Existing Building: The former Winter Hill Laundromat at 483 Broadway, Somerville, MA, which has remained vacant and neglected since a fire destroyed it nearly a decade ago.
Proposed Building Design: Architect Tavis Babbitt’s rendering of the proposed new building for Woody’s Liquors at 483 Broadway, a modern and revitalized structure that aims to replace the long-abandoned laundromat.
By Sasha Wood
November 13th, 2024
In a city that praises small businesses as the backbone of the community, the reality for John Wood, a business owner of 35 years, tells a different story. For nearly three years, he has faced relentless regulatory obstacles in his effort to relocate his liquor store from 523 Broadway to 483 Broadway, on the border of Somerville and Medford. The building at 483 Broadway, once the Winter Hill Laundromat, has sat vacant for almost a decade after a fire. Wood envisions transforming this abandoned property into a modern, welcoming store, but his journey has been anything but straightforward. What should have been a routine relocation has become a lesson in how local bureaucracy can derail even the best-laid plans. His story reflects struggles that many in the community understand all too well: trying to improve the neighborhood while battling a system that often seems indifferent to those it’s supposed to support. Continue reading Bureaucracy on Broadway: Woody’s Liquors’ Uphill Battle →
