Councillors back residents’ concerns over proposed Broadway development

Advocate Staff Report

REVERE – The Revere City Council held a public hearing on the application for a special permit for 529 Broadway LLC to raze the existing nonconforming structure and build a five-story, mixed-use development at 529 Broadway. Attorney Larry Simeone and architect David Barsky presented the plan for a 116 unit building to replace the existing auto body and repair shop, restaurant and liquor store.

“This mixed-use project is designed to ameliorate the streetscape,” said Barsky.

An auto shop and two restaurants are planned for the ground floor. There will be 61 parking spaces, primarily for retail customers rather than residents. Two rooftop gardens will bring light to units in the densely designed building. According to Barsky, the design will contribute to the urban corridor that Broadway is becoming.

Barsky also presented images from a shadow study and said there are no meaningful shadows cast by the building except for during a few weeks in December.

“It’s not the shadows I’m worried about, it’s the giant monster I’ll see when I look out my window. That’s all I’ll see,” said neighbor Marie Shand, who has lived in her custom-built “dream house” for the past 35 years. “I don’t feel that giant monsters should be in the middle of the city.”

Shand said she wants to be able to see the sky from her window. She also raised concerns about traffic. She said the neighborhood already copes with heavy traffic from the Lincoln School and there should not be any plans to add to it.

Shand said that during a neighborhood meeting about the project the developer described the building as “high end.” “High-end is wonderful but our city is blue collar,” said Shand, adding that potential tenants looking for high-end apartments would head for the beach.

She said she worries the building will go up but remain empty because no one will be able to afford to live there. “I don’t see a great outcome for this project,” she said.

Councillor Anthony Cogliandro, who represents Ward 3, the location of this proposed development, said he would save his comments for the zoning subcommittee review but added, “If my constituents aren’t pleased, neither am I.”

Councillor-at-Large Robert Haas brought up the Broadway Master Plan and said that during community meetings to create the plan, not one person said they wanted to see a 116-unit building on Broadway. “This looks like something you would see down on the beach. I’m not sure it’s a good fit for Broadway,” said Haas.

Ward 6 Councillor Chris Giannino said the building was beautiful, but Broadway isn’t the right location.

Councillor-at-Large Michelle Kelley said projects like the one being proposed are what she hears most often that constituents don’t want. She raised questions about the stress the development would put on city infrastructure.

“I like the design but I’m not in favor of the location,” said City Council President Marc Silvestri.

The City Council referred the project to the zoning subcommittee for additional review.