Planning Board OKs Acupuncture Clinic With Massage Services at 75 Pleasant Street

The Malden Planning Board voted unanimously Feb. 11 to grant a special permit for a licensed acupuncture clinic that will offer massage services and limited retail sales of supplements at 75 Pleasant Street, Suite 400.

Petitioner Ming Chang Lang, who identified himself as an acupuncturist, told the board he plans to operate an appointment-only wellness clinic providing acupuncture and therapeutic massage performed by licensed practitioners. "Any accessory retail if offered would be very limited and incidental," he said, adding hours would be roughly Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and patient visits would be staggered to keep on-site traffic minimal.

Staff summarized the planning report, noting the five-story building (about 128,000 square feet) formerly housed the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and that the proposed licensed massage therapy salon use may be allowed in the Central Business zoning district by special permit. The application listed the proposed suite at 1,287 square feet; staff recommended the permit language be amended in the draft conditions to read approximately 1,300 square feet to reflect the petition as clarified. Michelle, planning staff, told the board the new condition would allow "acupuncture and massage services at the premises, approximately 1,300 square feet, suite 400, with accessory retail sale of supplements. Any expansion of the business shall require amendment to the special permit."

Board members asked about staffing and operations. Ming said typical daily volume would be about 10–15 patient visits and that there would usually be one receptionist and possibly a second massage therapist on site; at any time there would typically be one to two patients in treatment rooms. He said he currently practices in a different Malden location (398 Pleasant Street) but plans to move his practice to the new office.

Alex Cidos, the property manager for 75 Pleasant Street, spoke in support and provided his contact information for the record. No members of the public spoke in opposition, and staff reported no departmental objections.

Ken Antonucci moved to grant the special permit subject to the two revised conditions as amended by staff; Risa Gray seconded. In a roll call vote the board approved the motion with Maria Schroeder voting in place of the absent member Pat Hayes. The chair declared the petition granted.

The special permit allows acupuncture and massage services and limited accessory retail sales of supplements in the specified suite; any expansion of the business will require an amendment to the permit. The petitioner said he hoped to complete build-out in one to two months and aimed to open in March.