?? Atlantic Crossing gained final approval on Wednesday, July 17 to redevelop the site of the former Temple Israel.
The approval came from the Board of Selectmen at their most recent meeting, granting permission to the developers to build 14 homes at 837 Humphrey St. It came just two days after the Planning Board approved a definitive subdivision plan for the development.
?We?re delighted,? said Phil Singleton, a principal of Atlantic Crossing.
?? Formal purchase of the land will be finalized in August or September, with work to start shortly thereafter.
?Off we go,? said Atlantic Crossing development project manager Bill Luster.
The first two or three months will involve demolishing the former Temple Israel, which was built in 1946. Luster expects completion within two years.
?? Selectmen Chairman Jill Sullivan said she was ?thrilled it?s going through.?
?A seven-year process comes to an end,? Sullivan said, making reference to various proposals for the site over the years.
In late 2011, the Board of Selectmen and Building Oversight Committee received a $2.2 million bid from Atlantic Crossing ? then Charing Cross Realty Trust ? for a 19-home development, and $1.2 million bid B?nai B?rith Housing New England for a 64-unit apartment building for residents 55 and older. In 2010 a proposed 32-bed assisted-living center for patients with Alzheimer?s disease was rejected by the selectmen.
?? The selectmen accepted the Atlantic Crossing bid as recommended by the Building Oversight Committee, but the May 2012 Town Meeting rejected the proposal, which Luster attributed to a lack of familiarity with the project and concerns about density.
Last July, the project was downsized to 14 homes to bring the development into more conformity with the neighborhood across the street, and the purchase price was lowered to $1.85 million, which was approved at a special town meeting last fall.
Some controversy was raised recently when Atlantic Crossing proposed a plan to have two of the homes in the subdivision front Humphrey Street. But the revised plan was abandoned after objections were raised by the Planning Board in April 2013. The Planning Board approved the original plan in June, but their final approval required the interval of a 20-day appeal period. None were received.
The 14 homes will be situated on a new road named after the development company. The new street will be a one-way horseshoe and will not stretch out to Atlantic Avenue near the back entrance to the Temple Israel lot. The back area of the parking lot was retained by Temple Shirat Hayam, which is located at 55 Atlantic Ave. The congregation was formerly known as Temple Beth El, but was renamed when Temple Israel merged with Beth El in 2005.??
Sullivan reminded the current selectmen Wednesday night that their predecessors expressed an interest in having the proceeds from sale of the land be applied to the cost of the new police station at 531 Humphrey St., near Millett Road. While acknowledging the decision is up to Town Meeting, Sullivan said she hopes that plan is approved. The new police station is set to open in the third week in August. Sullivan also pointed out the fate of the current police station, at 86 Burrill St., will need to be decided.
?? After the temple merger, 835 Humphrey St. was unneeded. Once the town bought the land in 2006, there was talk about placing a new police station, town offices or school department offices there. Town offices were located in the vacated temple from spring 2007 to spring 2008 while Town Hall was under renovation. The Beth El congregation was founded in 1926 in Lynn and held High Holiday services at the old Surf Theater, where Puritan Road and Humphrey Street meet across from Fisherman?s Beach, while their new temple was being built in 1969. Temple Israel was established by a group that broke away from Beth El. Temple Sinai in Marblehead was founded in the 1950s by a group that broke away from Temple Israel.
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