Marblehead residents grill project reps at Y presentation

MARBLEHEAD – Attorney Paul Lynch and architect Peter Pitman, representing the downtown commercial and residential project at the former YMCA building, spent an hour getting grilled by local residents and two business neighbors Tuesday.They showed preliminary drawings of the four-story, 17-unit (three affordable units included), 27-parking space project, which will require them to raze the present "Y" building. "It wasn’t financially feasible for us to use it," Pitman said.The design includes outdoor parking accessed from Pleasant Street and ground-level parking accessed from Essex Street.Kerry Thomas of Chet’s Video and Patricia Brogna of Chet’s Video posed the bulk of the questions, dealing with pedestrian safety on Essex Street, trash disposal and the actual need for commercial space.Fire Chief Jason Gilliland said his truck ladders can’t reach the fourth floor of the building as it is currently designed."This is a process," Lynch said. "We will make it safe."