Planning board amends special permits to allow general office at 578 Main Street; vote 7–1 with conditions

The Malden Planning Board on March 12 voted 7–1 to amend long‑standing special permits for 578 Main Street to allow general office use in addition to on‑site medical offices. Thomas Callahan, counsel for prospective buyer Guardian Angel Senior Services, told the board the nonprofit intends to locate administrative offices in the building and to maintain medical uses on site. Dan Lewis, founder of Guardian Angel, said the group plans to hire locally and use the space for back‑office operations serving home care clients.

Why it matters: the 19th‑century building sits in Residence B zoning and has a long legal history of medical‑use special permits dating to the 1990s. The board’s decision preserves medical‑use rights while explicitly allowing general office activity; planning staff and board members focused discussion on parking, dumpster location and the extent of basement uses that had been previously restricted by earlier permits.

Key points from the hearing: Attorney Callahan asked the board to add “general office” to the uses allowed by earlier permits; he said the proposed use is less intensive than some…