What Should Go Here at 51 Needham Rd?

This vacant building at 51 Needham Rd. next to Hollywood Hits and visible from Route 128 used to be home to a sports club, but that was about six years ago.

Turner's Seafood of Gloucester was eyeing the property as recently as last May and planning to make extensive renovations to open up another of its seafood restaurants (similar to the one in Melrose), but those plans are now dead in the water, so to speak. Highway motorists today can clearly see the "For Lease" signs around the site.

The Turners made it clear from the start they needed a full liquor license in order to go through with their plans and since the town didn't have any available to issue, they sought to get one by special legislation.

Last May, Town Meeting voters approved a request for a home rule petition to the legislature to create a new license that could only be used at that location. It was expected to take about a year to get approved by lawmakers and the Turners said they'd wait.

State Rep. Ted Speliotis confirms, however, that home rule petition effort has been dropped now because the Turners found a location in Salem instead for their new restaurant.

Building Inspector Richard Maloney also confirmed that no permits were ever sought from the town for a restaurant at the site and he was not aware of any other plans going forward.

So what would you like to see there now? Share your ideas in the comment section below.