Revere Conservation Commission approves stormwater plans for Redgate development site

Special to the Journal

The Revere Conservation Commission unanimously approved Redgate Development’s plans for stormwater and wastewater management for its proposed development on the G and J Towing site.

Redgate is looking to build a 291-unit apartment development at the site located at 22 Whitin Ave., just beyond the General Edwards Bridge, and adjacent to Gibson Park.

The vote at the Aug. 11 meeting followed presentations before the Commission by Revere’s Chief Planner and Zoning Coordinator Frank Stringi, Redgate Vice President Libseth Bello, and engineers Katie Cruz of Hancock Associates and Anders Bjarngard of GZA GeoEnvironmental.

Before the vote, Ronald Clark, candidate for the Ward 5 seat on the City Council, raised concerns about the overall project.

“The pumping station on the Lynnway, from what I’m told right now, can’t handle as much as one more toilet bowl,” said Clark.

Clark also questioned other segments of the city’s master plan for the area, including the boatyard property, and the traffic plan for the site.

“There’s no traffic plan in effect as of today, so right now we’ve got to assume they’re going to be using the Lynnway, with much more traffic coming in and out, especially if this thing gets built prior to this traffic design being completed.”

Clark also wondered aloud about the construction of the new fire station in Point Pines “and how it’s going to affect this traffic plan they’re coming up with.”

Al Fiore, a candidate for the Ward 5 seat, also brought up the Point of Pines fire station and the lack of progress on the project for several years. Fiore also cited what he believes will be the negative impacts of Redgate’s 291-unit development on the Point of Pines neighborhood.

Ward 5 Councillor John Powers, who voted in favor of Redgate’s proposal at a City Council meeting, said after the meeting that the “fire station had nothing to do with the Conservation Commission meeting – nothing whatsoever.”

“They’re doing asbestos removal at the station right now,” said Powers. “I’m told by the people doing the work that the fire station will be leveled by the first week in September. The meeting had nothing to do with the fire station. The fire station is going to be built. They’re working on the demolition now. That was not to place to discuss the fire station.”