Gardner redevelopment authority presses Realty Income for rear‑main parcel as National Grid easements slow work

The Garden Redevelopment Authority of Gardner met Wednesday, Oct. 22, and reviewed efforts to acquire a parcel needed to complete the Rear Main urban‑renewal project and the utility easement reviews that are slowing portions of Phase 1.

City staff told the authority that the parcel formerly associated with Cumberland Farms is now owned by Realty Income, a West Coast real‑estate investment trust, and that Realty Income has not responded to multiple outreach attempts. "I would say the GRA itself has the right to begin the process to take properties by eminent domain," a city presenter said, adding staff have called and emailed Realty Income several times and will continue outreach before pursuing compulsory acquisition.

The discussion matters because the project has external grant deadlines and construction milestones. City staff said the redevelopment work is funded in part by two MassWorks awards — one for $4.1 million and a second for $3.5 million — and that the overall project must be completed by June 30, 2028. Staff said the bulk of Phase 1 is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year, but key tasks could be pushed into next year if utility work is delayed.

Utility easements and National Grid approvals were identified as the central schedule risk. The authority read from a recent message from a National Grid contact, Will Fontaine, saying, "New easements are needed because different equipment is going on 2 parcels that only have service cables on them, which do not require an easement per the state tariff, whereas the new transformers do. . . . This easement process will not hold up the current design review, but could hold up the scheduling of our work if not completed in a timely manner." City staff said that, until easements and conduit locations are approved, the work to remove overhead poles and install underground conduits and transformer pads cannot be scheduled.

Staff described the parcel as largely landlocked with only a utility/right‑of‑way access for garbage and service vehicles and said previous appraisals date to 2010–2011 and would not be valid today. The presenter recommended additional outreach to Realty Income and suggested contacting Cumberland Farms’ real‑estate staff and other local contacts, including elected officials, to encourage a response. If those efforts fail, staff said the authority could order an updated appraisal and pursue acquisition at market value.

Board members asked for clearer timelines and a dedicated coordination meeting with National Grid, the city’s engineering consultant and other parties. Staff said the most recent schedule and redlines indicating work delayed by National Grid are posted to the project OneDrive and will be shared with the board. Project work that does not depend on conduit installation — curbing, concrete and some pavement — can continue while utility issues are resolved.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of Sept. 24 regular and public hearing minutes — motion by Magnus, seconded by Tim; outcome: approved.
- Motion to enter executive session (land sale) — motion by Paul, seconded by Tim; roll call: John Zlotnick, Judy Mack, Paul (last name not specified), Tim (last name not specified), and the chair (name not specified) all voted yes; outcome: approved.
- Motion to adjourn after executive session — motion by Paul, seconded by Judy Mack; outcome: approved.

What happens next: staff said they will continue direct outreach to Realty Income, consider contacting Cumberland Farms’ real‑estate staff and local officials for assistance, obtain updated appraisals if necessary and convene a coordination meeting with National Grid and the engineering team to set firm dates for easement work and conduit installation.