By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD —— The Zoning Board of Appeals hearing process is winding down for the redevelopment of 369-371 Main Street as the plans for the project take final shape. The ZBA could issue a decision on the project as soon as its Sept. 13 meeting.
Most recently, the building on the southwest corner of Main and Chestnut streets was home to Santander Bank. Longtime residents remember the property as the former Shawmut Bank. Old-timers will recall the property as the Wakefield Trust Company.
William J. Thibeault, the new owner of the downtown property, would like to make it into a new mixed-use development including a restaurant in the old bank building and residential apartments in a separate new building in the rear.
The plans call for a high-end restaurant on the first floor of the bank building with five residential units on the second floor. A separate, new building would be constructed in the rear (currently a parking lot) and would have 15 residential units. An elevated walkway will connect the former bank building to the proposed new building.
At last week’s hearing, Brain McGrail, the local attorney for the project, displayed the final architectural plans based on discussions at previous ZBA meetings.
He announced that the developer and the town have agreed to an easement across the property for the Albion Cultural Exchange, and an agreement has also been reached with the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department for an additional easement.
McGrail pointed out that a transformer currently sits on his client’s property that serves several buildings in the area. The agreement with WMGLD will allow a Phase 1 transformer to be located on the property to serve those other buildings, McGrail said. An easement out to Chestnut Street will provide the Light Department with access to the Phase 1 transformer. A separate transformer on the site will serve his client’s buildings, McGrail added.
He noted that the Traffic Advisory Committee had issued its report on the project earlier on the day of the hearing. It was not discussed at the meeting as the ZBA had not had a chance to review it.
McGrail also said that the Town Engineer Bill Renault had sent an email to the development team outlining his department’s final areas of concern. McGrail said that Renault wanted the project plans reconciled with the improvements made to Albion Street. He also requested some improvements to storm water management on Chestnut street as well as some changes to the driveway and to handicapped access.
The ZBA and the developer agreed to defer discussions on signage to a later time.
McGrail said that he was hoping to get the ZBA’s blessing on the final architectural design and to get some direction from the board regarding an operations and maintenance plan and draft conditions for the project with an eye toward closing the public hearing at the next meeting.
Board members asked McGrail to go ahead and draft a decision and O&M plan.
No one from the public offered any testimony at the hearing, which was continued to the board’s Sept. 13 meeting.