By Franceen Shaughnessy. - Needham Times
Thursday, September 15, 2005
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A proposal for a six-story, 350-unit housing complex in an office park near the Newton border met little initial resistance from selectmen, who said the project could help them meet their affordable housing quota.
Jay Doherty of Cabot, Cabot & Forbes said at Tuesday's Selectmen meeting that the firm sees a potential for an all-rental residential site in New England Business Center that would fall under Chapter 40B, which grants leeway from local zoning to developers who sell or rent at least 25 percent of their units at state-designated affordable rates.
Roughly 30 percent of the commercial space in the office park is vacant, he said, noting that Cabot, Cabot & Forbes owns a combined 20 acres, including the 8-acre lot at 300 Second Ave., where the project is being proposed.
In part, Doherty said, that's due to change in what employers are demanding.
Boston was named the most expensive locality in the country in terms of housing, he said.
Even with higher salaries, he said, the problem of housing is still there, especially when there's a longer commute.
With certain amenities such as Golds Gym on A Street nearby, he said, this area is ideal
for residential units for young professionals or even empty-nesters.
The existing site at 300 Second Ave. sits 300 feet back from the Charles River, Doherty said. Due to deficiencies such as having no elevator or insulation in the walls, he said, the current building is not salvageable.
Roughly 75 percent of the parking associated with the project would be under the building,
he said.
Doherty said the firm would like to collaborate with the town to improve the pedestrian walkways already near the site. "We would like to integrate the project with those assets," he said.
The school impact from the project is estimated to be "very low," he said.
"You might have 23 children divided over 350 units."
Selectmen Chairman John Bulian said a project like the one being proposed would go a
long way towards the town achieving the state-mandated 10 percent of affordable housing required by 40B.
The project could possibly give the town a year maybe two to "turn back other attempts made by 40B developers," Bulian said, adding that the business center is the only place in town that could absorb a complex of this size.
Selectman Jerry Wasserman said the project will have a major impact on the town, but
thinks that there is potential.
"This will not get us to the 10 percent, but it gets us a long way towards that," he said. With other projects in the pipeline, "we could, in a few years, get to the 10 percent and stop
splitting this town up over 40Bs, and I think that is important."
A public hearing on the project is scheduled for the Oct. 25 Board of Selectmen's
meeting.
Franceen Shaughnessy can be reached at fshaughn@cnc.com.
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