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Date: 7/13/2022
HADLEY – The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a change of use for an old church located at 8 River Dr. to be converted into the new building for the Duffy Academy of Irish Dance at its meeting on July 7.
Paul Regish, an accountant with John P. Regish and Co. and owner of the dance academy Alycia Duffy presented their proposed use and changes to the board. Board Chair Andrew Bombardier was absent but submitted a letter to the board which was read by board member Jason Galvin as an abutter and the immediate neighbor to the building.
“We did not realize that this is an evening, nighttime business,” Bombardier said. “We are concerned about the potential noise levels in an old building if the academy will be operating until 8:45 or 9 [p.m.] on a regular basis as it currently states on their website. We would like the board to consider a limitation on the operating hours of the establishment and a condition that the owner/operator take steps to mitigate the sounds that will come out of the studio and impact this largely residential neighborhood.”
Duffy said she planned on removing the windows from the southern-facing wall which is nearest to the Bombardier’s residence and installing sound-deafening ROXUL insulation, something she has done in her previous studios. Duffy added that windows will be added on the opposing wall for light and insulation.
Regish said the exterior will remain unchanged while the interior is “pretty much gutted.” The building has not been renovated since the 1980s and is in need of a new HVAC system. Duffy said she wants two classrooms, one larger and one small that will be mostly open spaces to teach Irish stepdancing.
“As it happens, [Bombardier’s] back patio if you look through the trees is directly in line with Alycia’s studio so we will know quite quickly if there’s any sound issues,” Regish said. “I can just about guarantee if issues pop up, we will quell them right away with soundproofing and all that business. The last thing we want to do is make a bad neighbor with Andy, for sure. If anything pops up we will take care of it rather quickly.
“We have to remind ourselves we’re not talking about a live garage band or a rock concert, we’re talking a home stereo speaker system that she plays with adjustable volume obviously if neighbors get upset and say, ‘Turn it down,’ we can do that to stay in compliance and keep happy neighbors,” Regish said. “I have to be empathetic, I put myself in Andy’s shoes, I’d be right here if I was him as a neighbor saying, ‘I don’t want to hear it,’ so I don’t want Andy to hear it either.”
Duffy affirmed that she would be taking any necessary steps to install the sound-deadening insulation because she likes happy neighbors in general, saying she would do the same thing even if Bombardier wasn’t “so closely involved with Hadley ongoings.”
“If he has any further input as far as how to further do so, I’m open to those ideas,” Duffy said. “I do want to make sure I can conduct business. I’m open to things that would make for happy neighbors and those type of things, I want to make sure that I’m being approachable and having those conversations and knowing that I take it very seriously because I myself want to live in the woods and I don’t want somebody to mess with that serenity. I do hope to be approachable, and I also want to ensure I can conduct business within those limitations.”