An Unsafe Situation

Selectman Panetta fears debris from vacant Karla’s Shoes building could create road safety hazards for Route 1 traffic

By Mark E. Vogler

Once again, Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta is calling for the town to do something about the dilapidated red building on Route 1 near the Main Street exit ramps before something tragic happens. “What if somebody – a homeless person or somebody … a child, who knows – went in there and something fell down and killed them?” Panetta asked during the public comment period of Monday’s Board of Health meeting.

“There are so many safety concerns with that property, it scares me,” she said.

It was the latest of many pleas she’s made for officials to address safety concerns about the former Karla’s Shoes building located at 1181 Broadway (Route 1 South).

“My biggest fear, honestly – is something is going to fly off – maybe the new ‘PRADA’ sign they put on there to make fun of our town, which is embarrassing. As a Saugonian, I feel that way,” Panetta said.

Prada is a world-renowned Italian luxury fashion house that specializes in shoes, other leather goods and fashion accessories.

“What if something blows down and goes in the middle of Route 1? How many accidents? What do we have to do to get that building taken down?” Panetta asked Board of Health members.

The building, situated next to the Auto Excellence Group property, is considered a public safety threat. The Fire Department had red “X’s” attached to it to warn people not to trespass into the building.

Isabelle Smith, of Malden, owns the .188-acre property, which is valued at $671,500 – including $122,100 for the building.

Panetta said a broker had reached out to her and said they were going to sell the property for $900,000 and asked if the town would be interested.

“I don’t know what the town would do with it. Our only concern is the health and safety of not just Saugus residents, but of people driving up and down on Route 1,” Panetta said.

Public Health Director John R. Fralick III said the existing situation at the Karla’s Shoes is an issue that has frustrated town officials in recent years because the owner has been reluctant to maintain the property or have it torn down. “As far as action we can take, there is a very long, arduous road of receivership that we can take,” Fralick told Panetta.

“That’s something we’re looking into with a number of properties,” he said.

Fralick said town officials could compile a list of violations and provide them to potential receivers who could go to Land Court and argue “There are violations on site that are imminent threats to health and safety.”

Fralick told Panetta that in future talks with Inspectional Services staff, “I’ll turn around and say, ‘Let’s make a move with Karla Shoes.’”

Board of Health Chair Maria Tamagna suggested that there be a problem property committee that would have Health Department and Inspectional Services staff discuss common concerns related to a list of properties and use it as a way to enforce local regulations and issue fines to the property owners.