Revere ZBA continues review of 145-foot radio tower for McKinley emergency center after residents raise concerns

The Revere Zoning Board of Appeals on a unanimous roll call moved to continue consideration of the City of Revere’s application for variances to build a 145-foot radio tower at the McKinley redevelopment site, deferring the matter to the board’s September meeting after neighborhood concerns and a request from the Ward 4 councilor.

City officials said the tower is a critical, locally controlled microwave link to support the Metro North Regional Emergency Communications Center serving Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop. Tom Skorofsky, Chief of Planning and Community Development and project manager for the McKinley redevelopment, told the board the antenna is not a commercial cell facility and that the tower provides a redundant communications path when fiber lines fail.

The tower would sit behind the McKinley building, next to the city’s parking office, and support a new Metro North REC dispatch center to be located in the 1924 wing of the redevelopment. Skorofsky said the overall project includes an early‑childhood center with eight pre‑K classrooms, municipal offices for the parking…