A proposal to turn a once vacant eyesore on East Broadway into a bed and breakfast inn and small event venue received mixed reviews and was ultimately stalled when the Haverhill City Council took up the matter Tuesday.
Maryam Salehi-Ala-Yamin seeks a special permit from the Council in order to the turn the 1817 Victorian at 421 E. Broadway into a four-bedroom B&B and small event venue. The house with a view of the Merrimack River was built by Nathaniel Johnson for his bride. It once fell into disrepair and was condemned by the city. While her plan for the small inn was praised, several city councilors agreed with neighbors who protested that holding events with up to 50 people was not in keeping with the area’s rural residential character.
After an extended discussion Ala-Yamin agreed to return to the council Tuesday, July 28, with a more modest proposal.
If approved, it would be Haverhill’s first bed and breakfast.
Ward 3 Councilor Devan M. Ferreira told her colleagues she believes Ala-Yamin’s plan for the small inn, along with hosting tea parties, baby showers, cooking classes and small weddings, fit with the rural character of the neighborhood because the business is home based, an opinion shared by at-large Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan, Ward 1 Councilor Ralph T. Basiliere and Ward 2 Councilor Daniel R. Diodati.
“I look forward to supporting this project. I think it’s perfectly scaled for its location. When I think about a business opportunity in a rural residential zone, this is exactly the type of business that I think fits there,” Ferreira argued.
Ward 4 Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski and Ward 7 Councilor Catherine P. Rogers, however, said that while they would support the B&B as well tea parties, showers and cooking classes, they drew the line on events requiring a tent and porta potties. “I think if this was just a B&B, if it was just culinary, if it was contained to that, I would be more inclined to entertain it,” Lewandowski said.
That opinion was also shared by Ward 5 Councilor Shaun P. Toohey. Ward 6 Councilor Michael S. McGonagle said he is not in favor of even the small inn.
The board received several dozen letters from neighbors both for and against. Speaking in favor was Guylaine Beaulieu, 639 E. Broadway. Beaulieu said she thinks the project as originally conceived suited the neighborhood. Opposing was Timothy Sturgeon, 419 E. Broadway and is a direct abutter. Noting that unlike most B&Bs, Ala-Yamin isn’t planning to live in the house but rather next door, Sturgeon said he thinks it would be hard for the city to enforce the 50-guest limit and outside events would be disruptive with noise and added traffic.
On the suggestion of Basiliere and Sullivan, councilors voted unanimously to delay the matterto give Ala-Yamin time to come up with a new proposal.
In other business, the Council voted unanimously to allow The Beck, 39 Railroad Ave., to rent vacant ground floor space for office uses. The mixed use, 290-unit apartment complex currently holds a special permit for a restaurant and retail space. The Beck’s attorney, Michael J. Migliori, told councilors that after an aggressive advertising campaign no one has shown interest in renting the 6,500 square feet of space for either retail or a restaurant.
Basiliere said he supports the plan because empty space wasn’t good for the property owner or the city.