180 Franklin Street is currently an underutilized industrial warehouse property, consisting of 30,000 sq ft of work space, a third of which is currently vacant. It sits on a parcel of just under three-quarters of an acre and is located in the Central Business (CB) district. This CB district is important, because by right, this zoning allows for multi-use mega apartments to be built here. As long as there is a small retail space on the first floor, the CB zoning will allow for a 5-6 story apartment structure to be built.
This property is owned by 180 Franklin Street LLC, out of 375 Main Street in Everett, which happens to be an address also utilized by Legacy Building & Development Corporation, a business owned by Charlie & Debbie Zammuto. You might remember the Zammuto’s from projects such as the still unfinished Pond Street Ashland multi-use apartment building, their cluster-truck prison side apartment complex where Zammuto changed sewerage without prior authorization, or the planned mega apartment on Pearl Street.
The Zammuto’s through their LLC purchased the site in November 2020 for $663,500, and the city currently values the parcel as it stands at $769,000
We have filed a FOIA to determine what has been submitted to the city for consideration in regards to this likely redevelopment.
Since this is a 75+ year old building, the historic commission has to review the structure for any historic significance. If significant, the commission can delay the demolition requesting the applicant to consider other types of projects or partnerships to preserve history. Like many of these projects that go to demolition review the tenants have no clue that their days are numbered, much like TJ’s a few months ago, who found out from FU that their building was to be demolished and their lease voided.
In this 180 Franklin St building, are several businesses, including the Robert’s Company which has produced products for first responders and medical personnel since 1959.
Whatever is planned at the site, if Zammuto is at the helm – it is apartments, and lots of them.
Why that is a wonderful place for high priced, executive luxury apartments. You wouldn’t even need an alarm clock, the train would wake the dead.