GA Blog

5.16.12 Downtown Peabody Road Work Will Continue Into Fall

The Salem News recently reported that downtown businesses are preparing for construction on the downtown Peabody road project that will span from spring to late fall, starting in May and finishing up in November.

The project is a complete redesign of the Main Street section cutting through downtown Peabody. The project will change the street from a four-lane road into a two-lane road, with emphasis on improving pedestrian safety and aesthetics.

Construction on the half-mile strip will be done in sections so that no one business is hurt more than others. Once one section is completed all of the equipment will be moved to the next area. The city has insured local residents that construction will not be in progress during rush hour, and is considering implementing a night construction schedule.

Read the entire Salem News article.

5.14.12 6 Single Family Homes Approved in Haverhill Development

A local developer’s proposal for a 15.5-acre, six-home project on Rosemont Street in Haverhill was recently accepted, reported the Eagle Tribune. The development will include an access road as well as a 3.5-acre lot sectioned off as undevelopable open space.

The city of Haverhill will be receiving $3,600 to post new safety signage and lights on Rosemont Street, as well as to maintain the open-space designated on the street. Public walking paths along the Little River will also be built by during the project.

The project was approved by city council under “cluster development” laws that will allow the developer to bypass zoning regulations that require homes to be spaced out more than the project calls for. In return the developer is designating 3.5 acres to be unbuildable land.

Some of the homes built are expected 5to be three-bedroom homes with a garage. There will be no affordable housing within the development.

Read the entire Eagle Tribune article.

5.8.12 Ipswich Land Sale Settlement Overturned by Citizen Appeal

The Salem News recently reported that a settlement between the Ipswich School Committee and the Feoffees -- the landlord group of the 36-acre Little Neck peninsula property -- to sell Little Neck was revoked by a citizen group appeal that was voted on at town meeting.

The settlement between the school committee and the Feoffees called for the Feoffees to sell the property to Little Neck residents for $32.5 million, and to use that money as a permanent endowment for the Ipswich Schools.

The citizen group appeal which overturned the settlement was proposed with a strong belief that the School Committee was getting “short changed” in the deal, and “cheats the schools out of the best value of the land.”

The appeal was passed with a 500-89 vote in favor of revoking the agreement.

Read the entire Salem Five article.

4.5.12 Peabody to Purchase Land from MBTA for $235K

The Salem News recently reported that the City of Peabody is looking to purchase a “key parcel” of land located on the corner of Wallis and Mill Streets. The land, which is currently owned by the MBTA and rented to the city for $1 per year, will be used as a staging area for a flood mitigation project that will route culverts under downtown Peabody.

The 28,300-square-foot lot currently sits vacant and is used as a parking area for downtown workers. The city believes that the site would not only benefit the city as a staging area during the flooding mitigation project, but may also be an ideal spot for a future parking garage in an attempt to “reinvigorate” the downtown area.

"It's a nice spot for a potential multilevel parking garage, or really anything. It gives us the ability to do a couple of different things," said Peabody Mayor ted Bettencourt. "The MBTA could and can at anytime reclaim that property, so I think it is important to take control of it," he added.

The land was appraised at $255,000 although the city expects to pay $235,000 for ownership.

Read the entire Salem News article.

3.30.12 Beverly Homeless Shelter Closes Emergency Housing During Restructure

The Beverly Citizen recently reported that Beverly’s River House, a mainstay for homeless adults, is in need of restructuring in order to remain effective in its mission.

The River House will be closing their emergency housing program on April 30th while the new board of directors works to alter and improve the River House business model. Efforts will be made to find housing alternatives for the current shelter residents.

Harborlight Community Partners will be stepping into the management position at the River House and they hope to reopen the emergency housing shelter before this winter, setting a goal of October 15.

The River House assists the homeless regain their independence by providing shelter, permanent single-room housing, and support services. The shelter takes in 36 homeless men per night and serves roughly 200 adults per year.

Read the entire Beverly Citizen article.

3.28.12 Hamilton Residents Try to Stop Sale of Pond Public Access Point

The Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle recently reported that a city-owned public access point to a Hamilton, MA pond may be sold by the town after a 2006 ruling for the town to sell off “surplus” property.

The area known as Idlewood Park off of Lake Drive offers public access to Pleasant Pond and a running trail that leads around the pond and through downtown Wenham. The town recently put the lot-- which was originally paid for by town money-- up for sale, setting a minimum bid of $20,000.

The Lake Drive neighborhood and “Pleasant Pond devotees,” have since sent petitions of the sale with 70 signatures to the town. The plot of land is the only publically owned parcel on Lake Street and the only access point to the Pond, beach and trail in the area.

The Town selectmen that went to the site deemed that the area was not of great importance to most of the town’s residents because of the lack of parking, limited boat access and steepness of the land. In Town Meeting the Hamilton Selectmen decided to bring the matter to a vote in the May annual meeting.

Read the entire Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle article.