Plan B for Westwood Station
Documents published on the Town website provide a glimpse into the dramatic reduction in size of the planned Westwood Station development. Although the entire project remains permitted and presumably could be built someday, the initial development, Phase 1, will consist of a small cluster of retail stores including anchor stores Target and Wegmans.
The documents on the town website include additional information about I-Cubed funding and a total of 4 town meeting warrant articles to be voted on. For more information go to:
http://townhall.westwood.ma.us/index.cfm?pid=15395
In particular, to understand the remaining vision for this project--which still includes the full build-out of a unique "mini-city," smart growth, transit-oriented development--take the time to read through the I-Cubed Economic Development Proposal (EDP). This is really the best presentation of the whole project in its current form and it reflects the phased approach strategy of achieving those goals. I'll save my opinion for a separate post.
Comments
Yes or No I-Cube ......
This could be a good thing where the project expands over time. My question is does CC&F have funding? The other thing is if the state is using 49 million grant money to do infrastructure work in and around westwood station why would we vote yes on 6 million which is not grant money? If the state wants jobs to be created then how the town votes should have nothing to do with the state grant money. Who is directly benefiting from the state spending 49 million? That's 49 million CC&F will not have to spend now. When it comes to the 6 million I see no good reason the town should sign off on the I-Cube it does not benefit the town. The town voting Yes or No on the I-Cube funding should have nothing to do with the state and its 49 million. So the day of town meeting I hope No Selectman stands up and threatens that if we don't vote yes then the state may pull back on its 49 million. I'M just sick and tired of the threats that if I vote no this will happen or that will happen.
a very disappointing development
As a resident of Blue Hill Drive I've long (too long) been a supporter of the Westwood Station project as both a solution to diversifying the town's tax base as well as a comprehensive, unified solution to the University Ave industrial park wasteland. The project as originally proposed was ambitious but it was everything that Legacy Place is not -- open, inviting, architecturally interesting with plenty of green spaces -- a true lifestyle center encompassing shopping, housing, offices and recreation opportunities.
When I look at this "new" reduced project I only feel dismay because all of the elements that made the original project good, original and inspiring have been stripped away and we're left with only the least desirable pieces.
Who needs Wegmans when we already have Roche Bros, Whole Foods, Star Market down the street? And why do we need another Target when there is a brand new one just 10 minutes away in Randolph? I understand the need for anchor stores to make the whole project viable but there is nothing beneficial here for the town other than some tax revenue and another ugly big box strip mall with open air parking. This is development purely for the sake of development.
Of course, in some ways this is exactly what the vocal minority in town wanted -- a scaled down project. Lesson - be careful what you wish for.
I don't yet know how I'm going to vote but, this thing sucks and, frankly, I'm pissed off.
This is not at all what
This is not at all what anyone in the "vocal minority" supported--just the opposite as we had a special town meeting in 2006 with a specific article to prevent the "big-boxification" of the site. What has been proposed now (four years after that town meeting) simply shows that this project was too big and collapsed of its own weight. Instead of trying to refocus the plan in order to keep something of the original idea, the developer (with the full support of town leaders) is now in the mode of we must build anything we can no matter how far from the original plan it may be.
This is not going to be a mini-city and certainly people are not going to be lining up to buy condos--it is just another extension of Route 1. It is also interesting that no numbers have been presented regarding the projected tax revenues to the Town if this phase opens in 2012 (a mere five years late) and yet we are being asked to take on a $6 million commitment to get it off the ground.
The EDP report posted on the town website still indicates that the developer is in "discussions" to obtain financing--not that it has any commitments whatsoever even though Wegman's and Target are supposedly going to finance the cost of construction on their own. Indeed, after all this time the report does not even reflect actual signed agreements with both Target and Wegman's. And, as usual, this is all being sprung only a couple of weeks in advance of town meeting where we will no doubt be told that if we don't support the new plan it will be the death of Westwood and the developer will pull up stakes. Disappointing is the understatement of the year.
Vocal Minority
John,
I guess I would fall into the category of "vocal minority" so I feel the need to comment. The new plan is not what I wanted and I will go out on a limb here and say it is not what other members of the vocal minority wanted. This plan to me looks like a last resort....let's at least take a strip mall. I never read on this blog or heard at any meetings individuals say they wanted a strip mall-- not even the vocal minority.
Legacy Place would have been a scaled down version of the original project. The retail at Legacy Place is much smaller than what was originally proposed at Westwood Station. I think something like Legacy Place but more open and more of a lifestyle center is what members of the vocal minority wanted. Maybe other members will post their thoughts.
The one aspect of this plan I am happy with is the lack of 1000 condos/rental units. I hope we never hear of that large amount again.
We all received the mailing yesterday. The push is on. According to the BOS, construction to go vertical must start by the fall in order to receive this money. So, here we go again. I can not imagine any other town doing this.... quick take the strip mall so we can get some cash. Way to change our town and not for the better.
I agree with you in many aspects. I have no issues driving to Randolph and soon Braintree for Target. I am happy to have Roche Bros in town and have never wanted for yet another grocery store. But looks like that is what we are getting.
However your comment... "Lesson - be careful what you wish for." does not apply here. I am glad people questioned this development. I just wish they would keep it up. If we want something in that area that is ready to be developed, let's think long and hard about it and make it something good, something special, something special to Westwood - not a strip mall.
Vocal Minority
I have to agree with Joanie that the strip mall version of Westwood Station is NOT what the vocal minority has been seeking. In fact it's closer to the exact opposite of what I was hoping for. I supported the development of Westwood Station when Mr. Rafsky stood up at town meeting and told us that the plan was to develop a 'Newbury St type setting'...with small shops, nice restaurants and a pedestrian-friendly design. Well, it seems we'll be getting two large national chain stores and perhaps a couple small shops (to be named later). With what appears to be many many parking spaces, according to the Plan B listed on the town website.
That vision, outlined to us by Mr. Rafsky as we began the process of approving zoning changes and making financial committments, is nowhere to be seen. And even now, when the developer is being forced to scale back due to economic instability the big box, strip mall design is what's being proposed. If the plan is being overhauled why can't we get some of what we were told we would have? This is what i 'wish for'. And I think there are alot of others who join me.
In reviewing the Plan B I didn't see any mention of a police and/or fire station site which I understood the town would be getting as part of the deal. Has that been eliminated from the plan? With all the changes taking place under the guise of 'phasing' isn't it possible to get a bit more of what we were told we would have?
KJ
A couple questions to residents
A few questions to residents. As a resident do you feel that the town should support the I-Cube funding if there is no benefit for the town in doing so? Do you feel the town residents should be pressured into voting for 6 million dollars which is not grant money? Do you feel the states 49 million should have nothing to do with Westwood voting in 6 million? You can tell I do not support the I-Cube and feel CC&F should be thanking their lucky stars that the state stepped to the plate with 49 million.
Mr Craine the biggest concern to most residents of which you call the vocal minority is the traffic. The problem here is the project keeps changing like the wind. We have given the developer everything he has asked for in the past and it's time for CC&F to stop asking the town to accept different things for their development.
As a supporter of the size of Westwood Station maybe you can find out if CC&F even has the funding to build the couple of stores besides Target and Wegmans. I believe Wegmans and Target are building out their own buildings, so what is CC&F building?
resetting expectations
When I first wrote about the project 3 years ago I said, very optimistically:
That's not a credible belief anymore.
Now, not everyone shared my reasons for supporting the project, so I would be wasting my breath to write a long post about that. I think from this point, we should evaluate the project based on what is specifically proposed. Given the dramatically-reduced size of the project (something the developer warned would cause it to fail), how exactly will what is proposed benefit the town?
new names and comments
It seems when CC&F needs something it is rushed to town meeting without much consideration. I hope this time residents will take a very close look what is being proposed by the developer. Like I said in an earlier post I don't want to see the town makes one of the biggest mistakes in the towns history. I'm not sure how many residents check out the blog but I do know more people read the posts then write their own. It would be great to hear from some new people that read but don't post. It would also be good to know who is posting so you know it's a resident of the town that is willing to put their name behind what they have to say.
I-cubed recommendation?
How did Fin Com vote on I-cubed? The project being financed y Anglo-Irish bank (which failed and was taken over by the Irish gov't, and whose exec is in hiding in Chatham) would give some of us second thoughts.
Does anyone know how FinCom voted?
Fincom voted to recommend
In the materials distributed to everyone by postal mail, I see FinCom has recommended all articles to pass.
I don't really see the relevence of your Anglo-Irish connection. That's of more concern for the depositors of the bank if the bank doesn't get repaid.
Relevance of Anglo Irish
Read the Globe article about Anglo Irish bank. Do you believe they are a reliable partner? Another question: I wonder how Chris McKeown's powerpoint slides show a 5% coupon assumption for wwstation bonds when Town of WELLESLEY bonds are paying a 3% coupon, and Town of BROOKLINE are paying 2% coupon? Look it up. Sounds like a lot of false promises all over again. And lots of imaginative math. Funny how we are getting a net $1 million in new tax revenue, but what about the rest of the 130 acres; what is being paid on that? This project fizzled due to greed, and the greed continues.
materials?
Dave,
I got a book via the mail, but mine says they will make their recommendation on the articles heard on the 26th at TM. Is there something else out already?
RR
sorry; I got the same thing
FinCom has voted to recommend, but more details will be published on the town website as they finish writing up their commentary...
Unfair accusations
Hey Watchdog, the lower coupon would be a GOOD thing for the developer, the town and the state. Chris used the 5% coupon because it is a more conservative assumption, in other words, he's built in a large cushion into the debt figures. If the debt service comes in lower due to a lower coupon, the developer will owe less which in turn means that the town's exposure from I-Cubed will be less. It's not really fair for you to accuse him of playing fast and loose with the numbers and making false promises.