A massive assemblage of property this summer on Sullivan Square, including the old Flynn Junkyard and one related property, seems to be setting the state for what some in the community say could be another in a line of developments sprouting up around the Square.
The summer, a developer from Waban in Newton has paid approximately $13.2 million, according to land transfer records, to assemble at least seven properties that include the Flynn Junkyard and a related property on Sherman Street behind it. So far, the assemblage doesn’t seem to include long-time icons Mama Rosie’s Ravioli or the Cronin Club – which are adjacent to the assemblage.
In early July, Scott D. Brown – a financial advisor from Newton – began purchasing parcels that make up the junk yard from the Flynn family. In early August, he continued buying the parcels and added one large parcel 41,558 sq. ft. behind the junk yard – a property owned by an LLC that goes to Carlos and Cheryl Gochez of New Hampshire. The other six parcels on Mystic Avenue and Sherman Square were owned by John, Patricia and Richard Flynn.
Brown was not immediately affiliated with any development company that could be found, and was not immediately available to contact about his plans.
Sources close to the situation in the community said the property assemblage this summer was sparked by Rutherford Avenue/Sullivan Square re-design plans and could likely be host to around 600 units of housing.
That would follow several smaller developments on the other side of the Square with The Graphic and the smaller project next to it by Gray MacLetchie. A potential larger project on the other side of the Square would continue what has been a unique development momentum in an area not associated with such drastic change.
The corner of Mystic Avenue and Dorrance Street has been home to the Flynn junk yard for decades, but in recent years has become hot property due to being right in between the booming Assembly Row campus in Somerville, and the neighboring Encore Boston Harbor casino in Everett.