Downtown Shakeup? Major Development Proposed At MMTV Building

MELROSE, MA — A proposed project would wipe out the existing building at 360-368 Main St., which is home to the MMTV studio, and replace it with a five story mixed-use building that would see more than more than three dozen residential units and possibly a restaurant. The new building would retain MMTV, which would share the first floor with retail space, below 42 residential units, including six affordable units. The project would also see 44 off-street parking spaces in an underground garage.

The project faced questions at Monday night's public hearing with the Planning Board about whether the already packed area could handle spillover parking, more traffic and other direct and indirect impacts that come with bringing in new residents and commercial traffic. The design and utilization of the garage were also points of contention.

The units would be a mix of one- and two-bedroom variations, with no three-bedroom or above options. That means minimal impact on the school district, project representatives said.

MMTV would remain in a custom-built space behind the streetfront commercial space — the two would split 7,000 square feet. No specific tenants are in line for the commercial space, representatives said.

A project representative indicated to Patch the project could begin next summer and last some 18 months, if all goes to plan.

Local developer Matthew Roman and project representatives squeezed a couple of easels into the stuffy sardine can that is the Cassidy Conference Room at City Hall Monday night. Roman is also the new general contractor at 419 Main St., also known as the Coffee, Tea & Me building.

The 360 Main St. project received some pushback regarding the density and number of vehicles it would bring in an already clogged part of town. Forty of the parking spaces will be for the 42 residential units — many of which could have more than one car to their name — and a restaurant could attract significantly more vehicles than a retail store. That's not to mention trash pickup, visitors and more, members of the Planning Board pointed out.

The traffic impacts should only cost motorists at Main Street's crossings with Grove and West Wyoming streets a few seconds, according to a traffic engineer who worked on the project.

"On Day 1, you open up the development, there is really no change," Phil Fusco said.

Roman is committed to making it a transit-oriented building, attorney Bob Bell said.

"I think by simply the type of building you build ... you'll attract people that may not want to own a car," Roman said. "And I think that would be good for Melrose."

The sights and sounds of construction on Main Street will be familiar to passersby. But unlike the nearby Coffee, Tea & Me and old Moynihan Plaza buildings, this one doesn't appear to be destined to flounder in limbo for months and months if plans are approved.

Bell told the Planning Board the project will bring some $200,000 in annual tax revenue when all said and done.

"The building fits in nicely in this location and will be an asset to all Melrose residents," current building owner Paul Ahearn told the Planning Board.

The Board opted to continue hearings at a later date.