LYNN — Neighbors of the shuttered Marshall Middle School expressed support for a plan to turn the vacant building into senior housing.
Since the school closed in 2015, the neighborhood has suggested the 172,500-square-foot property be redeveloped. Later this year, the city will issue a Request for Proposal to find a developer to buy the school and complete the project.
On Tuesday, City Council President Darren Cyr and Councilor-at-Large Buzzy Barton hosted a public hearing for a zoning change that would allow for the development of much needed senior housing.
Under the proposal, the three-story facility would be retooled to house 100 apartments for seniors. When completed in two years, the project will include mostly one-bedrooms, a few two-bedrooms, and some townhouses.
“That’s a wonderful idea,” said Calvin Anderson of the Lynn Historical Commision. “We applaud the adaptive reuse of this property. Why knock it down when it can be put to good use?”
Sixteen neighbors attended the hearing and voiced concerns about traffic and parking. But Cyr and Barton assured them traffic studies will be completed and the developer would be responsible for making it work.
“I’m all for them building that place, I may be in it someday,” said Michael Pasquale, longtime resident of Jackson Street. “It’s better to have the senior citizens there who are quiet because the only thing you’ll smell with them is Bengay.”
The project would also include ground floor retail to serve elders such as a beauty parlor, doctor’s office and small grocery shop.
“Everyone knows the city is not in the greatest financial shape right now, so we’re looking for different ways to raise money and bring more revenue into the city,” said Cyr. “There is a need in the city for elderly housing.”
The building is assessed at $8.6 million and the land has an assessed value of $1 million, according to city records.
Lynn has been looking for new school locations, but Cyr said the Marshall Middle School location is not the right place.
“If they wanted to make it into a school and bring it up to today’s standards of learning it would cost upwards of $50 million,” he said. “For only a few million dollars, the contractor would gut the old building and then keep the structure of the beams, the brick and the metal.”
Ten percent or 10 units would be affordable to low-income renters while the rest would be priced in the $1,100 to $1,600 range, said Cyr.
Thomas Grillo contributed to this report.
