More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.
Things have been awfully quiet regarding the North 40 property that the town bought from Wellesley College back in 2014. But now, via reader ML, we find one possible use for the land, and it likely wouldn’t affect Weston Road traffic at all…
These ambitious boys had quite a lemonade — plus snacks — stand going on Sunday afternoon at Maugus Avenue and Washington Street in Wellesley. I can vouch for the pink lemonade.
The Board of Selectmen has grabbed residents’ attention with a letter about a Monday meeting (June 26, 7:05pm) at which it and the Planning Board will discuss a proposed 6-story (including underground garage), 95-unit housing complex on a small road off of Linden Street. Neighbors reached out to us to air their concerns about what such a development could mean to an already congested traffic area, and they’re sure to show up at the meeting Monday to make those concerns public.
We’d heard scuttlebutt several years ago about a developer’s plans to snap up and tear down homes on Delanson Circle to create condos or apartments, and now it appears that such a vision has made major progress. The Meeting on Monday will be to address a 40B site eligibility request, which would be a precursor to formal 40B affordable housing application.
Architectural firm Embarc Studio explains in its “project narrative” how the structure would feature a common courtyard and community room, and be built in such a way to emphasize the horizontal nature of the development and play down its height. The description also references the development being “transit-oriented,” in that it is located within walking distance of a commuter rail station, perhaps suggesting that the development would not necessarily overwhelm the area with new vehicles.
While Wellesley could badly use more affordable housing in light of the steady stream of teardowns that result in new high-end properties that are out of reach pricewise for so many, the influx of so many new housing units in one fell swoop would certainly bring its own set of issues with it.
These roadway ramp changes are close enough to Wellesley that we’ve received a couple of copies of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s notice from Swellesley readers. So we’re passing the notice along to the rest of you, too:
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is reminding members of the public that [on Friday, June 23] it will open a newly constructed on-ramp in Weston for vehicles traveling from I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) westbound onto Route 128/I-95 north and southbound. This ramp opening is part of the ongoing work to reconstruct the interchange where toll plazas were removed last fall.
In order to facilitate the change this weekend, MassDOT will also close the off-ramp from I-90 westbound onto Park Road and South Avenue/Route 30 westbound beginning this evening for approximately one week.
“We are pleased to reach this milestone in rebuilding the Weston interchange,” said Acting Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “Drivers should be aware that as of Friday night there will be a new path of travel in certain directions at the Weston interchange and should also be mindful of the detour route as the off-ramp from I-90 westbound to local roadways will be closed for one week.”
The new ramp will provide additional merging space for traffic entering Route 128/I-95 north and southbound and create a safer connection between the two major interstates. Appropriate signage will be in place and drivers are encouraged to devote their full attention to driving through this location.
The detour route for traffic looking to access Park Road and Route 30/South Avenue westbound from I-90 westbound is as follows:
For more information on traffic conditions travelers are also encouraged to:
Wellesley’s Belclare complex was quick to fill its luxury condos with occupants starting at the end of 2015, but retail tenants have been much slower to come (one tenant that was announced back in 2014 has never materialized in Wellesley).
Thirst Juice was the first business to grab a spot, on the Grove Street side, back in November of 2016, and now Agnes Vision of Wellesley is readying to be the first retailer on the Washington Street front. The next big get for Belclare would be a restaurant, for which it is built to accommodate (rumors are already circulating about a restaurant that could open across the street).
We made a couple of inquiries to Belclare retail property manager Boston Realty Advisors recently about any word on tenants, but have not heard back. They’re coy about publicly listing how much it costs to lease retail property at the Belclare complex, but with the condos going for $1.4M or more, you know it isn’t chump change (we saw no rates listed on their public brochure, which could use an update since it still highlights the recently closed Blue Ginger restaurant as well as Boloco and Talbots, which are no longer in Wellesley Square).
If Agnes Vision sounds familiar, that might be because the business has been operating within DePrisco Jewelers in Wellesley Square. (More to come on Agnes Vision — we have a message in to the business).
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