The City of Lynn is making a beeline to court with Mayor Jared C. Nicholson and the City Council insisting that taking two buildings by eminent domain ― to provide more space for municipal government and school services ― makes sense.
It doesn’t. We propose an alternative that would meet city space needs, create economic development, and avoid a legal fight.
We suggest Nicholson convene the newly-created Lynn Development Team and conduct a thorough assessment of vacant property and buildings that, from a real estate agent’s and the city’s perspective, are under utilized.
Working with the Council Public Property Committee and the Economic Development & Industrial Corporation (EDIC/Lynn), city officials can select a property or properties that meet the city’s needs for municipal office and school space needs.
The municipal bond authorized by the council in January for acquiring 2 State St. and 37 Friend St. can be used to finance the acquisition and renovation of the selected properties.
Let’s focus only on 2 State St.
An alternative plan offers advantages. It ends the misguided eminent domain proposal that has already put the city on a collision course with Lynn State Street 2 LLC — the investor group that is under contract to purchase the distinctive glass-walled bank building at the corner of State and Market streets — and with Eastern Bank, the building’s owner.
Investor group manager Peter E. Cook is correct in noting that 2 State’s future use should be what the building was designed to be — a bank — as noted in his letter published on page one of the March 31 Item.
The second advantage comes in the development opportunity stemming from a search for a site around the city in need of a new lease on life. Instead of acquiring real estate attractive to private buyers like Cook’s firm, the city should be looking to acquire and restore blighted property — much the same way Infill Housing reinvigorated neighborhoods in the 1990s.
Bringing city and school workers into a renovated building or a new building erected on a vacant lot means bringing activity into a neighborhood and dollars that can be spent in surrounding businesses.
The need for municipal space gives city leaders an opportunity to make a dramatic impact on a neighborhood where one is needed.
Seeking an alternative to eminent domain is crucial to keeping the city out of court and to restore its good-faith relationship with the business community. It’s not too late for city officials to dump the misguided eminent domain pursuit in favor of a productive alternative that meets city space needs.
