LETTER: Stand By Original Agreement on MarketStreet Theater

The following letter was sent by Lynnfield resident Joe DeMaina:

National Development should Honor The Agreement that they sought and signed with the townspeople of Lynnfield.They should abandon the idea of a mall multiplex along with a 11% expansion of the complex and a change to agreed upon zoning heights. ND should not try to renege on their signed agreement and promises by trying to renegotiate the terms of their agreement.

They should concentrate on what they promised and not try to alter the project as voted upon. The project looks disappointingly less and less like what ND marketed to the town and the town agreed upon.The 81% of townspeople who agreed to the terms should insisted that a deal is a deal and that ND lives up to their part of bargain as the town has done.It is downright disrespectful to the townspeople who negotiated in good faith.

Besides the terms of the agreement I am tired of ND trying to alter definitions for their own purposes. And tired of ND's public relations firm, stooping to even trying to influence a poll in the Weekly News. It feels dishonest when compared to how ND told us they would interact with our townspeople. It seems like ND will break any agreement and do anything to get their way.This constant public relations campaign for anyone not paying close attention has to stop for any honest conversations. ND and their expensive public relations firm can't change the fact that it is a multiplex by definition.

From Wikipedia, the definition of a multiplex: A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically six, ten, or more screens.
They are usually housed in a specially designed building.

The PR spin that this mall is the Town Center is also ridiculous. Ask anyone in town where the center is and they will point you to the historical center around the Old Meeting House.If ND wants to be the town center they need put in a bank,a post office, a police/fire station, a library ,Town Hall and maybe a pharmacy. God forbid a mall becomes the town center of Lynnfield. Then we will really have lost our way.

From Merriam Webster  the definition of a mall: Collection of independent retail stores, services, and parking areas constructed and maintained by a management firm as a unit. It is a 20th-century adaptation of the historical marketplace.

They can try to put the wool over our eyes but it's mall by definition and not a town center.

Editor's Note: Joe DeMaina is the father of Patch.com regional editor Daniel DeMaina.