With the clock ticking on the end of the year, the special permit application for Turtle Lane Playhouse goes back before the Land Use Committee on Tuesday night.
The proposal would restore and expand the former Turtle Lane Playhouse facility with office space above with an addition containing four dwelling units at street level and above and a second building containing a 16-unit multi-family structure with a below grade parking garage for 27 cars.
The most recent Planning Department memo is here. Many more documents are here, including this memo outlining how the theater would be use.
This makes sense as transit oriented development, but its undercut by inviting 1.7 cars per household, which keeps Newton at the top of the Commonwealth in car ownership (see link below). That’s especially egregious being right across the street from the commuter rail and a block away from express buses.
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/car-ownership-numbers-of-vehicles-by-city-map.html
Its also unfortunate the restaurant was dropped. Which brings up another issue: word has it the restaurant proposed just down the block from turtle lane is no longer being considered. Does anyone know what happened there?
It is not too much of an exaggeration to say that the traffic on Commonwealth Avenue in Auburndale has become a Route 9 stream of cars, and not just during rush hour anymore. One is lucky to cross over Comm Ave going north on Melrose Street at any point and not find the intersection blocked. The commuter rail is a stone’s throw away with parking but it’s small and commuters including those from other areas park all along the side streets, especially when the rate for the lot rises.
That’s one aspect of the present situation. As far as this specific project goes, while I like the idea of a theater run properly back again, the line item about renting out the space to large groups is also concerning.
Is this working for Auburndale?
http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/70129
I note with interest that on Central Street, it is marked in red which is supposed to be a two hour limit unless one has a permit. Those permits are for residents and businesses on that stretch and only a very limited amount are available. Facing west, if you park on the right hand side of Central Street for longer than 10 minutes without a permit, you’re likely to get a ticket. All fine and fair but…
there are at least 25 commuter cars starting from the Lexington Street/Central Street corner and extending down Central Street that are A) There all day and B) they’re dodging having to pay in a commuter lot that is too small anyway.
Like Boston, our streets were not laid out to accommodate vast amounts of cars like the streets in California.
I’m a 15 year Auburndale resident and very much in support of the Turtle Lane proposal! The theater is a beloved and precious community asset, and I think Stephen Vona’s plan to preserve it is thoughtful and innovative. I love how the front building comes blends nicely with the building on the other side of Melrose St (where Breadsong Bakery is) – the architect worked really hard to ensure that the design and scale compliment the neighborhood.
The condos in the back meet all of the criteria that the Newton Council on Aging have laid out for the housing seniors are looking for (and not currently able to find easily) in Newton. They will be fully accessible and ADA compliant, and in super proximity to the new ADA compliant commuter rail stop scheduled to be built in Auburndale.
The vast majority of my Auburndale friends and neighbors are in support, and honestly are kind of shocked that this project is meeting with much opposition. Clearly *some* kind of development is going to happen on that parcel. It’ll either be *all* housing, or this creative blend of the theater and housing. If you think of it in those terms, the current proposal seems to a no-brainer to me.
I reviewed the plans of the developer, and I think the proposed design is reasonable and balanced. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our neighborhood that brings new housing for young people and for Newton’s empty nesters who would like to downsize but can’t find affordable or accessible options. It also preserves the Turtle Lane Theater. It’s a win-win.
The Turtle Lane project would be a true asset to the village of Auburndale and to the City of Newton. The opportunity to bring live theatre back is truly exciting — to do so in a building built for today’s theatre (more flexible use of space, up-to-date sound and lighting technology, etc) would be fabulous! The space being proposed would usable for many types of performances and events; that is not only good for the village but frankly the only way in which a theatre can be financially sustainable today. The old Turtle Lane model cannot work.
I applaud Mr. Vona and his architect for working hard to ensure that his proposal fits into the neighborhood. They have taken such great care to do so; the fact that the abutters cannot recognize this is surprising to me.
Echoing what Allison Sharma has said, the condos and apartments are precisely what our seniors have said that they wanted in Newton, based upon a needs assessment conducted by the Council On Aging. This type of housing simply does not exist right now in our City.
This project is right for so many reasons! The alternatives? Well, as I understand it, Mr. Vona was the only prospective buyer who intended to restore the theatre. If his proposal is not accepted, the property will go back on the market and will doubtless be sold for something with significantly more density and without any community value or community input. Vona is taking a risk when he seeks to redevelop and reopen a theatre – he is doing out of love for the art. Will he make a profit? Of course – but he could do that without the addition of the theatre! With a lot less financial risk and headaches.
Let’s bring back live theatre to Newton!
A great project, which will significantly improve the quality of life in Auburndale and revitalize this distressed property back to a contributing cultural and much-needed new housing use, right next to the commuter rail.
We should be welcoming these types of innovative, community-based developments and recist misinformation about traffic and housing:
More smart-growth like this for ALL new residents, not just seniors, will increase supply and stabilize housing costs for what’s left of the middle class. If the schools sopposedly cannot handle it, this is an opportunity and not an obstacle. That’s why Newton is a community, and count me in for any and all necessary overrides.
Agree with Nathan too, the project is a bit “over parked,” and the loss of the restaurant was really unfortunate. Auburndale is essentially a dead village at night, with only one small full-service restaurant, and little to no community activity; while other Newton villages have seen far greater neighborhood restaurant growth. Parking on Aunurn St is also a non/issue in the evening, when most restaurants operate, as there is nothing open along the street (other than a convenience store).
This is a no brainier: Let’s get it approved and built!
I agree with all the voices in support of the project. The plan will create a welcome venue for small theater companies and other arts groups to flourish in Newton, and provide housing for those who want to live in small units. The project is forward thinking and will enhance Auburndale Square.
Nathan, I think Stephen Vona actually has planned for fewer parking spaces per unit than the usual 2 cars, so it is a reduction.
I had a subscription to Turtle Lane for 18 years, and at night there was always (and still is) ample parking all along Auburn Street, where all the shops are closed. I never parked on a residential street to attend a play. The traffic issues along Comm. Ave. are because of the proximity to the Pike and 128, not because of anything related to Turtle Lane.
I also wish the restaurant had been retained.
This is a project that the entire city should be uniting around. The Turtle Lane Playhouse was an essential and beloved part of the city for many years.
This well thought out plan to re-open the theater in a financially sustainable way is just the kind of project we need more of. The city of Newton is rich with artisitic talent of all sorts but disturbingly poor in good arts performance spaces.
What better way to create a new theater space than to rejuvenate the shuttered Turtle Lane Playhouse.
Dear Friends and Aldermen Harney, Sangiolo and Gentile
i am trying to organize a show of support for Turtle Lane Project. I have come to speak and sit in favor in other meetings but now realize how close this project is to being shut down. I can only ask that as this vote gets debated on Tuesday you will consider the voters who are in favor of saving the theater. We are an arts loving community that used to be home to two theaters and now there are none. The project is thoughtful and has changed to reflect the input of the neighbors.
If it is shut down I think it will be a tremendous loss to Auburndale and Newton as a whole. Not everyone can afford to go to Boston to see theater. We need places to come together as a community, to meet and connect. Art spaces provide a safe place for our youth. The project will bring pride and vitality to the vilage. It’s our vilage. It’s our theater! It’s the Turtle Lane!! Please vote in favor of the Turtle Lane Project.
Sincerely,
jane walsh
Auburndale
Sent from my iPhone
Please excuse the typos.
Looks to be a great project for sure! But we do really need to look at the parking numbers, both for residential as well as whatever commercial and the theatre itself.
I also see only 2 bike racks, at $100 a piece ($50/bike parked) they are dirt cheap, we need more (even if they are not used right away)
The Turtle Lane Playhouse project has heard the voices of the abutters and amended the project to exclude the restuarant and other perceived negative impacts. In both addressing the needs of a housing shortage in Newton and supporting the life of art and culture in this city, this project is unique. It will build community not, break it down. The value proposition of Newton has always been it’s rich diversity of demography and culture. This project will continue to foster that tradition in so many ways. I hope you will join me in supporting the zoning change and subsequent special permit.
I think the proposal for Turtle Lane is great for Auburndale (it would have been *intergalactic* for the ‘Dale if the restaurant was still on the table…ah, well). We should be striving to encourage and support thoughtful development in village centers in our city. I really hope it’s approved. (And…Nathan, are you referring to the “Ward 4” restaurant that was supposed to happen on Auburn Street? What an absolute shame if that doesn’t go through!) I am always in favor of projects that promote village vitality–particularly in my beloved Auburndale.
Dana, yes, I was referring to the Ward4 Restaurant. There was a great public response to the proposal at the Auburndale Library earlier this year.
I didn’t mean to be a stick in the mud on some shortcomings of turtle lane related to parking & its traffic-inducing effect. I do support the project. It will be even stronger if parking is unbundled from the housing units, so that people can make a choice about whether they want to purchase parking and own cars.
@Nathan: The Board approved the petition (Ward 4 restaurant) on July 13, 2015. 20 voted in favor. 1 recused and 3 absent (I was one who was absent).
@Alderman Sangiolo: Shhhhh! I was trying to cheer Blueprint Bill up by pointing to a housing project that you all “rejected.” Now he’s going to be all sad again.
Thank you, Amy. I’m puzzled at why the project has apparently stalled then. Hopefully it will get back on track.
@Greg: I believe the Board recently rejected the Southgate proposal.
I attended a meeting for this project at the Auburndale Library. Despite my concerns about traffic and parking, the fact that the proposal included reviving the theater was both a pleasant surprise and welcome component.
The last incarnation of the theater offered, among many other things, internships for youth during the summer. That is one example of how overall, this should be a net positive, especially for the Newton arts scene.
I’m still concerned about traffic, but what separates this from so many other proposed developments like Rowe Street is that here it’s in the developer’s / owner’s interest to make the parking and traffic WORK so the business thrives. Other projects, once they walk away, they could care less how much traffic has been added.
This is a terrific opportunity to bring back the theater and it will be the last one. The housing is great too. It’s astonishing to me that it is receiving push back from anyone.
To tell the truth, it’s disappointing that the first thing commented on is CARS PARKING by those who later say they support it. That only adds fuel to the arguments to deny it. How about supporting first and commenting on GET RID OF PARKING FOR CARS last? The fantasy of “don’t include parking and cars will vanish” is halting progress not helping it. There is a problem if you truly believe most people would walk or bike to the theater in Auburndale? You will have to get rid of a lot of people to have a car free Newton.
A good excerpt on why the amount of parking matters, by Gabe Klein:
“So parking is the key to affordable housing?
Parking spaces, particularly if you need to go underground, can cost up to $65,000. And they build the parking with a one-to-one ratio with bedrooms. You can see that if you get rid of the parking, the price of a $400,000 condo quickly becomes a $300,000 condo. So if we make people who can afford it pay $350,000, we can use the extra $50,000 to subsidize everyone who lived in that building and give them a home.”
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/transportation/how-parking-spaces-make-washington-dc-housing-more-expensive.php