continue to keep an eye on it and call Secure Lock again if we continue to have problems.


Wednesday, May 5, 2010

New Look for the Mailboxes!


Carol from Markwood Management is going to be cleaning up and straightening out the name/unit information on the mail boxes and would like to enlist your esthetic sense. The plan is to replace the numbers on the lower right with unit numbers and replace the current name stickers. They plan to use an engraved sticky backed plaque like piece for both. Any input regarding shape, color and font?

Markwood Management also plans to pull out the small, dead, dwarf evergreen to the right of the driveway. They will replace it next week, or if possible sooner. Plans to plant along the outside of the fence hiding the dumpster will have to wait until the fence company completes repairs on the center post of the fence, which is leaning in.

Monday, April 19, 2010

New England Condominium's 2010 Condo Expo















For anyone interested, there is a New England Condominium's 2010 Condo Expo at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, Ma, Wednesday May 12, 2010 from 11:30am to 7:30 pm.
With over 150 exhibitors, it will feature thousands of products, services and solutions for condo dwellers in "every area" including Insurance, security, landscaping,waste removal, windows, tile and stone, plumbing, pest control, storage, and exterior maintenance. Vist www.ne-expo.com, or cal 617-274-4819 for more information.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Vendor Suggestions

If any tenant or owner has had positive experiences with vendors for plumbing, air-conditioning, appliances, window repair, doors, locks or any other condo-related service, and would like to suggest them, please contact the author of the blog by e-mail
(see my profile information) or make a comment here on this post.Thanks!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Street Sweeping















If you've been living in Salem for a year or more you know that there is an annual schedule for spring street cleaning. If you don't, this is important news because it will affect where you can park. According to the Salem Gazette, Norman Street and Holyoke Streets fall within Zone 2 and are scheduled for street cleaning (both sides) on May 7. This means that you should plan to park somewhere other than Norman or Holyoke Street on Friday, May 7th between 8am and 5pm. Similar to a snow ban, parking in areas designated for street cleaning can lead to your car being ticketed or towed. If you have any questions about the street sweeping visit the Gazette's web site at WickedLocalSalem.com, (go to the City Info tab on the homepage) or visit the Public Works page at salem.com or call 978-744-3302.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Regular Postings Coming Soon















I have spoken with both Mark and Carol at the 24 Norman Street Condo Association, to decide what kind of things we will be posting here on the blog.
We won't be posting any proprietary information such as financial, or foreclosure information, although we may list things like recent unit sales or purchases, since those are already public information. What we will be posting mostly are resources for typical unit maintenance issues such as air conditioning units, water heaters, windows, appliances, locks, etc. We may also be posting notices about general building maintenance issues, such as any updates to the laundry room, and upcoming repair to the recent water damage in the rear stairwell.
Local Salem events that have an impact on building tenants such as parking, street cleaning, trash, etc. may also be posted here. There has also been a suggestion for postings concerning the building's long and interesting history.
Feel free to post suggestions and comments and let us know if there is any particular subject that you would like to see addressed here. These postings will supplement, but not replace the bulletin board, and the annual condo meeting.
We will hopefully start posting regularly in the next week or so.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

24 Norman Street Blog!















Welcome to the first post of the 24 Norman Street blog! This blog will be for residents, both owners and renters, to check for news, updates, notices and opinions about living at 24 Norman Street, Salem, MA. We will also post links and information about vendors, and general maintenance questions.