SWAMPSCOTT –– At a meeting Monday evening, the Planning Board met Bill Gause and Thad Siemasko from Leggat McCall Properties LLC. to review their application for the Glover Residences at Vinnin Square, which would bring 96 rental units to the town.
The Glover Residences site consists of approximately 4.06 acres of land located between Vinnin Street in Salem, Salem Street in Swampscott, and Tedesco Street in Marblehead. The proposal includes two buildings with 96 rental units in Swampscott, and one building with 44 rental units in Marblehead.
The project promises to bring 17 affordable units to the market. Gause and Seimasko said the plan would revitalize a derelict property and increase property valuation as well as real estate tax revenue.
The proposal includes 1.5 parking spaces per unit, bringing the total to 144 parking spaces for two buildings in Swampscott. On Oct. 5, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., a multidisciplinary American civil engineering consulting and design firm, submitted an independent traffic review for this site.
Planning Board Chair Angela Ippolito said she believes the most important part of the traffic review is the pedestrian circulation. For a large complex like Glover Residences, the circulation will be intense. The traffic review pointed out that many of the existing pavement markings such as crosswalks are faded and lack visibility. VHB suggested that new crosswalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian signal equipment should be installed.
Gause, executive vice president of Leggat McCall Properties LLC, suggested that the Planning Board and Historical Commission can join the conversation, and conduct a site visit together.
“Swampscott Fire Department and Marblehead Fire Department are going to work together on this, making sure that the buildings would be fully sprinkled,” said Ippolito.
Siemasko pointed out that on Salem Street, there are two stone piers. The site plan proposes to keep the two pillars as a monument and remembrance to the history.
However, the bus stop near two stone piers would be moved to a new place. The plan awaits meetings with the MBTA.
Leggat McCall Properties LLC. did not comment on the traffic review during the meeting Monday, but Gause said the company would address it at a later date.
The Planning board will go through the drainage report and stormwater report prepared for the proposed developments at a future meeting.
Sylvia Chen can be reached at [email protected].
