~ GUEST OP-ED ~ Ward One and Everett on the Rise!

By Peter A. Napolitano

I live on the same street, and in the same house that I grew up in. Ward One has seen many changes in the last 60 plus years. We were host to some of the biggest, dirtiest industrial sections of Everett. When they moved on, they left heavily contaminated land as their legacy, as well as a severe loss of tax revenue. We have paid the price. The biggest developments occurring in Everett today are centered on these industrial wastelands. What is the future for our southern gateway into the City of Everett?

It started with the Encore Boston Harbor project which removed tons of contaminated dirt from the former chemical plant site. This started a cycle for a new vision for Everett. Now the former Edison/Constellation powerplant is being addressed. Thanks to the efforts of Senator DiDomenico’s push to pass special legislature, it is possible to tear down this obsolete powerplant, to build a professional soccer stadium. Everett would become the new home of the New England Revolution, bringing with it a direct relationship with our community though all kinds of new programs for us to benefit from. The project has issues to be worked out, but there is plenty of time to solve them. Additionally, phase 2 of the Encore project has been on hold. The stadium project will bring them back to the table. This involves a second hotel, an extension of the casino, shops, restaurants and possibly a theater. All of this generates revenue to the City of Everett.

We are also experiencing a boom of apartment complexes springing up across the Revere Beach Parkway. With the severe housing shortages all over the State, it’s small wonder that this land that once housed scrap yards and vacant industrial buildings has become a site for all-inclusive apartment complexes. This brings additional concerns for public safety. Are our police properly staffed to handle an additional few thousand people housed in these new apartment neighborhoods? Are our fireman receiving the proper additional training, personnel and equipment to handle the types of fires they will be called on to fight in the not-so-distant future? Proactive approach is needed, not reactive. Studies need to be made to create recommendations based on realistic projections to help the City of Everett manage this unprecedented growth and development. Maintaining our public safety should always be of the highest order.

There is more going on, such as the remediation and development plans for the old Exxon site and others. These projects affect all our residents, not just my Ward One neighbors. Now is the time to limit the in-fighting and open our minds to the possibilities. Everett is an evolving community and Ward One is leading the way. It is going to take experience and vision to make that continue to happen. In the final analysis, development has to have the Everett community’s best interests at heart for all our residents. Thank you for your consideration.

  (Editor’s Note: Peter Napolitano is a candidate for Ward One Councillor.)