Lifelong Lynnfield resident and property developer David Palumbo, who built the once-contested Arthur apartment complex at the former Bali Hai restaurant site, took a seat on the other side of the table this week as a board member of the Lynnfield Historical Commission.
“I met David and worked with him for the first time when he and his brother Matthew were in front of us for the Bali Hai project, which became the Arthur apartments,” said Lynn Historical Commission Chair Kirk Mansfield. “I was incredibly impressed with his passion for the town, with his knowledge of the town, with his eye for design, and how he cared about what he was building and how it would conform into the neighborhood.”
Although the redevelopment of the former Bali Hai site on Moulton Drive was originally rejected, Palumbo and his brother Matthew Palumbo challenged the Board of Appeals decision and won. Their company Top Tier Properties continues to manage the Arthur apartment complex and are currently approved to build eight residential apartments and two office spaces on the former site of the Knights of Columbus, also in Lynnfield.
“The neighbors came to the meetings and voiced their opinions about Bali Hai, and they had every right to do that,” said Palumbo. “You know, I see both sides of it. Lynnfield’s a great community. I grew up there. I loved my childhood in Lynnfield. But there’s also a need for housing around the area. I don’t see why someone else can’t have that opportunity to also experience the same stuff I did growing up.”
Palumbo grew up in Lynnfield with his two siblings, a sister and twin brother, who (he pointed out) is 3 minutes younger. He attended Huckleberry Hill Elementary School, Lynnfield Middle School, and St. John’s Prep, and then moved on to Providence College and Wentworth Institute of Technology.
“Lynnfield was such a small town back then,” said Palumbo. “There really weren’t any stoplights. This was before Market Street. So you could bike around town. You could go sledding at the Colonial and go to different ball fields, to play sports together. And a lot of my friends then — still my best friends — I met at Huckleberry Hill Elementary School.”
Palumbo and his brother fell in love with building while working on their family’s construction projects as teenagers; his father owns Palumbo Properties.
“When we were 12 years old, my brother and I started working in construction as teenagers by carrying Sheetrock up the stairs and sweeping up after the older workers,” said Palumbo. “And, there were all these 40- and 50-year-old guys, and they’re going, ‘What’s going on here?’ So that was our introduction to construction. We really enjoyed it. There’s nothing I love more than being on a construction site every morning.”
Palumbo joins a commission with a well balanced resume of experience and professional knowledge, including architectural and interior design training, town management experience, and historical expertise.
“What’s really great is Abby Kilgore and Bob MacKendrick have been in this town forever, and they know every story behind the houses and buildings in every neighborhood,” said Mansfield. “And Bob was a former selectman and former fire chief. He is a wealth of knowledge. They all bring a lot to the table. It’s great to have all of their eyes on these projects and say what should and shouldn’t be.”
The first time Palumbo worked with the Lynnfield Historical Commission was during the Bali Hai development. The commission suggested they include a mural in the lobby of The Arthur commemorating the history of the site with a summary and photographs.
“So when people enter the building, that’s the first thing they see is this beautiful write-up that the Lynnfield Historical Commission put together,” said Palumbo. “Our tenants love it.”
“And that’s why I love the Historical Commission,” added Palumbo. “They try to work with builders and developers to do as much as possible to preserve the character. So I think there’s a lot of creative solutions and ideas that the board and a developer working together can come up with. My perspective being on the other side of the table, being an actual builder and developer, I can see the whole picture and give my opinion. So I think a different perspective on the board would help out.”
