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Select Board allows off‑hours demolition at Patriot Place with noise conditions; tenant raises property preservation concerns
Summary
The board authorized off‑hours work (Monday–Saturday to midnight, no Sundays) for demolition of the Freedom Wind Tower at Patriot Place, subject to noise monitoring, weekly reporting and complaint procedures; a tenant, Freedom Wind Tunnel, urged the town to require the landlord to preserve tenant equipment, a request the board said raises legal issues outside its immediate permit authority.
The Select Board authorized off‑hours demolition work at Patriot Place to allow JDC Demo & Abatement to remove the Freedom Wind Tower, approving a permit that permits Monday through Saturday work until midnight through the end of August 2025 (the contractor said the project aims to finish before training camp). The vote included conditions used on prior projects: noise metering and monitoring, weekly noise reports to staff, a designated contractor point of contact, a complaint process that would pause work if complaints are substantiated, no Sunday work and 30‑day reviews.
Kyle Marosski, representing Patriot Place, explained the request was driven by safety concerns around adjacent loading docks and to meet a timeline targeting completion prior to July training camp. Scott (town staff) and the police chief described the controls: contractors must position equipment to minimize impact, record noise readings, provide a weekly report, and respond immediately to complaints via an on‑site point of contact.
Neil Gal, founder and chairman of Freedom Wind Tunnel and a local resident, said his company’s wind tunnel equipment remains in the building and is high‑value technology that could cost millions to replace. He asked the board to add a permit condition requiring the landlord to remove and preserve tenant property under Massachusetts law and offered documentation and a list of public warehouses within a 20‑mile radius where equipment could be stored.
Board members said the demolition permit itself had already been issued and that disputes over tenant property and bankruptcy matters likely require legal action outside the board’s procedural authority. The board limited its action to extended work hours and recommended the tenant seek legal counsel; the off‑hours permit was approved with the stipulated noise and complaint controls.
