Local empty storefronts are growing
Published on May 16th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - As town officials push to encourage growth in Stoneham Square, at least seven storefronts in the vicinity of the downtown area stand unoccupied, some for months on end.
In recent weeks, at least four central business district properties, including Salads Etc. across from the Town Common, the old Shoe Hospital, and the popular My Brother's Place and Ronnie's Place subshops, have closed the doors to their operations.
Those newest vacancies now accompany two other prominent storefronts shuttered long ago, the old Blue Parrot eatery on Main Street and Franklin Street's former D'Agostino's restaurant.
Highland Printing, located on Main Street, has also posted lease signs on its edifice in recent months, although the business has relocated. The old D'Agostino's and Highland Printing spaces both received approvals from the Selectmen to be redeveloped into new restaurants, but both those proposals have reportedly been abandoned.
According to Sharon Iovanni, the Executive Director for Stoneham's Chamber of Commerce, she believes the sprinkling of vacancies across the downtown area can be attributed to a larger economic cycle, rather than to anything directly related to the way the town operates.
However, the Girard Road resident also believes that the town's officials and business community could do a much better job in promoting Stoneham, especially its attractive geographic location near both I-93 and Route 128.
"The small business owner, I think, is really beginning to struggle under mandates they can't meet," said Iovanni, listing the state's new mandated health insurance program as an example. "But we have lots of small businesses here that are making it everyday."
"Stoneham sits at the elbow of I-93 and Route 128. You could not frankly find a better place to do business. We should, as a community, have great appeal, and we need to do a better job marketing ourselves," the Chamber of Commerce representative added.
Citing Town Meeting's recent approval of the FY'08 budget, which will re-establish a Town Planner position should a $3 million override pass next June, Iovanni praised the decision to revive the post, saying that role will go a long way in bringing in attractive businesses.
While he agrees with Iovanni's assessment of the Town Planner, Selectman Paul Rotondi has repeatedly argued that something needs to be done to address the permitting process in Stoneham.
According to Rotondi, who agrees that the vacancies themselves aren't the result of any town-wide trend, he has heard on multiple occasions that developers avoid Stoneham due to a popular perception that it takes too long to acquire the necessary municipal approvals.
"The underlying problem needs to be addressed, and that is, how do we make ourselves more business friendly," Rotondi opined. "I think part of the problem is our application process.."
"The whole permitting and approval process is too long and cumbersome," the Selectman continued. "In fact, we established a committee last year for that very purpose [to figure out ways to streamline those functions]."
Disagreeing with his counterpart, second-term Selectman John DePinto suspects that Stoneham's downtown area will experience a wealth of new development, now that Town Meeting has endorsed a measure to allow for the leasing of municipal parking spaces.
"I think our town does a pretty good job with permitting. I don't always agree with the projects that get denied, but overall, I think our boards do a good job expediting the process."
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