The Town of Nahant’s bid to stop Northeastern University’s plan to expand its East Point Marine Science Center has become a David versus Goliath contest, and town residents on Saturday get their chance to fire the proverbial slingshot.
Residents participating in Town Meeting will be asked to approve Articles 21 and 22 on the Town Meeting warrant. Taken together, the articles — both of which need a two-thirds majority to pass — give Nahant the financial mechanism to acquire a conservation easement for the undeveloped portion of East Point not owned by the Town.
Combining $1.5 million in Community Preservation Act (CPA) money and $3 million in private donations already in hand provides a creative solution to give the Board of Selectmen the tools necessary to acquire the property, while capping acquisition costs and risk to the town.
Northeastern built the Marine Science Center in 1966 on 21 acres long held by the federal government. Its expansion plan, rolled out in 2018, was a textbook example of how not to unveil a major project in a small town.
The proposal quickly pitted a politically-connected, nationally-known institution with deep pockets against town residents, who mobilized to oppose the expansion with a 1,700-signature petition sent to Northeastern’s president in early 2018.
By this spring, the battle lines separating the university and the town were etched in stone. Northeastern stood firm on its proposal to build a 55,000-square-foot structure roughly the size of the Marshalls store in Vinnin Square. The Board of Selectmen stood firm on upholding campaign pledges to protect East Point’s open space.
Selectmen have assured residents that with private donations in hand and CPA borrowing spread across 30 years, the eminent-domain cost works out to $35 a year per town household. Northeastern spokesman Michael Ferrari said the town (Item, May 10) is significantly underestimating acquisition costs and expenses associated with construction delays if the town does not pursue eminent domain.
Northeastern also maintains its $6 million community benefits offer over 40 years is fair and includes conservation protection. But town estimates calculate that if Northeastern expands, the costs in town services related to the expansion will approach $26 million over the same period.
The Selectmen have been bold in charting a path toward responding to Northeastern’s plan, ultimately crafting Town Meeting articles that are responsive to town residents’ financial concerns and the need to protect treasured open space.
By contrast, Northeastern has taken a ham-fisted approach to laying out its plans. Its response to town objections has been increasingly aggressive with Ferrari’s latest comments bordering on bullying.
“Yes” votes on Articles 21 and 22 on Saturday give town officials a clear path to acquiring and preserving East Point land. The articles’ passage also provides important leverage town officials need as they continue to negotiate with Northeastern over the university’s expansion plans.
We encourage “yes” votes.