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Politics & Government

Mansfield Chocolate Factory Debate Continues

Mansfield planning board continue with plans for a possible renovation.

The good old days are not coming back, no matter what some residents might want, Mansfield attorney Ed Valanzola told members of the planning board Wednesday, saying it is extremely unlikely any industrial business will come along and retrofit the Lowney building on Oakland Street for use in any modern manufacturing venture. Board members Ralph Penney and Mac McClanahan insisted loudly the vacant chocolate factory should stay an industrial building, and not be transformed into apartments, the only plan to surface so far for the re-use of the century-old brick behemoth.

Developers Joe Mulkern from Mansfield and Boston-based Winn Development have proposed a complex of loft style apartments that would make use of the existing brick walls and authentic woodwork details, and so far their conceptual plans have earned admiration from town officials and others interested in preserving the town's historic features. During a discussion of zoning issues Wednesday, however, it became clear there is at least some opposition.

Noting the mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units has changed from the original presentation to the board, raising the number of two-bedroom units to 30, and reducing the one-bedrooms to 79, McClanahan said the additional families with children the added bedroom would attract would put more of a burden on the town as school costs continue to rise.

"I don't agree with you that manufacturing is not coming back," said Penney, emphasizing the creation of jobs in town is critical. "Lowney employed a lot of people - they were good paying jobs. I hate to see us lose that and end up with more kids in the school system."

Penney noted with existing apartment complexes like The Depot, West Village on the old Parente's site, Twin Oaks, and others, there are already hundreds of children who have been added to the overburdened schools.

Valanzola warned the board they would be treading on legally dangerous ground to attempt to discourage a housing development project based on the numbers of children that could result from it.

"Manufacturing is not coming back there -- that building is outdated," Valanzola said, pointing out the departure of the chocolate production industry was based partly on the cost of producing chocolate in Mansfield in that location. Archer Daniels Midland moved production to a new plant in Hazelton PA last year.

"The reason they left was it cost them 80 cents a pound to make chocolate here, and 20 cents a pound there," Valanzola said. He said research indicates much of open industrial space in the area goes unoccupied for years.

He emphasized the change to the zoning bylaws the developers will be seeking at Town Meeting keeps the zone Industrial 2 as it stands today, but allows a special permit for re-use of a building constructed before 1953. Because it is a special permit process, the planning board would hold wide sway over all aspects of the project.

McClanahan also wanted to know what else the project proponents had planned for the site, located on over nine acres of land. But board chairman Tom French said the zoning change proposal only applies to the existing building. "No other residential use is allowed on this property," French said.

Should developers decide to propose any other addition to the property, like residential or retail, everything would have to come before the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Project proponents will seek a formal public hearing for the zoning proposal within the next several weeks. Town Meeting is scheduled for April 24.

Examples of other Winn projects that feature the re-use of large old factories for housing can be seen on their web site, www.winncompanies.com.

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