Route 1 dinosaur facing extinction

SAUGUS – Gone will be the days of Route 1 Miniature Golf & Batting Cages, which has been a fixture in the town for 57 years. However, the existence of the iconic orange dinosaur may be spared.The dinosaur, along with the neon cactus of the former Hilltop restaurant, are two of the more famous landmarks in Saugus. The property on which the dinosaur sits will be sold to Michael Touchette of MT Realty Trust in Lynnfield, who plans to turn the corner property, as well as an adjacent property that he already owns, into a development of a different nature.Touchette said he bought eight acres at 1591 Broadway behind Route 1 Miniature Golf in 2013 and developed plans to build a nine-story hotel with luxury apartments at the top.New zoning laws prevented plans for the nine-story hotel to be erected, he said. Touchette switched gears and developed his “master plan.” It includes two hotels, retail space, a meeting space and function hall, a coffee shop, and a restaurant.Touchette said he is working with two major chain hotels and plans to have one extended-stay and one full-service hotel.”Hopefully that will come together within the next three weeks,” he said.For now, construction is on hold until plans are approved by the zoning board, he said.”Once we get approval, overall, it will be a two year project,” he said. “I designed my project based on the new zoning. There are no special permits required. Hopefully from that stage we just keep moving forward.”The master plan, however, doesn’t include preserving the mini-golf course, batting cages, or “Dairy Castle” ice-cream stand, he said.Touchette said he is not opposed to keeping the landmark dinosaur that overlooks Route 1 in his design plans.”I have left that up to the people who own it,” he said. “I know there is some pressure through the town. A lot of people are calling and asking what is going to happen with it.”Nobody has made the decision,” he said. “I could work it into my master plan if that’s what they choose.””I’ve seen the dinosaur here since I was a little kid,” said Karen Alcantara, of Revere, who was at Route 1 Miniature Golf with her children. “It’s pretty sad. I hope they decide to keep it here.””It’s definitely emotional,” said Wendy Mejia, of Revere, who stopped at Dairy Castle for ice cream. “It’s kind of been a landmark for us. It’s part of the identity of Route 1, it’s an iconic place.””We have plenty of hotels on Route 1,” said Andrea Vargas, of Revere. “Where are the kids going to play? It’s sad for the kids.”Route 1 Miniature Golf owners Richard and Diana Fay could not be reached for comment.The 18-hole golf course first opened in 1958 and has been family-operated since. The business has been under the ownership of the Fays since 1979.Touchette said that if he does not receive his approvals by April or May of 2016, Route 1 Miniature Golf will stay open for one more season.