Armory Still Eyed for Municipal Use-July 9, 1980

During their meeting on July 08, 1980, the Board of Selectmen voted 3-1 to direct Town Manager John J. Carroll to conduct a comprehensive study on the potential use of the Armory for municipal departmental needs. Selectman John F. Kinnaly was further authorized to initiate discussions with the state regarding a potential purchase price for the facility.

The interest in the Armory is driven by its strategic location near other town-owned assets, including the Nahatan Street facility that currently houses the National Guard and a Registry of Motor Vehicles office, as well as the nearby public works yard, an old fire station, and Town Hall. Selectman Walter J. Dempsey highlighted the logistical appeal of consolidating town operations in this corridor, describing a potential takeover as a “smart move.” Selectmen Chairman William J. Plasko encouraged the board to seize the opportunity provided by recent legislation, which empowers the state to sell the Armory to the town. The legislative pathway for this potential acquisition was cleared through the efforts of State Representative Gregory W. Sullivan and State Senator Joseph F. Timilty, who successfully attached an amendment to the state’s capital outlay budget. While no price has been set, Sullivan suggested that the town’s long history of hosting the tax-exempt facility should be a key factor in future negotiations. Selectman Mary J. Fox, however, remained a lone dissenter, questioning the necessity of acquiring additional property.

In other industrial and commercial developments, the Jet Spray Corp. has been spared the requirement of filing a full environmental impact report for its proposed $6.8 million facility on the University Avenue extension. State Environmental Affairs Secretary John A. Bewick issued a ruling Thursday determining that the project would not degrade the Neponset aquifer’s water quality. Selectman Walter J. Dempsey hailed the exemption as a “victory for the taxpayers,” noting that it could accelerate the construction timeline by several months. This decision comes as a setback to the Natural Resources Coalition of Norwood, a group that had opposed the project over concerns regarding the Ellis well fields. Meanwhile, the town’s independent environmental impact study regarding the extension of University Avenue continues, with a preliminary report from Fay, Spofford & Thorndike Inc. expected within the month.

The evening also marked a changing of the guard at the Headquarters Cafe in South Norwood. The Board of Selectmen approved a liquor license transfer from Shirley R. Begley to Kenneth H. and June E. Pouillon, a couple from Braintree who have invested their life savings into the venture. Attorney Joseph T. Turner assured the board that the couple brings 30 years of restaurant experience to the 1053 Washington Street location, pledging to maintain a “nice, clean, respectable place.” Additionally, the Norwood Industrial Development Finance Authority authorized a $3 million tax-exempt bond issue for Centros Properties Ltd. to construct an 87,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility on University Avenue. Finally, the town celebrated the 100th birthday of Lucy Pendelton Long, a long-time Norwood resident who received a plaque from the selectmen, a letter from President Jimmy Carter, and a commemorative proclamation from Governor Edward King during a party at the Denny House Nursing Home.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger