THE OWNER of the long-vacant property at 460 Main St. says that the cleanup of contamination is complete and he wants to rehab the building into a combination of retail and residential. (Mark Sardella Photo)
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The owner of the property at 460 Main St. says that he wants to clean up and rehab the property and get it back into productive use, but the Town Council last week expressed skepticism that the owner of the long-blighted property is serious about getting the property back into presentable condition.
Alexandros Tsitos, the owner of the property opposite the Americal Civic Center appeared before the Town Council last week with his son, Andreas, and his Lynnfield attorney Thomas Colonna. The property in question once included Ristorante Molise. The block of store fronts has been vacant for many years and is now boarded up and painted with large X’s per request of the Fire Department.
Colonna explained that when his client purchased the property in 2011 it was contaminated. Tsitos has spent a lot of money cleaning it up, Colonna said. One of the reasons it has taken so long, he said, was that the contamination had seeped into an abutter’s property. It addition, the cleanup company that he hired did not work consistently to complete the job.
Finally, after Colonna was brought on as the attorney, they got a recommendation from the abutter for a new Licensed Site Professional to come in and finish the cleanup. The cleanup of the site was completed in August, Colonna said, and Tsitos would now like to work with the town to make the property presentable again.
Town Councilor Jonathan Chines wanted to know what the exact plan was for the property. Andreas Tsitos said that his father would like to renovate the existing storefronts and façade and create one-bedroom apartments above and in the rear.
Questioned further by Chines, Andreas Tsitos said that the entire project would take about a year and a half, although the retail storefronts could probably be brought into shape in about six months.
Town Councilor Edward Dombroski was skeptical of Tsitos’ sincere interest in cleaning up the property, given the preceding years of inaction.
“The property has been an eyesore for years,” Dombroski said. “Now, suddenly you have an interest in sprucing things up?”
Dombroski noted that Tsitos has made representations to the town multiple times over the years that the property was under a purchase and sale agreement or that it was close to a sale.
But Colonna and Andreas Tsitos claimed that selling the property was difficult due to the contamination issues.
“He wants to make it right now,” said Andreas Tsitos. “He has that ability now that it’s cleaned up.”
Colonna echoed that message, saying that the elder Tsitos is a hard-working immigrant who has the best intentions. There was some suggestion that a language barrier due to the elder Tsitos’ limited English speaking proficiency may have contributed to the long delays in cleaning up the contamination on the property.
Board members insisted that they were willing to work with Tsitos but needed to see concrete proof that efforts were underway get the property back into decent shape. They asked that Tsitos and his attorney return a meeting in the near future with evidence that things are happening.
Colonna agreed to keep the board apprised as progress is made.