Visitors to itemlive.com were all about real estate this week, whether it was a brand new supermarket, a venerable old mansion, or a mystery cafe. Other readers were interested in Lynn’s finances, be it money coming in for a new seawall, or money going out in the school budget.
Here are five of the most-read stories on itemlive.com this week.
Market Basket opening to cap off transformation: Readers at itemlive.com were most interested in this story about the supermarket with a cult following. After more than a year of construction, shoppers will finally get a crack at the brand new Market Basket on Western Avenue. The man himself, Arthur T. Demoulas, will be on hand for Saturday’s grand opening of the $30 million, 84,000 square feet market..
Seaside mansion facing wrecking ball: It’s not everyday the owner of a century-old waterfront mansion decides to tear it down. But that’s exactly what’s happening in Swampscott, where owner Robert Corcoran plans to raze the manse, carriage house and game courts to make way for 16 condominiums or apartments. The planned development will include affordable housing options.
Lynn wins $1M prize: The effort to redevelop the city’s waterfront got a boost in the form of a $1 million grant, which will do toward building a seawall along the old Beacon Chevrolet property. The grant comes courtesy of the state’s Seaport Economic Council.
Coffee lovers will find a convenient fix at the former Hilltop site: It’s hard to be coy when you’re talking about a property famous for its giant neon cactus, but developers at the former Hilltop Steak House site in Saugus gave it a shot this week. The site’s owner, AvalonBay Communities, announced a nationally known coffee shop has agreed to build a drive-through shop on the property, but they wouldn’t say who it was. The only hint: This company already operates a cafe in Saugus.
Mayor: Schools swallow city’s budget: The fifth most-read story on itemlive.com this week involved the Lynn school budget. Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy told the School Committee that the department’s voracious financial needs were putting a squeeze on the rest of the city’s budget. Some committee members weren’t pleased by Kennedy’s pronouncement, reminding her of the city’s legal obligations and warned against anyone pitting city departments against each other.
