| Work Detail |
A whir of heavy machinery greets drivers crossing the North Andover/Middleton line along Turnpike Street as development is booming along this section of Route 114. A mix of commercial and residential developments line a one-mile stretch of the road, and at varying degrees of completion, residents will have to travel through that construction zone for a few more months. Once the projects are completed and occupied, an additional traffic load on already busy Route 114 is expected. Growth at the extreme southern edge of town means North Andover reaps all of the tax benefits while much of the added traffic burden will be borne by neighboring Middleton. Traffic was a main concern during public hearings for these developments on Turnpike Street. Middleton town administrator Andrew Sheehan acknowledged both towns would likely see an increase in traffic due to the developments, but that it wouldn''t be overwhelming. It''ll definitely add a little bit over the length of 114 both going north and south, but I think it will be generally dispersed enough that it''s probably not going to cause any overwhelming of our intersections, he said. Residential developments Eric Kfoury, director of community and economic development for North Andover, said these developments are partly the result of a years-long need for more housing regionally. Two of the projects are residential, and will bring in a combined 248 units to the town through Chapter 40B planning – which allows developers to get their projects through municipal zoning boards more easily if one-quarter of the units have long-term affordability restrictions. A total of 62 units between the two projects will be reserved as affordable housing units. A Tewksbury-based company owned by Peter Hingorani filed an application with the town in 2005, originally proposing 95 condominiums in two structures. Public hearings ensued for two years and the final decision resulted in an agreement for 52 units, three of which would be single-family dwellings facing Berry Street. The remaining 49 units would face Turnpike Street, according to the decision. Construction continues at the condominiums known as Merrimack Village Townhouses, located at Compass Point on Turnpike Street, though there are some units already on the market. According to the Zoning Board of Appeals decision, 13 units will be reserved in perpetuity as affordable housing, defined for this specific development as earning no more than 80 percent of the median household income for the Lawrence PMSA (Primary Metropolitan Statistic Area). North Andover is included within the Lawrence PMSA. The single-family dwellings are not included in those applicable units. According to JTE Realty Associates, the organization coordinating the affordable units, the three-bedroom, townhouse-style condominiums are listed as $216,900 for eligible homeowners. The JTE website lists six affordable units on a first-come, first-serve basis, however they are not ready for occupation yet. Various listings for the three-bedroom townhouses start at around $460,000. The larger development, Berry Farms, will bring 196 units to town when the development is finished. The project is being developed by The Dolben Company, based in Woburn. Dolben, in partnership with North Andover Holdings, filed its application with the town in 2012, originally proposing 240 units. After two years, the town approved a plan for 196 units. Affordable units are listed as $1,084 for a one-bedroom, while two-bedroom units will rent for $1,287. The units will available by lottery, for which an application is available at North Andover town offices. Market price for the rentals start at around $1,700 for a one-bedroom. The units are scheduled to be available in September. Concerns, and benefits Many residents of the surrounding area expressed concern about increased traffic on Berry Street during the public hearing process. Concerns about land conservation also arose during public hearing. Berry Farms'' developer pledged that 20 acres of the land will be preserved in its natural state and will offer hiking trails. Merrimack Village Townhouses -- which are surrounded by wetlands -- had to obtain a special permit from the Conservation Commission in order for the town to approve the project''s plan. But there is a potential for communities to benefit as well, according to Middleton''s Sheehan, who said that area of Route 114 is prime for development. Middleton has open plots of land currently being developed as well. There will certainly be some commute benefits -- people stopping for a cup of coffee on the way to work ... some ancillary services like dry cleaners like that. I think it''s generally beneficial for the business community to have that number of units constructed. Commercial developments Also along that stretch of Turnpike Street are two commercial projects approved by the Planning Board this year. The most recent Master Plan, released in 2000, targeted commercial development as one method to reduce the residential tax burden and expand the town''s tax base. Earth Works, an excavating contractor, demolished a single family home and garage with plans to construct a showroom and retail space on the land at 2303 Turnpike St., right on the Middleton town line. Earth Works is a New England company that specializes in landscaping, excavation, and erosion control and wetland replication. The Planning Board approved the proposal, put forward by Earth Works president Danny Gill, in April, after about six months. Kfoury said he was excited the land would be put to use after years of sitting vacant. Now you have this very vibrant business going in there, and that''s great, he said. Also approved quickly by the Planning Board is an auto repair facility with an attached pizza/sub shop at 1812 Turnpike St. That proposal was put forward by Georges Atallah, of C&C Auto Corporation in December 2015 and approved after two months. Kfoury said the commercial developments are typical for the businesses that already exist on that stretch of Route 114. An expanding town Kfoury said development takes time, and continued approval of projects is an indicator of economic stability. Berry Farms was a lot of years of approval process ...The other ones, they''re going to take some time, they might have started during the economic turn and the rebound from that took some time, those things are in effect, he said. You''re seeing some activity obviously on that stretch again, and I''m excited about that. One of the biggest housing developments in North Andover, Oakridge Village condos on the Middleton line, started building in 2004 and built up to 2007, took a break during the housing crash and continued to build from 2010 through 2013 when the project was completed. Currently in the public hearing phase with the Planning Board is a mixed use development at 1210 Osgood St. -- a proposed commercial space developed by Forgetta Development, and a proposed 192 residential units developed by Princeton Development. Both applications say their projects are consistent with the Master Plan released in 2000. |
