Pier 44 committee applicants discuss directions for the property

By Jessica Bartlett, Town correspondent

After purchasing of the land at Pier 44, Scituate has begun the work of forming a committee that will sort through options for the future of the property.

At the Board of Selectmen's meeting Tuesday night, interviews were held for people who want to join the committee for Pier 44, which was described by one applicant, real estate agent Donna Chase, as “a focal point for the town.”

People with backgrounds ranging from urban planning to interior design applied to be on the committee, and their interviews pointed out their differing viewpoints.

“I'm concerned that the open space for people to enjoy the harbor is very limited,” said Ella Frances, a resident of Scituate for 65 years and an applicant. Fellow applicant Anthony Fusco agreed.

“What I'm interested in is bringing together the different demographics of the town, the age groups. I'd love to see young people, young married people, families – those people enjoying Pier 44 and what it could be,” Fusco said.

But Doug Anderson, another candidate for the committee, was less focused on coming up with ideas for the pier, and more on the process of planning for it.

“I would envision the process as being two parts. [The first part would be to determine] what kind of the shape is the building in, and the second, what can you use for it. They are two separate parts, but they do go hand in hand,” Anderson said.

Regardless of the direction of Pier 44, Selectman Joseph Norton stressed that committee members have to open to all options.

“Whoever is on this committee should have an open mind,” he said.

More than a dozen applicants interviewed for the position on Tuesday, and Norton said that about eight will be chosen for the panel, which is formally called the Pier 44 Building Options and Feasibility Study Committee.

Final decisions on members will be made at the board's next meeting on Sept. 21. When the committee begins meeting, all of its sessions will be open for the pubic.