Carriage House Razed But New JRM Facility Still Tied Up in Court

The massive overhaul of decaying structures and dying businesses along Route 1 in Peabody has progressed significantly in recent months, but plans to develop the former Carriage House Motel site remain in a holding pattern as new owners JRM continue to battle the proprietors of a neighboring in court.

All that remains of the troubled former Newbury Street landmark, which has been closed since 2008, is a chipped and broken sign, the final memory of a drug and prostitution hotspot that was eventually forced out of business by the city.

, which provides trash and recycling service to the city from its headquarters located further down Route 1, purchased the site in 2010 with the intent of building a state-of-the-art recycling center, but abutters of the property had different ideas.

SKM LLC of North Reading, owners of a Dunkin' Donuts located next door, sued both JRM and the city, claiming that a recycling center would devalue neighboring property and that the city bent zoning laws to make way for the new structure. JRM has gone ahead and razed the former motel and cleaned the site, but it cannot begin construction on the facility until the court battle is over.

Ward 5 Councilor David Gamache said the project is essentially on hold until JRM and Dunkin' Donuts work out their differences in court -- a case that has not exactly been rushed through the system.

“They are still in litigation, so until that is over with all they can do is continue to prep the land,” he said. “I don’t know how far along they are in that process, I don’t even know of a court date yet.”

Calls to city attorneys were not returned as of Thursday afternoon, but listening to Gamache describe the situation, a conclusion to the issues is not on the horizon at this time. Still, JRM has made a commitment to convert the land into a safe and appealing area for the time being, and make sure the city has access to a municipal water tower located behind the property.

“JRM owns the land outright. They are going to do something with it eventually, so they might as well clean and prep the land so it can be ready when the time comes,” Gamache said. “They are making sure that the land is clear of debris and trash and they have done a good job of working with the city to make sure we have access to that water tower back there. They have been doing everything right.”

The Carriage House, which did most of its business through short-term housing rentals rather than travel lodging, was forced by the city to close its doors due to several building code, fire, safety and health violations in 2008.

Along with structural and management issues, the site was subject to almost nightly visits by police for calls ranging from domestic violence to drugs. The final straw came in 2008 when a man pulled a gun on an undercover police officer during an investigation into oxycodone sales.

The motel joined the former Bel-Aire Diner and Country Side Motel as shuttered businesses taking up valuable real estate along Route 1 -- all sites that have since been sold in the hopes of redeveloping the land. The Bel-Aire, which was sold and moved from the site, will , an 8,000-square-foot eatery set to open in late spring or early summer of this year.

The Country Side Motel site has also been cleared and is in line to with several different businesses.

Gamache says he is proud of the progress being made along the stretch of state highway, and has high hopes that the issues between JRM and Dunkin' Donuts can be worked out, but in the mean time it is simply a waiting game until the court process plays itself out.

“I wish everything would just be over and we could move forward on the project and get things going down there,” he said. “But unfortunately it is stuck in the court system right now and these things always seem to get drawn out.”