Businesses Receive Compensation for Planned Wall Street Relocation

A stretch of an existing portion of the riverfront boardwalk.

Moving Wall Street to accommodate a new riverfront boardwalk requires a number of downtown businesses to relocate parking spaces and other outdoor elements.

The Haverhill City Council approved trading parking spaces and providing other compensation to the affected Merrimack Street businesses. A series of four orders authorizing Mayor James J. Fiorentini to enter into easement agreements with property owners Brigham Circle Trust, Newton, owner of 108 Merrimack St. and Walcott Corporation, Boston, owner of 122, 130 and 132 Merrimack St., were approved. Easements will allow boardwalk construction along the river flood wall and above the existing Wall Street right of way. Construction would prompt shifting the Wall Street right of way north by 15 feet, according to City Solicitor William D. Cox Jr. He told councilors one easement agreement will grant Brigham Circle Trust five parking spaces at the municipal parking lot next to the Haverhill Bank building.

“With regard to Brigham Circle Trust which owns 108 Merrimack St., they are going to lose five parking spaces in the rear of their building and we’re going to compensate them by giving them an easement on five spaces at the Riverfront Promenade parking lot,” Cox said.

Also Cox noted an easement from the city to Walcott provides four parking spaces at the Cram Place parking lot behind Rent-A-Center, which includes space for Salvation Army donation bins.

“Because this new Wall Street is going to run pretty much along the building as it exists today, they’re going to have to relocate…the Salvation Army donation bins and they’re also going to have to relocate their loading zone that they have there. They’re going to move that to the side of the building and we’re going to provide them some financial assistance with regards to doing that – compensate them for the expenses of that move. We’re also going to re-adjust Cram Place, the alley way, so it will go around that loading zone,” Cox said.

Councilors Melinda Barrett, Thomas Sullivan and Michael S. McGonagle abstained from voting on the parking easements while Sullivan voted in favor of the Wall Street easements.

One thought on “Businesses Receive Compensation for Planned Wall Street Relocation

  1. Are council rules keeping councilors Melinda Barrett, Thomas Sullivan and Mike McGonagle from voting on downtown issues? It’s ridiculous…as usual. Who knows more about the affects of city policy on the business owners and visitors to downtown than the very people who work there? I’m sure many people voted for these three people knowing they would have a better understanding of downtown than other candidates and act according to the interests of business owners downtown. Not allowing them to do so is not right.