A Wellesley building is actually getting… smaller

Might it be time to get a Small Building Review process (to complement the Large House Review process) going in Wellesley?

Not quite, but Wellesley College this week has been presenting its plans to the Wellesley Planning Board and Select Board (about 2 hours in to Wellesley Media recording) to reconstruct its Simpson Hall facility at 106 Central St., into a new Health & Counseling Center that would shrink the footprint from 19,025 sq. ft. to 11,000 sq. ft. A Design Review Board agenda item is planned for July 19.

The college seeks a special permit for a project of significant impact. Such special permits address off-site impacts of projects in areas such as water, sewer, and electric power. You can view the college’s project plan submission. The Select Board approved a recommendation for the project to the Planning Board, which will revisit the issue after its initial brief discussion this week.

A building adjacent to Simpson Hall dubbed Simpson Cottage will remain.

According to the school, the project fits with its overall “Wellesley 2025” plan to modernize the campus without growing it. The new building will support health services (exam rooms, waiting areas, offices, and support) and counseling services (offices, conference rooms, and waiting areas).

Health services, which are run by Newton-Wellesley Hospital, have temporarily been moved to the College Club to make way for the demolition.

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com