LYNN — The EDIC Board met Tuesday with an update on the transformation of South Harbor into a public park.
In what Executive Director James Cowdell declared is “the largest investment in Lynn’s history,” the $500 million project is now moving along in the process.
City permitting is complete, and the state will “take over” the process, which Cowdell describes as lengthy. It took 10 months to acquire the first state license, and they’ve just begun the process for the Chapter 91 license.
Construction on both the infrastructure and Harbor Park is expected to begin this September, Cowdell said, while the work on the building itself will likely begin next year. The state has also approved an $8 million grant program, through the MassWorks, for the next three years — a $24 million commitment to the project.
Despite the current state of the economy, which could impact construction costs, Cowdell is confident that the state is moving the process along. “I talked to them, 100% they’re going forward [and] they’re paying for the creation of the eight-acre park and the infrastructure mark.”
Regarding the park itself, the Board has asked the public for input on what they’d like to see in the recreational space, including interest in a stage for performances and swings.
“It’s really been awesome to get the public input on that, and that’s going to really guide us as far as what type of park is going to be built,” Cowdell said.
The goal is for South Harbor to transform the waterfront and provide the Lynn community with a space that best utilizes the now vacant land.
“[We] know how important it is to the City of Lynn just to get this project off the ground and coming across that bridge and seeing something nice in that location will be really big,” Ward 6 Councilor Fred Hogan said. “Obviously there’s a couple projects we want off the ground too, but at least it’s still moving forward. So we’re happy with that.”
