‘Grown Ups 2’ to shut down Marblehead streets

The production of “Grown Ups 2” will be closing off Pleasant and Washington streets this month for filming, according to a motion passed at the Marblehead Board of Selectmen on Wednesday.A portion of Washington Street by Crosby?s Marketplace will be blocked off from July 17 to July 28 and Pleasant Street will be blocked off near the Masonic Temple from July 17 to July 20.Without residents in attendance and no opposition from the selectmen, the motion was passed quickly and smoothly.Mark Fitzgerald, the Location Manager for Columbia Pictures, was absent from the meeting.Later in the meeting, Selectman Judith Jacobi mentioned that thank you cards should be sent to the film?s production team for the $30,000 that they had given to the town.Another presentation made at the meeting gave notice that more traffic issues may be a concern on West Shore Drive in the future. Joseph Gleason, a Right of Way Agent, presented a petition by Verizon New England to cut the asphalt on West Shore Drive to lay 1,100 feet of conduit to deploy more fiber cable, due to an influx of Marblehead customers who want Fios access.Though Gleason was not clear on when the project would occur, he made it clear that it would be more cutting than usual for Verizon. Gleason was clear that none of this work would be done on private property.A final motion worth mentioning was that the Marblehead Police officers will be made into Assistant Harbormasters with an expiration date of May 2013. The motion could be in response to the excessive partying that took place on Brown?s Island on July 4.After the last piece of business was taken care of and before the meeting was adjourned, Selectman Bret Murray gave “thanks to all the events that took place last week” during the Marblehead Festival of Arts. “It?s something that makes me feel proud to be a Marbleheader,” said Murray.The selectmen warned the few audience members who were left at the meeting that the Glover School?s demolition would be starting July 24, and advised not be alarmed at the blasting. They assured that because it is a small building, the blasting would be kept contained.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].