Developer gives Wellesley lower falls neighborhood heads up on condo plan
Neighbors in Wellesley lower falls earlier this month were notified about a condo development plan that’s in its very early stages.
The development would replace an automotive garage, junkyard, and multifamily residence on Washington Court, a dead-end street off of Washington Street/Rte. 16 east (a Gulf station is on the corner and St. John the Evangelist Parish is across the street).
Joe Hassell, a Wellesley-based developer who built a couple of homes on Pond Road at the opposite end of town, wrote in a letter distributed to nearby homes in which he offered to introduce himself and the planned residential project. The letter includes his phone number and a map of the project area, but no details of size or timing. In the letter, he invites neighbors to share questions and feedback before public meetings are held.
The location is not within the half mile radius of an MBTA station, so this wouldn’t appear to be a candidate for the new MBTA Communities plan that Wellesley is firming up.
The properties are split between Lower Falls Village Commercial District and Single Residence zoning, so this could be a case for Residential Incentive Overlay zoning.
A handful of Wellesley housing developments are in the works or about to accommodate tenants, with locations ranging from Linden Street to Rte. 9 to Cedar Street. The town this year will be working on a strategic housing plan that will take a broad look at Wellesley’s housing needs and how to meet them. This plan will serve as a follow-up to the town’s 5-plus-year-old housing production plan.
