SALEM — A methadone clinic that abandoned plans to open in South Salem earlier this summer has found a new site: the former Hillcrest Chevrolet building.
Community Substance Abuse Centers would dispense methadone every morning and provide counseling to recovering drug addicts at the site of the former Highland Avenue car dealership, which closed earlier this year.
Hundreds of angry neighbors protested the clinic in June when it planned to open a similar facility on Canal Street, not far from a residential neighborhood. While the newly proposed clinic would sit among commercial properties, like Target and Pep Boys, critics yesterday argued that it would also be close to an apartment building and Salem High School.
The clinic anticipates fierce public opposition when it appears before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a public hearing on Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m.
"We know what's going to happen," attorney Jack Keilty said.
Nonetheless, clinic officials are proceeding with their plans in an attempt to curb what they've characterized as a serious drug problem in the area.
The clinic would be one of three tenants in the building and would operate out of the back with a separate, exclusive parking lot surrounded by gates.
"It isolates us," Keilty said. "... We're trying to create our own little enclave."
Company officials looked at five locations since abandoning the Canal Street site, according to Keilty.
"This one really had the right combination," Keilty said. "We really thought it was isolated enough in a commercial location that it made sense to be there."
Notices went out to abutters at the end of last week. So far, there have been no visible signs of opposition. Councilor-at-large Joan Lovely said she hasn't heard from a single constituent about the proposal but didn't know how many people actually knew about it.
While Lovely believes the former Hillcrest property contains ample parking and better access, she has concerns about the closeness to neighbors.
"It kind of presents a very similar situation to Canal Street," Lovely said. "There are residences. It's going to be up to those folks to come out and say whether they're supportive of the location or not."
School Committee member Kerry Martin didn't know about the clinic's plans until a reporter contacted her yesterday. She said she is "very concerned" about the clinic's proximity to the high school, about a half-mile away.
"My gut reaction is, no, that's not an ideal location," Martin said. "But I think any location is not ideal. People get very uncomfortable when something like that enters the community and puts children potentially at risk."
About 300 patients would receive methadone treatments, mainly between 6 and 8 a.m. every morning. Counseling would take place later in the day. Keilty said two-lane Highland Avenue should be able to handle the traffic and contended that patients already traverse the road each day.
"Arguably, some of our people are on that road today on their way to Peabody," Keilty said. The company operates a similar clinic on Route 1.
City officials are likely to act on the proposal this month. The City Council will meet on Sept. 9 for second passage of a proposal requiring methadone clinics to secure a special permit from the city's appeals board. The appeals board itself will hold a hearing on Sept. 15 for the public to weigh in.
A special permit requires approval from a two-thirds majority of appeals board members.
"I think the community at large realizes the appropriateness of this facility," Keilty said. "That's why we're coming to Salem — there's a need."
Staff writer Chris Cassidy can be reached at ccassidy@salem news.com.
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