Problems looming over Gutierrez office park
Published on April 11th, 2001
STONEHAM , MA- Arthur Gutierrez, Jr. — the main player in the Burlington based Gutierrez Company’s effort to build an office park on Woodland Road — won’t return phone calls about his April 3 meeting with Melrose Mayor Patrick Guerriero.
The cities of Melrose and Medford as well as a citizens group in Melrose have sued in Middlesex Superior Court to halt the Gutierrez project. According to Guerriero, area residents fear drainage, safety and traffic problems will spill over from the Stoneham property.
In a letter to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, signed by more than 50 residents of the Ravine Road, Fellsway East and Philips Road neighborhoods in Stoneham and Melrose, the residents presented specific concerns:
Residents say that West Wyoming and the Fellsway do not have the capacity for increased traffic as would be expected from the office park. The neighbors cite a daily morning back-up of one mile on Fellsway East.
Residents complain that there is no safe access for pedestrians or bikes in the area, which contradicts Gutierrez statements that car traffic would be alleviated by people choosing to walk or bike.
The proposed drainage system would discharge on Ravine Road. How this would affect the neighborhoods is unknown because the current drainage pattern is similar, but the neighborhood floods now, so residents want to look closely at changes and seize any opportunity to improve the situation.
In February Gutierrez proposed and Stoneham officials approved redevelopment of the 40-acre former hospital site. Three six-story office buildings and a 1,100-space parking garage will rise from the ruins if the project succeeds.
“The meeting Tuesday was productive and promising,” Guerriero said.
He said that Melrose will review traffic and drainage concerns while Gutierrez does the same. Then the two sides will sit down in three weeks to see what should be done and who will pay.
“No action has been taken on the court cases,” Guerriero said. “Hopefully, there will be no need.”
However, it is hard to gauge the optimism of Guerriero without a response from Gutierrez.
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