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Committee approves easement to extend fence around contaminated Whites Laundromat parcel at 83 Willow Street
Summary
The Public Property and Parks Committee approved a request to erect a permanent fence on city‑owned land a few feet beyond the Whites Laundromat lot line to secure a contaminated, vacant parcel and support EPA‑funded cleanup work.
The Public Property and Parks Committee on Feb. 11 approved an easement so the city can erect a permanent fence around the Whites Laundromat site at 83 Willow Street in downtown Lynn, a contaminated, long‑vacant parcel the city and partners are cleaning up.
City planning staff said the site has been the focus of dumping and safety concerns. "We're here to talk tonight about the White's Laundromat site at 83 Willow Street in Downtown Lynn. This is a contaminated property that has been vacant for many many years and, over time, it's become a hotspot for dumping," Lauren Drago told the committee. Staff said the city and EDIC Lynn previously received a U.S. EPA grant of $500,000 and additional funding from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for cleanup work.
Because survey lines showed the practical fence footprint extended a few feet beyond the laundromat parcel, staff requested formal committee approval to place the new permanent fence on city‑owned land abutting the lot. Drago said the new fence replaced an older deteriorated fence and that the area already "is looking a lot better than it was a few weeks ago." The committee considered whether the new work duplicated an existing barrier; Drago clarified there is now a single new fence and no second fence will be added.
The committee moved and approved the easement request at the meeting. Members also approved several facility‑use requests from Parks and Recreation and the mayor's office for foyer use, including an Easter event (April 15–18, 2025) and Student Government Day on April 8, 2025.
The fence easement is an early step in site stabilization ahead of further soil remediation and efforts to ready the parcel for potential redevelopment. Staff said the ultimate reuse will be determined after additional cleanup phases and community engagement.
