Three candidates for mayor share their vision for Newton Center parking lot

by | Jul 14, 2017 | Affordable housing, Mayor's race, Newton Centre | 6 comments

| Newton MA News and Politics BlogThe Newton TAB asked city councilors and mayoral candidates Ruthanne Fuller, Scott Lennon and Amy Mah Sangiolo if they would support a mixed-use project in the triangle parking lot of Newton Centre. 

Now tell us — and them — what you think.

6 Comments

  1. Mike Striar
    Mike Striar on July 14, 2017 at 1:07 pm

    The real opportunity for a great mixed use project in Newton Centre was proposed by the sole abutter to the fire station, who offered to build the city a new fire house in exchange for the right to develop the combined properties. The initial proposal for that public-private partnership was better than the original Austin Street plan, but it never found any traction with the Mayor.

    Personally, I see little benefit coming from a major re-design/use of the Newton Centre parking lot. It functions very well now in supporting businesses throughout that village. It’s frequently busy, and should be a cash cow for the city, except for some inexplicable reason, people are allowed to park free at night–far and away the busiest time in that lot.

  2. Newtoner
    Newtoner on July 14, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    Is there any concrete proposal on the table for this lot? I wonder if the triangle has enough space to build anything substantial. Also, the disruption caused by construction in such a central place would be a lot more significant than for the Newtonville projects.

  3. Colleen Minaker
    Colleen Minaker on July 14, 2017 at 2:15 pm

    Good comment Mike, I agree. What other potential sites would you recommend for housing development?

  4. Mike Striar
    Mike Striar on July 14, 2017 at 9:08 pm

    Colleen– I see most of these housing proposals in Newton as opportunities. I weigh the value of an individual proposal to the community, as the determining factor in whether or not [in my opinion] a project should be built. Tough negotiations [on behalf of the city] can’t turn a bad proposal into a good one, but that strategy can turn a marginal proposal into a great project for Newton. The key is to have knowledgable people with strong negotiating skills advocating for the city, and squeezing everything they can out of a developer. In the end, a developer either puts enough on the table to make it a good project for the community, or you tell them to build somewhere else.

  5. Blueprintbill
    Blueprintbill on July 14, 2017 at 11:59 pm

    Here we go again giving away public property to another local Donald Trump.
    Bostons Post Office Square underground parking facility with parkland above is the perfect model for what we might aspire to at Newton Centre. Newton Centre is the heart of the city and as such it should become the penultimate village green. Develope the properties at the perimeter of a parkland and not in the dead center of town!

  6. Keith B.
    Keith B. on July 21, 2017 at 4:08 am

    I second the idea for underground parking with green space up on top. I’m sure it would be quite expensive but it would make newton center gorgeous. As it is, the parking lot is ugly. That said, it is convenient for many and the full nature of it surely a comforting site for the area businesses (a big deal).

    With regards to affordable housing, my idea doesn’t help. In fact, I’m guessing it would raise rents and housing prices all around Newton center. But damn, how sweet would it be!