Page 8 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025 TROUBLED WATERS | FROM Page 3 the Commonwealth’s expense and in conjunction with its ongoing project, repair the plaintiff s’ building to the extent that the City of Lynn Building Inspector deems it safe for habitation,” it said. Lynn, Saugus, Revere and surrounding communities are anxiously awaiting the construction of the replacement bridge. A judge’s order for an indefi nite holdup of the project could prove costly and inconvenient and prolong traffi c congestion. The Saugus Advocate sought comment from lawyers representing MassDOT, SPS New England and the City of Lynn. SPS New England, Inc. issued the following company response to the Flynn motion, maintaining that it had not done anything wrong: “SPS New England, Inc. has performed all work on the Route 107 / Beldon-Bly Drawbridge in a professional and safe manner and has adhered to all contract requirements including performing a surThese are some of the photos used as an exhibit to Saugus Attorney Peter E. Flynn’s motion seeking an injunction to halt work on the Route 107 Beldon Bly drawbridge. The fi rst photo shows SPS New England, Inc.’s heavy equipment at 1147 Western Ave. in Lynn about 18 months ago. The second photo was taken two years ago. Flynn’s motion alleges that the work has led to the deterioration of the building, which is now at risk of collapsing and falling into the Saugus River near the Saugus/Lynn line. (Courtesy photos to The Saugus Advocate) vey of the existing condition of the 1147 Western Ave structure and foundations prior to construction, and extensive vibration and crack monitoring during construction activities. The structure was built in 1959 and per our structural expert — GZA — the deterioration of the structure is due to decades of tidal activity and not to the last two to three years of construction activity. The City of Lynn’s 2021 Hazard Mitigation Update Plan confi rms that the Lynn coastline has been subject to signifi cant coastal fl ooding since the erection of the 1147 Western Ave structure in 1959. As a result of the massive fl ooding events from 2006 to 2017, the City of Lynn had no choice but to condemn the building and order that it be vacated. “SPS New England, Inc. remains committed to working with all parties involved to identify a solution and fi nishing the construction of the Belden-Bly Drawbridge. “Hazard Mitigation Plan New St. Anthony’s Flea Market 250 Revere St., Revere, Lower Hall Indoor Flea Market SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2025 from 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM Admission .50 Cents NEW VENDORS WELCOME! Free Coffee & Tea! To rent a table, call Lynda: (781) 910-8615 2021 Update …Local data for previous coastal fl ooding occurrences are not collected by the City of Lynn. The best available local data is for Essex County through the National Climatic Data Center. As noted in the SHMCAP, Eastern Essex County, which includes the City of Lynn, reported 27 coastal flooding events between 2006 and 2017. Essex County also experienced the most FEMA fl ood disaster declarations in the state between 1954 and 2017; total property damage assessed at approximately $7 million.” Meanwhile, in an interview this week, Flynn warned that “an environmental disaster” caused by the marina building blowing out and falling into the Saugus River could lead to an indefi nite shutdown that would impact the “the general public, including Lynn and Saugus taxpayers, abutters and commuters.” “Since everyone involved denies responsibility and buries their heads in the sand, we are headed to court with a strong request for an injunction to stop the project,” Flynn told The Saugus Advocate. “We have served the interested parties. It will be fi led with Essex County Superior Court in the next few days,” he said. “Never a problem until this project” As part of the bridge replacement project connecting Saugus and Lynn, MassDOT took a 19,000-squarefoot, five-year easement in 2018 and then renewed the easement in 2023 for another four years. “For 6+ years now, there has been heavy construction with massive equipment right up against our building,” Flynn said. “MassDOT has the right to do this until at least 2027, which will be nine years!!” “MassDOT’s contractor is SPS New England. Look at the equipment they have been pounding away with. Our primary building has housed a marina for over 30 years,” the attorney said. “It was built about 70 years ago. Never a problem until this project, and now the building is unstable and has been deemed by the City of Lynn to be uninhabitable. SPS and MassDOT say their project is a non-issue and has nothing to do with our land/building structural problems, not even a 1% factor,” he said. “They say the normal changing tide did this and has nothing to do with the vibrations, soil removal and dredging by SPS. Totally absurd! My clients had to recently vacate the marina building and may be put out of business,” he said. “Even the SPS project manager acknowledged that Western Avenue at the bridge site fl ooded two weeks ago and the water was directed under the foundation of the Marina Building,” he said. “We have the 30 year Marina tenant and photos from the 1990s showing the building and the land after almost 50 years with no tidal erosion. DOT/SPS arrive and start working and then the 10’ to 12’ of erosion commenced and the building destabilized from just normal tides? During the decades of time the same tides prior to the takings the property had almost zero erosion until the enormous 2 Bridge Project arrived. SPS is now dredging the Saugus River abutting our property with 6’ to 8’ trenches impacting the tide and removing soil support for our building.” Here are some highlights of Flynn’s motion: • It alleges that heavy construction equipment used by SPS New England, Inc. resulted in signifi cant structural damage. “The SPS construction activities during the entirety of this project have involved various massive pieces of heavy construction equipment, which has been set up right against the plaintiff ’s building,” according to the motion.
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