Category — Chestnut Hill

You may have thought once or twice before, “Why do developers do our planning for us?  They tell us what they want, and we react.  Why don’t we have our own vision?”

Mayor Warren has convened a committee to create that vision–the Comprehensive Plan Mixed Use Task Force (MUTF). The group is led by the rightly esteemed Phil Herr, who led the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee that gave us our 2007 Plan.

[NOTE:  Two Newton Villagers (Andrea Kelley and John Pears) are serving on the MUTF.  As updates on the MUTF work are available, we will post them here.]

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On Tuesday night, Newton-based New England Development presented its proposal for redeveloping the site on Route 9 where the closed Omni Foods and other vacant buildings stand.

The proposed site plan, with a one-story building bordering Route 9 (at top) and additional retail and medical office space at center, two surface lots, a parking garage (bottom left), and a residential building at left. Click to enlarge.

The Chestnut Hill Square development, if completed as planned, would add 105,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 60,000 square feet of medical office space, a 50,000 square foot grocery store, and a 30,000-square-foot health club. The complex would also include 90 residential units (condos or apartments), which could be built at the same time or as a second phase. Approximately 900 parking spaces in two surface lots and a 4-level parking garage would serve the complex. [Read more →]

The Chestnut Hill Association invites us all to join them for a presentation by New England Development Corp. on the Chestnut Hill Square project (Rt. 9, site of the former Omni supermarket).  It’ll be on Tuesday, June 1 from 7:15 – 9 pm at the Church of the Redeemer (379 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill, in the Parish Hall behind the Church on the left). (Map & directions here.)

An aerial view of the proposed project looking south from Route 9. (Source: New England Development)

Findings of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute pedestrian study illustrate that the city has room for improvement for safe walking in at least four villages.

The findings appear on the website of the League of Women Voters of Newton, in a new section addressing the group’s efforts to study pedestrian mobility.

You may download the findings for each village from the LWVN page, or download the PowerPoint presentation (large file) here: WPI presentation.

The league collaborated with the city’s planning department to sponsor this study by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students. The student group studied existing conditions and possible improvements to pedestrian crosswalks and other facilities in Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Chestnut Hill, and West Newton.

The study identified pedestrian problems in four villages, including 12 problems in Newton Corner.

Newton is working hard on refining its parking enforcement practices (see this in the TAB and this in the Globe).  We’re also thinking quite a bit about supply, particularly in Newton Centre:  development applications for Panera and more recently the train station diner hinged on parking supply questions.  And who hasn’t heard about dreams of parking garages in Newton Centre to get the parking out of the triangle at Beacon & Centre?

To their credit, a handful of aldermen have also tried to reform some parking regulations.  Last year, there was a short-lived attempt to create a pilot program for combined employee/residential permits on some streets near business districts.  Also in 2009, an item to reduce parking requirements for restaurants was docketed, but it was never discussed.  The most important reform, however, is still under consideration:  an in-lieu-of-parking fee system. [Read more →]

Confit duck leg with watercress, orange segments, almonds and raisins. Ceviche de pescado.  Center cut filet mignon topped with sautéed mushrooms and a demi glace — served with potato and vegetable.

Hungry yet? [Read more →]