Newburyport, Development, Newbury, Route 1
February 10th, 2007This is a slightly less hysterical post of the “MAYDAY” post that was in my blogging head yesterday.
It is in response to the article on the front page of the Newburyport Daily News, February 9, 2007 with the headline “Historic proposal presented.” (Possibly somewhat of an ambiguous headline.)
Facts mentioned in the article that made my blood pressure go up.
* 72 acres of land just south of the railroad station in Newbury for major development.
* 90,000 square-feet of retail space and 248 homes.
* “The 220 rental apartments would be clustered in 24 buildings, the 28 townhouse condiminiums in four other structures.”
* Beacon Community Development.
* 35,000 square-foot grocery store.
* “…rival, if not eclipse, the “Waterside West” development that Newburyport city officials envision developer Stephen Karp could propose on the city’s downtown waterfront.”
* “The project would be about two miles from downtown Newburyport.”
* “The retail part of the development would be about two-thirds the size of Port Plaza, on Storey Avenue.”
* “…it was likely that one or possibly two traffic signals would be needed, at Route 1 and the new main street and a few hundred feet farther south at the Route 1-HanoverStreet-Middle Road junction.”
* “Beacon would be working with Newburyport to provide water and sewer service to the village.”
* “The goal is that this would be fiscally neutral for the town… ”
This is was what the article did not say.
The “development” will be on about 20 (I think) acres of land. Still a heck of a lot of land.
This is “technically” part of the Little River Transit Village. “Technically.” In reading the stuff on the Little River Transit Village, it doesn’t sound like the “development” is in the spirit of that planning document. (This is where I need a major education from the readers of the Newburyport Political Blog. I will admit to being on a huge learning curve when it comes to the Little River Transit Village stuff.)
This is not “new” or out of the blue, but has been in the works for at least a year. (Boy, have I ever been under a rock. I’ll have to turn my eyes towards the Newbury part of the papers from here on in.)
And on the Town of Newbury website, yes indeed, this area is slated for development. Who knew? Not moi, I can tell you.
I have tons of questions about this project. But Wow. Good grief. Yikes! Excuse me? And come again?
Mary Eaton
Newburyport