Marblehead board OKs redevelopment of theater block

MARBLEHEAD – A new store and office building slated for the Warwick Theater block on Pleasant Street has been approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals.The unanimous approval followed less than 45 minutes of hearing and discussion Tuesday.During the discussion before the board?s vote, Paul Lynch, representing the developer, told the board, “We don?t know what?s going to happen to the theater,” then added, “One of the (commercial) bays will probably be a restaurant.”In previous discussion Lynch has said that the façade and marquee of the Warwick Theater will be preserved in memory of the historic business that attracted generations of Marbleheaders from 1919-1999, but there will be no movie theater in the building. Before the trust began seeking permits, a group of Marbleheaders proposed placing a new theater in the building but Lynch has so far rejected that idea.After the hearing he told a reporter that no decisions have been made.The board continued the Warwick Realty Trust request for a special permit when the hearing began Feb. 22, requesting further information from Attorney Paul Lynch. Since then Lynch has supplied them with that information and gained the approval of the Planning Board and he appeared before the board with a scale model of the block to reinforce his remarks.Board member David Tubridy raised questions about the building?s compliance with the concerns of a town consultant hired by the Planning Board to study the project.Lynch said the concerns were “addressed by the engineering report.”The project will include a small park on the Anderson Street end of the property, 84 parking spaces and a full-scale traffic light at Pleasant and School streets, which will require the approval of the selectmen.Traffic will enter the parking lot from Anderson Street and School Street, but exit only onto School Street. There were no comments from the audience.Meanwhile across town the Recreation and Parks Commission appeared to favor the idea of an additional National Grand Bank parking lot at the Pleasant and School streets end of the former YMCA site. A condominium project has been approved for that site. Traffic will enter the lot from Pleasant and Essex streets but exit only on Essex Street and the parking spaces will be for bank use only.Bank President James Nye said the bank plans to seek bids next week. “I?m hoping that the Fourth of July Horribles Parade will be able to meet in there,” he said.