LYNN — The City Council, on Tuesday evening, unanimously approved a seven-story, 98-unit apartment building that would be located behind a popular senior housing complex on Eastern Avenue.
City Council President Darren Cyr expects construction on the residential building, which would feature a mix of one- and two-bedroom market-rate apartments, will begin late this winter or early next spring.
The new building would be located directly behind Kings Beach Tower Apartments, a low-income senior housing complex at 130 Eastern Ave., but unlike that 183-unit complex, the future development is meant to include a mix of seniors and younger residents, Cyr said.
“There is a waiting list of close to 500 people to get into that building,” said Cyr referring to Kings Beach Towers. “That’s how popular this location is. People from all over the North Shore, not just Lynn go there.”
Cyr, who represents the neighborhood where the development would be located, said the project has been envisioned as the next phase of Kings Beach Towers development for more than a decade, which would ultimately create a village-type atmosphere for residents of all ages in the neighborhood.
The developers, including petitioner Deborah C. Comins, of Colaris V, LLC, are part of the management team at Kings Beach Towers, according to Cyr.
Citing the extensive waiting list at Kings Beach, Sam Vitali, the attorney representing the developers, said people “were anxious to see an added supply of units that would be available.”
The new building would contain 32 one-bedroom units and 66 two-bedroom units, would include two levels of parking and a rooftop interior lounge, and would offer “commanding views” of Kings Beach and the Atlantic Ocean, Vitali said.
“You’re looking at, in Lynn, another $40-50 million project,” said Cyr. “Lynn is the happening place (for development) so it makes sense for them to build that building now because they believe they’ll be able to fill it not just with the senior population. There’s (also) a need for market-rate units and that’s what this part of the development is.”
Potential future neighborhood phases include two additional buildings, one of which would be a four- to seven-story mixed-use development with residential units on the upper floors and commercial space on the lower floors, which would possibly include a small grocery store, bakery, coffee shop, barber shop and beauty parlor. The second building would be residential only, Cyr said.
“It’s to create a walking atmosphere in the neighborhood,” said Cyr.
To that end, Cyr said the city has been working with several property owners who own large parcels in the neighborhood on developing some of those former manufacturing sites.
“It’s a very heavy industrial neighborhood, but a lot of the industry has left and it’s getting harder and harder to fill those industrial spots,” said Cyr. “We’ve been talking with the property owners, (who are) looking to do some type of residential (developments).”
The area, which is located near Kiley Park Playground and includes several surrounding streets such as Sanderson, Burrill, Michigan and Seymour avenues, is still zoned as light industrial.
Since the development team was seeking a residential use on Eastern Avenue, at the Sanderson Avenue rear, they were granted a special permit on Tuesday night, which also allowed for a seven-story building, Cyr said.
Prior to the council vote, only one person called in opposition to the proposal, a woman who hung up before giving her name or saying why she opposed the project. Throughout the process, which involved two community meetings, Cyr said there has not been any opposition from residents or abutters in the impacted neighborhood.
“Other than the person calling in opposition (tonight), everybody in that neighborhood has been in favor of it,” said Cyr. “They have friends on the waiting list (for Kings Beach). Some of those people will be able to get into this building.”