Beverly Planning Board Approves Waterfront Restaurant

BEVERLY, MA — The Beverly planning board on Tuesday unanimously approved a proposal to build a 340-seat restaurant at 1 Water Street. But the proposal still need state approval and it could be more than a year before it's ready to open. Meanwhile, a group of residents opposing the development hired an attorney last month, claiming the proposal is illegal.

The proposal for the waterfront property that has been vacant since 2006 is illegal, according to a letter sent to city council by an attorney hired by residents opposing the project. In her letter, attorney Olympia Bowker said the deed from the city's purchase of the property in 1996 said it would only be used for parks and recreation purposes.

Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill has proposed giving developer Marty Bloom real estate tax breaks to move the redevelopment of 1 Water Street forward. The group of residents ooposing the restaurant say it is too big for the lot and neighborhood.

The city used a $483,600 state grant to purchase the property for $1.6 million in 1996. The city received one response to a request for proposals issued last year to develop a restaurant on the city-owned, waterfront property.