2013-04-11CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION:
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
LOCATION:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHERS:
RECORDER:
Economic and Community Development Council
Charlene St. Jean, Don Fournier, Bill Howard, Mike
Collins
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Site visit to Brimbal / Sohier Road area
Vice Chairman Neil Douglas Tina Cassidy
Paul Guanci
Mayor William Scanlon, Denise Deschamps, John
Dunn
Tina Cassidy
Douglas calls the site visit (which starts at the Vittori - Rocci Post parking lot) to order.
He distributes a handout to those present which contains an aerial photo of the general
area, a map showing property lines, ownership and building footprints, and various other
site specific maps.
While at the Rocci Post Douglas points out that Santin owns the abutting property
consisting of 50,000 sq. ft. of floor space and has plans /desire to redevelop the site for
commercial space in the future. Santin also owns the property at 129 Brimbal Avenue
space which is presently being leased to Symmetricom and Enzymatic Corporation. The
parcel across the street owned by Brimbal Avenue Development LLC is already
permitted for a commercial retail development and the owner is willing to "swap" land to
make Phase I of the Brimbal Avenue overpass project possible. He is anxious to build
and has identified a retail anchor for the site. Mayor Scanlon adds that the owner's
representative (Steve Cohen) is very amenable to working with the City and the State to
make both projects realities. He also says that the contemplated land swap with Brimbal
Avenue Development LLC is essential to the future of Phase I.
Douglas points out various other parcels in the area, noting that Appleseed's facilities on
Tozer Road will soon be vacant and that the 35,000 sq. ft. facility formerly occupied by
Kaiser Systems is also available.
Next, members visit Bomac Road. There Douglas points out the 180,000 sq. ft. complex
currently occupied by CPI; the ballfield owned by CPI; the building at the end of Bomac
Road which was recently sold by CPI to Halistar; and the temporary access through CPI's
property to Cell Signaling's site on Tozer Road.
Douglas mentions Cell's desire for better access to Sohier Road, which could be effected
via CPI's existing driveway or a new one to be constructed. There is also a desire to see
a sidewalk constructed along a portion of Bomac Road to connect to a sidewalk on Sohier
and possibly a new traffic signal at the Bomac / Sohier intersection.
Final ECDC Site Visit Minutes April 11, 2013
Page 1 of 2
Next, members visit the property of Northridge Homes, Inc. Douglas explains that there
are 98 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units in this development and that 75% of the units are
affordable. The form of home ownership is cooperative, meaning every unit owner is a
stakeholder. The affordability restriction on the affordable units is due to expire in two to
three years and the owners are now considering their collective future course of action
which could include selling to a for - profit developer. If this happened the value of the
property would increase substantially (and therefore the real estate tax revenue) but the
75 or so affordable housing units would be "lost" from the City's inventory. There is the
potential for an additional 60 -75 residential units on the property. The owners would like
to see a new access point to the property from a newly- reconfigured roadway layout
associated with Phase I of the Brimbal Ave. overpass project.
There being no other business, the site visit concludes at approximately 4:10 p.m.
Final ECDC Site Visit Minutes April 11, 2013
Page 2 of 2