Update on RIO-B

The public hearing on the RIO-b has been continued until July 13.  In the meantime, there will be a traffic study conducted of the nearby intersections.  The study should be submitted in June to the Planning Board.

Letter to Planning Board and Ordinance Committee

To The Planning Board and City Council Ordinance Committee,

We would like to express conditional support for the proposed RIO-B and Jackson St. apartment complex.  The conditions we support are in accordance with the letter submitted to the planning board by Mayor Howard and Stephen Wishoski, Executive Director of the Malden Redevelopment Authority and are as follows:

1)  Exclusion of the sites at 350 Main St. and 200 Exchange St. from the RIO-B.  As stated in the above mentioned letter, “As proposed, the RIO-B could result in the creation of up to approximately 1,000 additional residential rental units.  This is greater than the housing volume called for in all four of the sites incentivized under the first RIO.”  

2)   Inclusion of ground floor retail.  As stated in the above mentioned letter, ”based on input from Malden citizens during both the Visioning and Master Planning process, [that] residential properties in the RIO-B should contain some retail on the ground floor along the Exchange St. corridor to enhance and complement the other retail activity currently along that roadway.”  We would like transparency regarding how the proposed and existing (160 Pleasant St.) retail spaces would be marketed.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Lori Rittner
Paul Tetta
9 Otis St.         
Members,
Citizens Association for Responsible Development of Malden