The Boston Globe West section ran a story today about the proposed Riverside development, a plan to build 290 new apartments, a 10 story office building, retail space, and a community center at the Riverside train yard. The project has been years in the works and at this past Wednesday’s Board of Alderman meeting they were close to taking the final vote to approve the project. The Globe reports:
“I think most of the members of the board have had their questions answered to their satisfaction,” said Hess-Mahan. “We have to work out an amendment that is acceptable to the aldermen and the developer.”
The board seemed close to a vote Wednesday night until [Alderman] Gentile offered an amendment that would require the community center be built before the residential or office buildings could be occupied.
“Earlier today, I was asked what assurance do you have that the community center will ever be built, and that it will in fact be built in a timely manner, and I did not have an answer to that,” said Gentile. “This amendment is an attempt to make sure that the community center does in fact get built.”
But the developer’s lawyer, Stephen Buchbinder, said the change would be a huge problem, limiting the developer’s ability to finance the project.
“This is a condition that we absolutely cannot accept,” said Buchbinder. “This kills the deal for us.”
I haven’t really been following this project closely, but it jumped out at me as a curious story. The questions it raised for me include:
* This seems like a big local story with a dramatic 11th hour twist, I’m surprised that it hasn’t generated any chatter, commenst and opinions. Nothing here on Village 14. Over on the Tab blog, there was a post about it, but no comments.
* Why were Alderman Gentiles alarm bells going off about the Community Center at this late date in the process.
* Why is this a “huge problem” and why would it “kill the deal” for the developer?
Does anybody here on Village 14 have any more details to the story?
The one location newton has to build something great, and it will be sold out for a few new Hamburger shake shacks.
yes there will be retail, how may Newton north and south grads want a job full time, in any of the jobs that will be located at riverside. Mayor warren has sold out the future of the city
This project makes me nervous. I travel Grove Street every day at 5:30 PM, and there are some days that the 1,000 cars pulling in and out of Riverside back the street up and now we going to increase capacity to 2,000 cars! Has anyone been on Grove Street during rush hour? The kids living in the apartment building will be zoned for Williams and Angier. . . . two schools that are at capacity. Don’t tell me there won’t be families living there. . . . we fell for that story when both Avalons were built, and those elementary schools are over crowded with buffer zones and modular classrooms.
I understand the want to build the community center first, because at the end, when the project has a cost over-run, the community center will be the first thing cut.
I am nervous for the outcome of this project. . . . . and tI hope for the best. . . .
I commend Alderman Gentile for doing this. He is correct and knows that they wont be building the community center.
I also agree with Newton Mom – have they studied the traffic issues there with just riverside and if we add in more housing – it will be even more congested.
And how will the schools handle this additional children??
I agree with Alderman Gentile for wanting to ensure that the community center will be built. What I don’t understand is why he rejected the developers’ offer of an alternative way to ensure it.
@Frank Linnehan – in addition to retail, there’s also a 10 story office building. Wouldn’t you expect that to be full of people working at jobs beyond hamburger flipping?
I am pleased that the Board of Aldermen unanimously approved a special permit for the Station at Riverside project, which will include 225,000 square feet of office space, 290 units of housing, including 44 affordable units created pursuant to the inclusionary zoning ordinance passed by the Board, 20,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and an 11,000 square foot community center with a full-size basketball court.
As has been the case throughout this process, the final step which allowed the Board of Aldermen to give its undivided support to this project was the product of good faith negotiations and a compromise which allowed the developer to obtain financing for the project and gave appropriate assurances and security for the promise to complete every component of this mixed use/transit oriented development.
Since this project first came forward over six years ago, a great deal of time and effort has been put into public engagement by the aldermen from ward 4 and the developer. Based on feedback from the community and the neighbors, significant changes were made which addressed many of the concerns raised.
Over the past two years, the Board of Aldermen, and particularly the Zoning & Planning and Land Use committees, have spent a great deal of time and effort on zoning requirements and review of the proposed project. Zoning & Planning spent months crafting an ordinance for mixed use/transit oriented development that ensured that the project that was brought forth would meet the community’s needs. And for the past 18 months, the Riverside project has occupied much of the time and efforts of the Land Use Committee.
In June 2012, Land Use conducted a public hearing on the developer’s conceptual plan for the project, which helped shape and influence the special permit application, including addition of a roundabout that would ensure access to the site from the federal highway system to take traffic off of Grove Street, improvements to the design of beneficial open space, connections to future trials and an overlook adjacent to the Charles River, and refinements of the office, retail, residential and community center structures.
Since October 2012, the Land Use Committee has conducted 17 meetings including public hearings and working sessions, which led to further refinements, improvements, and conditions to mitigate the impact of this project on the surrounding neighborhopods and the city.
The Station at Riverside will bring much needed economic development, revenue and jobs to Newton, as well as $63 million in infrastructure improvements, including roadways, water lines, and an Intermodal Commuter Facility at Riverside Station, $6.1 million in mitigation funds to increase capacity in the City’s sanitary system and for neighborhood improvements, and $3.5 million in building permit fees.
This project would not have been possible without the collaboration of many, many people all working together. Rather than risk excluding deserving persons, I simply want to thank everyone who participated in and made positive contributions to making it possible for the Board of Aldermen to lend their unanimous support. You all know who you are, and your role in making it happen, and you have my heartfelt gratitude for your contributions.
Once again Mayor Warren and Ted Hess-Mahan have sold out the city of Newton for a few pennies,
If you look at the new development off Rt 9 where we got a #25 a ticket movie theater and Hamburger Shack, and 3 red lights all in a row only 20 feet apart, on Hammond pond parkway you can see first hand how they have sold out newton to developers.
Chestnut Hill Square includes medical offices, as well as grocery, retail and restaurant space. The Station at Riverside will include residential, office, retail and restaurant space and a community center, as well as an Intermodal Commuter Facility that will have parking, a bicycle corral, pick-up and drop-off areas, taxi stands and bus stops. I believe that both of these mixed-use projects will provide a variety of jobs at all different levels: entry level, clerks, professionals, business people, office workers, restaurant staff, etc. Riverside will also include a great deal of beneficial open space for people to gather, an overlook adjacent to the Charles River, a community garden, play areas for children, a rain garden, a dog run, and plazas for passive and active recreation. So I feel that both of these projects provide substantial public benefits, as well as the kind of economic development, revenue and jobs we want in Newton.
@Ted
I read your comment, but you did not address how Newton Public Schools can absorb these new residents. This is an important part of our budget and we have strain in the elementary school level now.
Ted you have to be dumb as a rock.
Star market has been in that location for over 40 years, and the Movie theater for over 25 years, so Ted you added nothing to the area at all. Only added 3 red lights on Hammond Pond Parkway. And Newton Mom is right, the new residents will only lower the quality of the education for current students,
Poor job Ted.
Did Sean Roche manage to reduce the number of parking spaces as he proposed in his Newton Tab Op-Ed? Something about reducing the parking by 35% while increasing the size of the office building. Despite second guessing the developer and zoning codes, it didn’t seem like he was willing to personally guarantee the occupancy of the expanded building though.
For the MBTA to increase ridership (and return to profitability) we need more park-and-ride facilities. Everyone who can walk/ride to the T can do so today. So if the MBTA wants to get more customers, year round, it needs access to a larger radius of potential customers.