Wenham board backs 20-year solar bond for Iron Rail
Select Board · Meeting of August 11, 2026
Wenham's Iron Rail Working Group pitches a ground lease, soccer fields and starter homes for town-owned land. Land Use Director Kate Mallory told the Select Board the 80-acre property at 91 Grapevine Road should be split three ways: a commercial-recreational ground lease on the current Iron Rail building site, continued town ownership of the soccer fields, and sale of a 6.5-acre parcel for housing under the new Chapter 40Y starter-home law, potentially yielding 20 homes. Rehabbing the aging building instead would cost an estimated $6 million and flip the site from netting $110,000 a year to costing $332,000 annually.
Gymnastics tenant Rich Healy warned a ground lease favors "private equity firms" over small operators like his. The board separately voted 5-0 to recommend a Iron Rail solar decommissioning bond start at year 20, and 5-0 to approve a $73,800 MAPC housing-plan contract. A final Iron Rail decision is due October 6, with a public forum set for September 17.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,494 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of August 11, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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