LYNN — State officials announced today that Lynn will receive $3.7 million in grant funding from the MassWorks Infrastructure Program to assist with the rehabilitation of Hanson Street on the Lynnway.
Although drivers currently use Hanson Street, primarily, as a passage to the Walmart and the site of the former Mass Merchandise Mart, it will eventually be the entrance to new housing developments planned at the South Harbor site, the future Lynn Harbor Park, and the waterfront.
Executive Director of Lynn’s Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC) James Cowdell said in an interview earlier this month that the $100 million housing construction project was one of the first steps toward a re-imagined Lynnway.
“When you look at the Lynnway, it was mistake after mistake as far as right on the ocean, you have a Walmart, you have fast food restaurants, you have a bunch of used car dealerships. We came up with a master waterfront plan, changed the vision, and now you’re seeing development starting to happen,” Cowdell said.
Mayor Jared Nicholson, in a written statement, referenced the city’s Municipal Harbor Plan, the city’s guide to waterfront redevelopment that outlines ways in which the harbor can be better utilized through public access. He said the Hanson Street reconstruction will serve as an improvement to transportation, and as a way to bring new residents and customers into the city.
“As set out in our Municipal Harbor Plan, the rehabilitation of Hanson Street seeks to be a catalyst for other transportation improvements along the arterial Lynnway corridor. It is also intended to support and attract new businesses in this neighborhood by adding housing, attracting new customers, and massing residents and visitors to a safe, vibrant, and walkable waterfront,” Nicholson said. “We are excited to receive this grant and we look forward to working with a variety of partners in and around the South Harbor area.”
Changes to Hanson Street will be based on the MassDot’s Complete Streets best practices program and, according to a press release from the State House, will include utility improvements such as a reconstructed sewer pump station.
MassWorks provides grants to communities across the Commonwealth to fund infrastructure projects that accelerate housing production and job growth. The program places a particular emphasis on the production of multi-family housing in appropriately located walkable, mixed-use districts.
Senator Brendan Crighton, who serves as Senate Chair of the Transportation Committee, said that the grant would help expand public access to the waterfront.
“As we continue to activate our long-underutilized harbor, it is crucial that we have the proper infrastructure in place to ensure that it is accessible to our residents,” Crighton said. “This funding is a key step in making our waterfront safe and usable for all to enjoy.”
State Representative Daniel Cahill echoed Crighton’s remarks, adding that the waterfront had lacked governmental investment for years.
“This state grant helps to unlock the South Harbor Development that has been lacking investment for several decades,” Cahill said. “We are proud to partner with the city in supporting new economic development in Lynn.”
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected]
