What's done and what's left at the Stoneham Square parking lot
Published on August 18th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - To the delight of Stoneham merchants the 84-space, $1.4 million Stoneham Square Parking Lot bordering Central and Franklin Streets is open to local shoppers.
"I think it is good for the area," said Ralph D'Agostino of Cutlet Cuisine at 19 Franklin St.
Stoneham Parking/Common Project Manager Joe Slavet described the goal of the project as acting as a "catalyst to economic development."
"It looks like they decided to be more than utilitarian, added a little flash," D'Agostino said. "I might fix up my storefront a little now, and then maybe the next guy will, too."
Jane Cahill of McDonough's Liquors — which abuts the lot — is also pleased with the work and end result.
"The workers were out there everyday, and it looks good," she said. "I think it will help business."
But, Cahill did have a concern about how the lot would be regulated.
Slavet said Jeff Nutting is working on a parking management plan to designate which spots will be used as, for example, two-hour or 30-minute or all-day parking.
"We definitely do not want it to turn into an all employee lot," Slavet said.
Although area employees say they need more spaces. A waitress at Anchors at 423 Main St. had to ask the neighboring Dairy Mart at 427 for a spot yesterday afternoon. Both businesses welcome more parking for customers and employees.
Quirk Construction of Georgetown, Mass. began the project in May. To date Quirk removed the original pavement, regraded the lot, installed a drainage system, irrigation system and electrical wiring, laid concrete sidewalks along the roadways and brick sidewalks inside the lot, installed granite curbing and a decorative metal fence, repaved the lot, and painted in lot spaces. The lot was scheduled to be done in August, and most of it is.
Quirk Project Manager Mark Masella said for now the lot is open to everybody.
"The only work on the lot remaining is landscaping and installation of lights," Masella said. "Also a subcontractor (Cleveland Fence) is putting up a wooden fence along Fuller Street."
According to Masella, the lot will close for three to five days next month for planting and light installation, but all work will be complete by the end of September.
"It has been a particularly dry season, and you wouldn't want to put new plants in yet," said Project Architect Gene Bolinger of the Framingham design firm of Levy, Eldredge and Wagner Associates, Inc.
Town Engineer Bob Grover, who has supervised the project, said the light poles the town asked for are of a custom design.
"The manufacturer wouldn't have these lying around, so Quirk has been waiting for delivery," Grover said.
Cleveland Fence should be working on the fence this week, Masella said.
After Cleveland Fence and Quirk finish work, the town will have to put up additional signage to control traffic around the lot, Slavet said.
Other possible future improvements include a mural on the outside wall of McDonough's facing the lot.
Now that Phase I of the Parking/Common Project is complete, attention will center on the new town common design scheduled to go before the selectmen Aug. 24.
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