Published November 13, 2019

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — One of Merriam-Webster’s definitions for the word limbo is “a state of uncertainty.”

Local officials are currently in that state about the future of The Centre at Lynnfield shopping plaza in the wake of Village Pharmacy closing last week. In an interview with the Villager, Town Administrator Rob Dolan said he will be meeting with a representative from Shura Laguna, LLC of Glendale, California on Nov. 13 to discuss the shopping plaza’s future.

“They have a challenging septic system that goes back to the 1980s,” said Dolan. “They have not notified us about their plans, but whatever they have to do will limit the types of tenants they will have.”

In an email sent to the Villager, Planning and Conservation Director Emilie Cademartori said “the plaza is zoned Limited Business.”

“The owners have not submitted any petitions for rezoning to my knowledge,” said Cademartori. “There are wetlands behind the building that are connected to a large wetland complex in the Beaver Dam Brook Conservation Area. In 2018, the owner received an Order of Conditions permit from the Conservation Commission for a new septic system. The system has not yet been installed.”

THE CENTRE AT LYNNFIELD shopping plaza’s future remains a mystery after Village Pharmacy closed last week. (Dan Tomasello Photo)

Health Director Kristin Esposito McRae informed the Villager in an email that, “The Lynnfield Board of Health has been in contact with the plaza representatives since early 2016 regarding the Title 5 inspection reports for 584 Main St. and 586-590 Main St. that were conducted in December 2015 by a system inspector with Hayes Engineering.”

“On Aug. 17, 2017, an original upgrade agreement was signed for a new septic system with a completion date of Sept. 1, 2018,” said Esposito McRae. “A first amendment to the agreement gave a new completion date of Sept. 1, 2019. This has since been placed on the September and October 2019 Board of Health meeting agendas because the upgrade agreement deadline lapsed due to the system not being installed. The owner’s representatives expressed needing an extension to submit a revised plan with alternative technology, which has not yet been received by the Board of Health.”

Former Lynnfield Centre owner Ron Levaggi sold the 584-592 Main St. shopping complex to Shura Laguna, LLC for $5.25 million in Dec. 2015. Levaggi, who passed away in December 2016, told the Villager in a January 2016 interview that he had “no idea” what Shura Laguna’s plans were for the property. He also said he never met the company’s owners prior to selling the plaza.

Levaggi owned Lynnfield Centre Realty Trust for 32 years.

In the wake of Shura Laguna, LCC buying the property, a number of tenants have left. During a Nov. 6 site visit to the shopping plaza, the Villager observed four vacant storefronts in the back of the property. Anton’s Dry Cleaners, Centre Court Grille, Santander Bank, T and L Liquors Wine Cellar and True Style Barber Shop are the only businesses operating in the back of the property. Bisou By Melissa has relocated to Reading and Schumacher Dental moved to Wakefield in October 2018.

The plaza’s back parking lot is also littered with potholes.

The businesses located in the front of The Centre at Lynnfield that are currently open for business are Centre Market, Faith Spa, Jerry’s Upholstery and Home Decorating and The Savings Bank. Wakefield Co-operative Bank is also located in the front of the plaza, but the bank owns the white building separately.

Additionally, several businesses such as Centre Yoga, Jeanne’s Bake Shop and Playdates have closed but the names of the respective businesses are still highlighted on the Lynnfield Centre plaza’s front sign.

In the wake of Village Pharmacy’s sudden and unexpected closure, a number of residents aired concerns about the Lynnfield Centre shopping plaza’s future in a series of posts on the Lynnfield Community Group Facebook page.

“I think all of us are concerned about what is going in there,” former Town Moderator Arthur Bourque stated in a post. “The current owners are a real estate conglomerate out of California that has many large properties under their umbrella. There have been several attempts by town officials to have a conversation with them about working to bring about an appropriate solution for that area. They have not been interested in talking about what they are doing and have told town officials that they don’t currently have a plan.”

Board of Selectmen Chairman Phil Crawford shares Bourque’s concerns about the shopping plaza’s future.

“We all want to know what the property owner is going to do,” said Crawford.