250-Unit Development At Malden Hospital Falls Through

MALDEN, MA — The owners of the vacant Malden Hospital site are re-evaluating the plan for the property. In a Sept. 5 letter to Medford Mayor Stephanie M. Burke, MelroseWakefield Healthcare said it has ended its relationship with the Fellsmere Housing Group, a private developer that was planning a 250-unit complex at the site.

MelroseWakefield CEO Sue Sandberg said the group "will no longer be pursuing [Fellsmere's] proposal for the site, as we have seen and heard neighbors' concerns around density and traffic." The 17.6-acre hospital property, which has been vacant for 15 years, sits on the Medford-Malden line and has views of the Boston skyline.

Fellsmere's plan called for 214 condominiums, 18 town homes and 18 single-family homes, with a focus on empty-nester couples. Some nearby residents raised concerns about traffic issues and losing open space, and the Friends of Fellsmere Heights expressed interest in applying for Community Preservation Act funds through Malden and Medford earlier this year.

MelroseWakefield is now "evaluating options for future use of the site" and will "re-engage with the community and initiate dialogue as we move forward," according to Sandberg, though she did not detail potential alternatives for the site.