Calling the proposed Wynn Entertainment complex planned for lower Broadway “iconic” and declaring the City of Everett to be an entertainment district, members of the Wynn team went over the renderings of the proposal with the Planning Board at its meeting on Monday night.
Chris Gordon, President of Wynn Development, laid out the overall plans for the complex and the surrounding area.
The complex will feature a two-story restaurant and retail space with an outdoor terrace, an 1,800-seat event venue, and a 2,310-space, seven-story parking garage with multiple exits.
The centerpiece of the project will be an enclosed footbridge that will be more than 400 feet long, with moving sidewalks connecting the existing Encore Hotel Casino with the proposed entertainment center.
Visually, the bridge will have several large trusses. However, the real importance of the bridge will not be visual, but the capability to move people above the lower Broadway roadway, thus eliminating a large need for pedestrians to use the street-level crosswalks.
With fewer people using the street crosswalks, it is estimated that this will add 28% more auto traffic capacity to the lower Broadway area.
“When the project is completed, there will be better traffic mitigation,” Gordon added.
The event center will be largely a glass facade and clad in brick. The garage will be enclosed with metal panels.
The project in its entirety will include 26 percent green space with a number of trees and plantings surrounding the complex, not only on Mystic St., but also on other neighborhood streets such as Dexter St.
After the presentation, Planning Board Member Leo Pizzano had a series of questions for the Wynn team. Pizzano’s primary concern centered on making sure that the new complex would not have a detrimental impact upon the neighborhood.
The question of dumpsters being picked-up and dropped -off on Dexter St. was raised, as well as the congestion that will be created by customers exiting the garage all at one time.
Officials pointed out that police details should be requested to help mitigate any potential traffic bottleneck
Pizzano also noted that unlike the current garage that does not have numbered spaces, it would be helpful to number the spaces.
Whether parking in the garage will be free is still to be determined.
Gordon noted that several variances will be needed pertaining to restaurants, entertainment, and garage height and these will be discussed at future meetings.
The Planning Board voted unanimously for a continuance and will discuss the matter further at its meeting on January 3. Public comments also will be welcome.