American By Products will rebuild on site of Lynn fire

LYNN – The fire-ravaged lot on Andrew Street, which once housed the American By Products building and several other offices, may soon be home to the same transfer station that collects old grease from restaurants and transports it to local companies.According to attorney Sam Vitali, who is representing American By Products owner Joe Cormier, plans are currently being drawn up to rebuild on the exact same spot that was ravaged by flames in February.As of now, Vitali said the plans will reportedly just include the American By Products building and not the other offices that used to be housed on the property.”That’s at least what is being contemplated right now,” he said. “I haven’t seen the drawings yet, so I’m not sure how it will be laid out, but he (Cormier) is looking for his own immediate needs right now, not the other tenants.”On Feb. 1, a four-alarm fire engulfed the by products building, and two buildings that Cormier rented out – Hatch Hearing Aid Center, and the office of Bratton & Springer LLP.The Good Samaritan Church was also damaged in the blaze.The buildings were torn down in April and the area was cleared of debris.City officials previously voiced concerns over Cormier reconstructing his business downtown because of the close proximity to residences and other businesses.However, Vitali said Cormier legally has the right to rebuild on the same spot with the former layout within one year without needing city approval.With roughly seven months left before the former layout expires, Vitali said Cormier has to either find a new spot that is large enough to house his business and get a special permit by the City Council to do so, or simply stay where he was before.”It’s the easier way given the time frame and the solution lends itself,” he said. “If he has the land already and can build a building to fit his needs, then it looks like that’s what’s going to happen.”The spontaneous combustion of work gloves was determined to be the cause of the blaze, which left city officials wondering if the same situation could ignite again.Acting Fire Chief James Carritte said if Cormier does in fact rebuild on the same spot, the new building would be subject to strict fire codes that would reduce the possibility of a similar blaze.”We’re comfortable with the use because the real problem of the fire was not caused by the cooking oil materials, but the multiple layers of roofing that made it difficult to reach the fire,” he said. “The fire got trapped in the layers and became a unique circumstance.”Carritte said he wouldn’t anticipate encountering the same type of fire because the new building would have to be equipped with a modern water sprinkler system.”But as for what the city would like to see there, I’m sure their opinion differs,” he said.Carritte’s hunch seems correct – the city’s ideal plan for the central business zoned land, according to James Cowdell, executive director of the Economic Development & Industrial Corporation (EDIC), would be the construction of first floor retail and subsequent floors of residences.A total of four separate people were reportedly interested in purchasing Cormier’s land and converting it into the city’s dream project, but they were ultimately turned down by Cormier.”We also looked at about four or five other sites for Cormier to build on in the city – one at the East Coast Seafood site on Alley Street, another on the Lynnway where he is currently operating out of, a body shop on Fayette Street Extension that he said wasn’t big enough, and another, but it looks as if he’s going to build where he was before, and we couldn’t stop him if we wanted to because he has the legal right,” Cowdell said.