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Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Sneak peek: We toured Wellesley’s first official Accessory Dwelling Unit

February 10, 2023 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

“The most important thing to do is communicate with your neighbors,” said Cynthia Sibold, the first Wellesley homeowner to receive construction approval for an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) under an article approved by Town Meeting in April 2022. “We told our neighbors what we wanted to do, answered a lot of questions, and made sure we followed all the rules.”

A little bit of luck was involved, as well. About a year before ADUs were approved, Sibold had already made plans to tear down her rickety, detached two-car garage, which was tenanted by a robust population of squirrels. Sibold approached the town and asked about the possibility of doing exactly what she’s doing right now—building a new garage with about 700 square-feet of living area above. She and her husband, Bill, envisioned a snug space behind their main house. One with its own sleeping, cooking and sanitation facilities, perfect for visitors, or as temporary housing for any of their three adult kids, should they ever need a place to land as they looked for jobs and housing in the area. Sure, the squirrels would be disappointed, but family comes first, the Sibolds figured.

The town back then said yes to the new garage, but no to the plan for second-floor living space. The bylaws didn’t support the idea. Sibold sighed and started the permitting and design process for a new garage, sans living space above. Oh well, the second floor of the garage could be storage space. Who doesn’t need more storage space?

This is where the luck part comes in. Before the garage plans got to the point where change work orders became financially impractical, Sibold says she opened up her laptop to catch the latest town news on The Swellesley Report and saw this headline: Wellesley OKs accessory dwelling units.

Whaaat?

“I’m never lucky with real estate stuff,” Sibold said. “Except this time.”

Since luck favors the prepared, she reviewed the town’s definition of an ADU—”an apartment within or on the same property as an owner-occupied, single-unit residential dwelling, that is subordinate to the main (or principal) dwelling unit”—and kicked into gear. In short order Sibold did that neighborhood communication thing, then applied for and received the necessary approvals (including a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals regarding setbacks). A particularly satisfying moment came when the ZBA expressed its unanimous opinion that the project as presented would not “disturb or disrupt the customary character of the residential neighborhood, and is in harmony with the intent and purpose” of the zoning bylaw that allows ADUs.

We were invited in for a tour of the work-in-progress. Take a look:

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), Cynthia Sibold
Wellesley’s first Accessory Dwelling Unit is currently under construction in the space above the Sibold’s new two-car garage. The permitting process started Sept. 29, 2022, when Sibold requested a hearing in front of the Planning Board. On Nov. l, the Planning Board reviewed the petition and and recommended the Zoning Board of Appeals OK the special permit, which it did.

 

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), Cynthia Sibold
A bluestone walkway to the right of the garage leads to the access door to the ADU. Duckham Architecture and Fallon Custom Homes are in charge of the project.

 

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), Cynthia Sibold
ADUs are often referred to as in-law apartments. Proponents say they can also be be used as possible income for homeowners, such as those who could use the rental money they would generate to offset the high cost of living in Wellesley. For those who hope that ADUs might improve housing affordability and attainability, Wellesley Planning Board chair Jim Roberti said during last year’s Town Meeting that based on a review of other communities, we’re most likely looking at only three to five new ADUs per year. As the bylaws stand right now, most lots in town will unlikely be able to accommodate ADU structures due to insurmountable setback issues and other rules. However, with the approval of the units, the town seems to be signaling that it’s open to some creative thinking around Wellesley’s housing issues.

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), Cynthia Sibold
A light-filled work-in-progress. The space will be a large studio apartment, with a galley kitchen and a small bathroom with a stand-up shower stall. ADUs may not exceed 900 sq. ft. in size and must comply with all other zoning, building, and health rules in town regardless of whether they are attached to an owner’s primary property. All ADUs require annual certification.

 

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), Cynthia Sibold
Sibold hired a hydraulic engineer to ensure that the project didn’t cause water displacement headaches for either her or her neighbors. “It was so worth the money,” she said. “You have to be mindful of water and know your water patterns.” Stormwater runs down the sloped driveway and into a grate. From there, water is guided to and is filtered by a low-maintenance rain garden, reducing the amount of water running off-site.

If you’re interested in the possibility of constructing your own ADU, start your research with this town document that covers definitions, code compliance, and more, and review the Planning Department’s page on the Town of Wellesley website. Interim Planning Director Eric M. Arbeene said in an email, “We are still working on drafting the regulations and developing an appropriate application form.”

You can contact the Planning Department at lschelling@wellesleyma.gov or 781-431-1019, ext. 2232.


Got a unique story to share? Let us know at theswellesleyreport@gmail.com


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Filed Under: Construction, Embracing diversity, Houses

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Linden Square, Wellesley
Wonderful Wellesley, Lockheart
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Hardy School in Wellesley within budget—for now

January 17, 2023 by admin 1 Comment

By contributing reporter Jennifer Bonniwell

The town of Wellesley has committed to $18.03 million in the first round of construction contracts on the new Hardy Elementary School–and so far the project remains on budget.

However, Wellesley’s second new elementary school project still has more than two-thirds of the construction bids yet to be determined, and the project manager urged caution.

“Although our first round is under budget, we are still recommending holding our original budget pending the upcoming bids for the additional 70% of the project in the next couple of months,” said Jeff D’Amico, Senior Project Manager of Compass Project Management, the firm tasked with building both of Wellesley’s new elementary schools. Hunnewell School construction currently is underway and is slated to open in February 2024.

If the next round of Hardy School construction bids are higher than budgeted, then the School Committee would be forced to return to Town Meeting to ask for more funding. D’Amico said bids will be completed by mid-March and he will have updated construction cost estimate in early April—before the next Town Meeting.

In a joint meeting with the School Committee and Wellesley Select Board, the Wellesley Permanent Building Committee (PBC) unanimously approved $18,032,866 in construction costs that include demolition of the old Hardy building, as well as orders for concrete, structural steel, roofing and foundation waterproofing. In total, these costs cover about 31% of the total project. (See detailed breakdown at 28:46 of the 1/12/23 Permanent Building Committee meeting).

The PBC also unanimously voted to grant a notice to proceed with construction.

The current estimated construction budget is $56.3 million, which is just $57,574 over the original $56.2 million that was appropriated for construction funding, D’Amico said. Importantly, D’Amico said the current construction estimate is $1.67 million under the $57.9 million budget that Compass had put forth over the past few months. D’Amico noted that the $57.9 million budget was not the current budget because it had been revised by the PBC over the past few months. (See discussion at about 27:00 in 1/12/23 meeting).

“It’s good news,” PBC member Tom Goemaat said.

“Getting us much much closer to where we need to be,” said PBC Chairman Michael Tauer.

Past the Point of No Return

With these first-round contracts approved, Wellesley is now past the point of no return on building a new Hardy school. If the next phase of construction exceeds the budget, the School Committee will be forced to return to Town Meeting to ask for more funding—a scary proposition since it’s possible costs could skyrocket past what the town believes is reasonable to spend on a new elementary school.

In October 2022, the PBC and project team members considered delaying bidding to avoid committing any funding until the full cost was known. Under that scenario, bidding would have been delayed until April, when the Guaranteed Maximum Price is available. However, that would have made it impossible for Hardy to open on time in fall 2024–and affected the town’s plan to redistrict and reduce from seven elementary schools to six. During that meeting, the PBC authorized Compass to move forward with the two-phased bidding process.

On Thursday, none of the School Committee or PBC members asked D’Amico about whether there was any reason to delay accepting the bids or the likelihood that construction costs would exceed what the town was willing to spend.

The only question before the vote was about descoping, which is a phase of bidding in which subcontractors can submit multiple bids to continue to compete for a project even if the first bid was not the lowest. Select Board member Beth Sullivan Woods asked if descoping affects parity between Hardy and Hunnewell. D’Amico said it does not.

No one participated in the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.

Groundbreaking for Hardy

After approving the first round of construction contracts, the PBC discussed groundbreaking for Hardy, potentially on Thursday, April 6, 2023, which also happens to be the Town of Wellesley’s birthday.

The event would likely be held during the school day so students could participate.

The date is not yet confirmed.

How Did We Get Here

Wellesley residents voted to approve debt exclusions to fund construction of new Hardy and Hunnewell elementary schools in December 2021. The special election followed Town Meeting’s approval for the projects’ funding in October 2021. Both schools will accommodate up to 365 students and are slated to open in 2024.

The Hunnewell project began first, with demolition in summer 2022 and construction ongoing. Students from Hunnewell were distributed to the town’s other six elementary schools.

The town has made parity between the two schools an important factor in the design of Hardy. This has posed difficulty in keeping to a budget. While Hunnewell’s construction costs were fixed after contracts awarded, costs to build a comparable school for Hardy have skyrocketed. In April and October 2022, project managers were forced to make design changes to keep costs down for Hardy. While the PBC and project managers were able to bring the estimated construction budget back to the appropriated amount, committee members expressed concern about what would happen if construction costs continued to increase.

The next updates about construction costs for Hardy will likely occur during the PBC meetings in mid- to late March. The PBC meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.


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Filed Under: Construction, Education, Hardy Elementary School

Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley

Needham Bank comes up big with $100K for Wellesley Track & Field project

December 21, 2022 by Deborah Brown 4 Comments

The Wellesley Field Fund (WFF) set a goal last September to raise $1.5M in private fundraising for Phase 2 of a project to add expensive upgrades, including lights, to the Wellesley High School track and field. Supporters of the Community Investors-backed 501(3)(c) had hoped fundraising would be completed by Thanksgiving, but there’s still $930k to go before lights, team rooms, and a modern sound system come to fruition.

Now the campaign has gotten a boost from Needham Bank with a matching funds campaign that, if successful, would bring fundraising up to 50% of its $1.5M goal. The bank has announced it will contribute $100,000 in matching donations to the WFF capital campaign. This isn’t Needham Bank’s first fundraising rodeo geared toward Wellesley sports. Back in 2016 when the WFF raised $1.3M to resurface the track and install a larger turf field, the bank served as the effort’s lead community partner and donor.

Wellesley resident and Needham Bank chairman, president and CEO Joe Campanelli said, “Having a track and field complex that allows for night games and extends the uses for our town is a win for everyone, not just the student athletes. It brings people together as players and spectators and creates a safe space for the community to gather. We’re very proud to continue to champion this project with our phase 2 gift of $100,000.”

Specifically, the WFF Capital Campaign funds will be used for:

● Team rooms: Locker rooms and bathrooms for home and away teams.
● Lighting: Aimed at providing safety for athletes and spectators during games and practices at dusk or night, and allowing for more people to attend events. The dark sky-compliant lights would be designed to limit their impact on the surrounding area.
● Sound system: Speakers mounted to direct sound to the immediate track & field area.

(Funding for a combo bathroom and concession stand facility would largely be covered by money appropriated at the 2018 Annual Town Meeting.)

Estimated Phase 2 costs, as of July 2022

Wellesley Track & Field Project

 

More here on the Hunnewell Track & Field Project 

Not everyone in town is thrilled about the progression of the Track & Field project. Field neighbors and others have spoken out vociferously against the proposal during public meetings for a variety of reasons, including concerns about noise, environmental impact, and traffic. They appealed to the NRC to stick to its policies related to land stewardship when making a decision.

A Friends of Hunnewell Fields proponent cited proximity of a residential neighborhood to the project. In a letter to the Swellesley editors, Cliff Canaday said, “The closest homes to the track & field are just 34 yards away. Research shows that light at night—especially combined with noise—negatively impacts human health. It is especially harmful to children, and children live directly across the street from the track & field. If this was your neighborhood, if these were your children, what would you do? What should you do, as a neighbor?”

A tipping point occurred during the 2021 Town election, when Natural Resources Commission incumbent Raina McManus lost her seat to challenger Lisa Collins. Many observers predicted that this change in the board’s makeup would result in an NRC vote to allow lights to be installed at the Track & Field. Last July exactly that happened when the NRC voted 3-2 in favor of the School Committee’s proposal to allow the lights on the NRC property.

Going forward

During the Dec. 6 School Committee Meeting, SC member Linda Chow delivered a presentation on key updates of the project. Chow said that the School Committee and the Natural Resources Commission, co-sponsors of the project, have been able to accept the first infusion of money from Phase 2 to support the design and permitting process for the team room, lights and sound system. However, the town won’t permit construction to begin until all the funds are secured.

Until that point, there’s still plenty of process to wade through. The School Committee has been meeting with the Health Department to address sanitation concerns about the bathrooms and concession stand area. Roaches, their insidious ways, and how to stop them have been discussed at length. There have also been meetings with the Department of Public Works regarding the potential impact on surrounding plantings, and how replacement trees and vegetation will be handled. In addition, color choices and texture for the structures must go before the Design Review board. The NRC will review plans along the way.

Wellesley Track & Field project

Even with fundraising challenges and a multitude of steps to take, Chow said the target time for the Track and Field bathrooms is summer 2023.

Assuming funding is available by end-of-year 2022, team rooms, lighting, and sound could be a reality by fall 2023.


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Filed Under: Charity/Fundraising, Construction, Environment, Wellesley High School

Refined Renovations, Wellesley

Pinnacle Residential Properties: award-winning Fieldstone Way in Wellesley

November 20, 2022 by admin 2 Comments

SPONSORED CONTENT: Fieldstone Way in Wellesley was chosen by judges across the nation to receive the Gold 2022 Prism Award award from The Builders and Remodelers of Greater Boston. BRAGB, a trade association affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders and Remodelers, has represented the industry since 1944. It is one of New England’s most prominent and influential trade organizations.

Pinnacle Real Estate, Fieldstone Way, Wellesley
Pinnacle Real Estate, Fieldstone Way, Wellesley

The Association’s prestigious Prism Award recognizes the finest projects and outstanding achievements of builders, architects, marketing and sales firms, and other professionals in the industry. One hundred and one area companies made 370 Prism entries in six major categories. Sixteen judges from across the United States chose the gold and silver winners.

The Fieldstone Way Builder and Developer was Northland Residential Corporation. Susan Bevilacqua, of Pinnacle Residential Properties, Wellesley was the Director of Sales.

Pinnacle contact: Susan Bevilacqua at 781 589-8257

Filed Under: Business, Construction, Houses, Real estate

Call and Haul, Wellesley

School starts in Wellesley on Wednesday, Aug. 31 for all students

August 29, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley public school students go back to class on Wellesley on Wednesday, Aug. 31.


Want to share Opening Day photos with us? Please do:  theswellesleyreport@gmail.com


The biggest change this year—Hunnewell Elementary School will not open its doors. It can’t. The school, built in 1938, was razed over the summer to make way for a new 76,500 sq. ft. 18-classroom school slated to open in February 2024. While construction is underway, staff and students have been divvied up among four of Wellesley’s five currently open elementary schools—Bates, Hardy, Sprague, and Upham—under a swing space plan. More on the school construction plans.

hunnewell cleared out
Hunnewell Elementary School was torn down over the summer.

District-wide, the school is returning to pre-pandemic operations meaning that, with the exception of all nursing offices, all school buildings and grounds will be mask-optional environments. In addition, the schools will no longer be supporting weekly, school-based viral testing. The remaining stock of rapid tests will be made available to students and staff on demand until supplies either run out or expire.

Other school updates

In a back-to-school message, Superintendent David Lussier reminded families that work on the new Hardy school will begin this winter behind the existing school, which will remain operational throughout the project. “The new Hardy school is slated to open in August of 2024, approximately six months after the opening of the new Hunnewell school.  I know I speak for the many people who supported the development and approval process of these projects when I say that it is incredibly gratifying to see these next-generation school projects underway,” Lussier said in his message.

In addition, a significant paving project was completed at the Middle School over the summer, one of many projects at WMS over the years that have included replacement of many windows, work on critical infrastructure such as piping, doors and cabinetry and a full kitchen renovation. After all those upgrades, it seems safe to say that WMS will remain standing and in service for many years to come.

wms pave
Smoothed over Wellesley Middle School parking lot, pre-painting of lines

 

As for the high school area, the Wellesley Natural Resources commission in July voted 3-2 in favor of the School Committee’s proposal to allow lights to be installed at the Hunnewell Track & Field. The next steps will include private fundraising of about $1 million for the lights, team rooms, and sound system, as well as additional town meetings and approvals before the lights can be installed. Wetlands, the Select Board, Design Review Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals all must sign off on the project before it can move forward. More information here.

Massachusetts has extended universal free school meals through the 2022-2023 school year. This means that breakfast at the Middle and High Schools, and lunch at all schools will continue to be served at no cost to all students.  Families will continue to be financially responsible for second meals, a la carte offerings, and beverages.

Even though meals are free for all, families must complete the household Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals for the 2022-23 school year to ensure district eligibility for various programs.

School calendar

First day off: Monday, Sept. 5, in observance of Labor Day.

For more important dates on school schedule, see the 2022-23 academic calendar.

Colleges and private schools start-up dates

As for other educational institutions in town Babson College has the distinction of starting the earliest. Undergraduates at the four-year private business school head to class on Monday, Aug. 29.

St. John School, the private Catholic school that educates students up to grade 6, starts classes on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

School gets going at both Tenacre Country Day School (private pre-K through grade 6) and at Dana Hall (private grades 5-12, boarding and day) on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Classes begin at MassBay Community College  and Wellesley College on Tuesday, Sept. 6.


Our kids have made it through the Wellesley Public School system. We can use your help if you have kids in the system or if you work for the system to please pass along any school memos you think might be of interest to the Wellesley community at large: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Filed Under: Construction, COVID-19, Education, Health

Rumble Boxing, Natick Mall

St. Paul Church in Wellesley to bring back the ring of historic bell

July 10, 2022 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

St. Paul Catholic Church in Wellesley is looking to bring back the joyful noise of  its 96-year old historic church bell after many years of silence. It’s not that there’s anything seriously wrong with the gong itself—just a ringing mechanism that’s no longer functional, but that’s an easy fix. The larger reason the church chimes have been out of commission is because tests conducted by Salem-based engineering firm, Structures North, reflected that supports for the 3,000-lb. bronze instrument have weakened to the point where safety was compromised, making replacement of the old wooden beams essential.

St Paul Bell Tower, Wellesley
St. Paul Catholic Church is covered in scaffolding during repair work. Photo by Duncan Brown.

 

Work to get the bell back into tolling shape is underway. Scaffolding has gone up around the St. Paul bell tower so that the team from Aniceto Historical Restorations out of Milford can replace badly deteriorated wood framing that supports the bell; repair crumbling sections of the bell tower’s masonry; and repair the parapet. A crane will be brought in to lift the bell while new beams are put in place. The church may still be accessed through the main doors during construction.

St. Paul bell, Wellesley
St. Paul bell, Wellesley

“I am thrilled that St. Paul Parish is able to undertake this important project, which is being made possible by the generosity of our wonderful community. We look forward to the day when we can proudly ring the bell at St. Paul Church once again,” said Rev. Jim Laughlin in an email. Laughlin is recovering from injuries sustained in the spring when, as a pedestrian, he was hit by a vehicle. Although it will be some time before he can return to ministry, the pastoral staff including Rev. Bryan Hehir have things bell in hand. (Sorry, not sorry for the pun.)

St. Paul bell, Wellesley
As you can see in the lower left corner, the wooden beams that support the bell are badly deteriorated from decades of absorbing the bell’s reverberations.

An inscription on the bell notes that it was donated to the church in 1926 by Salvatore DeFazio and family. The DeFazio family is still a contributing force to be reckoned with around town. Salvatore’s great-grandson and Wellesley resident Tory DeFazio in a phone interview said soon after the church opened in 1916, Salvatore promised the pastor that he would donate a bell. Pastor Edward Welch held him to it. “It took my great-grandfather about ten years to raise the money, but he did it,” said DeFazio, owner of the Windsor Press in Wellesley Hills, a Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend committee member, and a past president of the Wellesley Historical Society

St. Paul church, Wellesley
Crumbling sections of the parapet, covered with protective mesh so that bits don’t break off and fall during construction, will be replaced as part of the project. The Celtic cross will be temporarily removed during work.

Total repair costs are expected to be over $485k. The parish has obtained a short-term loan from the Archdiocese of Boston for up to 75% of the budget. Income from St. Paul’s leasing of the school building to Star Academy will be helpful to cover part of the project, however, the St. Paul community has been called on to help repay the loan. You don’t have to be a church member to chip in, so if you enjoy hearing the peal of church bells, or just like the idea of preserving a part of Wellesley’s history, don’t be shy about contributing to the St. Paul Bell Tower Fund.

St. Paul church, Wellesley
Yes, I scaled the ladder to heaven to stand atop the parapet of St. Paul Church. I don’t make it a habit to climb around various structures in Wellesley. But I might once have taken a journey to the center of the earth inside the Babson Globe. 

Once repairs are complete, those who have been sauntering to mass, unprompted by the bell to quicken their pace, will lose their excuse to slide into the pews after the first, “Lord, hear our prayer.”

You know who you are.

St. Paul church, Wellesley
St. Paul Church sanctuary.

swellesley ad learn

Filed Under: Churches, Construction, Religion

The Wellesley aqueduct bathrooms at Hunnewell Field have landed

June 25, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The long-awaited replacement for the bathrooms along the Cochituate Aqueduct at Hunnewell Field in Wellesley have arrived. More work is needed before they are open for business, but it looks like we’re most of the way there (we’ll be getting an update this coming week).

We very much look forward to the ribbon toilet paper cutting ceremony.

aqueduct bathroom
Photo courtesy of MC

 

Natural Resources Commission Director Brandon Schmitt and NRC Chair Jay McHale have given updates at public meetings this month somewhat confidently assuring that the bathrooms were really on their way this month or next.

As Community Preservation Committee Chair Barbara McMahon told Town Meeting back in fall of 2020, before Town Meeting approved more than half a million dollars to fund the bathrooms, this project had been on the town’s radar for at least 16 years at that point (We’ve included a couple of slides from that presentation below, outlining the project’s history until that point.)

The town has had many starts and stops on this project, which have been intertwined with efforts to get bathrooms installed at the Hunnewell Track & Field complex as well (that effort continues, with a 10-unit bathroom/concession stand combo the latest iteration).

Proposals for the aqueduct bathroom have included using a portable trailer and shipping container model, but a pre-cast concrete style won out.

The plumbers have now done their thing and the bathroom facility has been installed.

We’ll refrain from doing a “first look” post on the bathrooms, as we often do with restaurants and other new facilities. This will be better experienced in private.

restroom trees hunnewell field wellesley
Former Hunnewell fields bathroom along the aqueduct

 

aqueduct bathroom old
Bathroom getting demolished in spring of 2021

 

bathroom history
Bathroom history presented to 2020 Fall Town Meeting

 

bathroom history


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Filed Under: Construction, Government

Hunnewell School in Wellesley opens doors for a final farewell

June 17, 2022 by Deborah Brown 4 Comments

There’s something special about the elementary school years, a time when kids learn to work and play well with others, not run with scissors, and absorb concepts of language, literacy, and numbers. The building where so much growth takes place looms large to its young students. But as we heard over and over during Wednesday’s Farewell to Hunnewell event, “It  looks so much smaller now.” If you’ve ever visited your former grade school, you understand. There are so many memories squeezed into those K-5 classrooms, it hardly seems possible that the walls can contain them all.

Hunnewell School, Wellesley
My tour companions, Hunnewell graduates Duncan Brown and Grace Seaborn, pose for one last picture outside the Hunnewell sign, an iconic photo-op spot known to all of the school’s students.

 

Hunnewell School, Wellesley
Hunnewell School classroom

The open house gave current and former students, their families, and community members one last chance to visit classrooms before Hunnewell, built in 1938, is razed and replaced with a new 76,500 sq. ft. 18-classroom school slated to open in early 2024. Superintendent David Lussier told me at the event that fencing will go up around the school within days, marking the area as a construction zone. Staff and students will be divvied up among other schools under a swing space plan come fall. More on the school construction plans.

Hunnewell School, Wellesley
Principal Ellen Quirk and Superintendent David Lussier greeted visitors.

As I wandered the halls where I spent so little time volunteering back when my kids were at Hunnewell, a pack of excited friends darted past. “To the music room! Run!” When their school is going down, who’s going to tell the kids they can’t run in the halls if they feel like it? Not me.

Hunnewell School, Wellesley
Librarian Roxanne Scott, possibly the first time in her life she has not been surrounded by books.

Outside, I bumped into a trio of young men who I once could have named by spotting them across a crowded playground. No more. These were now college students, stopping by to remember the old days. Lifelong friends, said the mom of one of the guys. Hunnewell tends to have that effect on people.

Hunnewell School, Wellesley
From left: Teddy Komjathy, Owen Renaud, Ryan Wesley. The names were familiar, but the guys have changed just a little bit since their Hunnewell years.

 

Hunnewell School, Wellesley
From left, custodians Francis Perez and Tom Gillespie. Presumably, they’ll have help cleaning up the debris once the building is demolished.

I looked around for my tour companions, who had long since lost patience with my frequent stops to talk to old friends. A quick phone call gave me the predictable response. “We’re playing on the playground,” they said. Of course they were. Some things never change.


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Filed Under: Construction, Education, Hunnewell Elementary School

Tatte Bakery & Cafe to open June 15th in Wellesley—we got a sneak peek

June 13, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Tatte Bakery & Cafe in Wellesley’s Linden Square will officially open on Wednesday, June 15, at 7am, bringing a little bit of Paris to the former CPK space. We scored a special “friends & family” invitation a couple days ahead of that to try out the impatiently awaited restaurant, which enjoys a rabid cult following at its 20 Massachusetts locations and seven DC outposts.

Tatte, Wellesley
Sleek and modern front entrance, Tatte. In coming weeks, look for the massive planters to be filled with plant material.

Israel-born founder Tzurit Or spared no expense in bringing French ambiance to Wellesley, dropping in the area of $1M in construction costs to get the aesthetic just right. The interior includes cafe dining with all the gleaming subway tile and cute bistro seating such a place needs; a pastry counter area; a barista bar; and restrooms; as well as an expansive outdoor seating area. But all of that would mean nothing without the brand’s signature artisanal coffees, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, salads, and sandwiches.

Tatte, Wellesley
Tatte’s outdoor area has seating for about 40. Recognize the 600-foot mural in the background? That’s WHS grad Alexander Golob’s mural “Coloring Book,” commissioned by Federal Realty, and installed in 2018. I bet in his arts-iest dreams Golob never imagined that his painting, formerly admired mostly by bank customers using the drive-though, would someday visually preside over a French cafe. Funny how things work out sometimes.

Through a service opening you can get a glimpse of the back of the house as line cooks move with efficient grace, putting up plates of breakfast sandwiches, rice bowls, kebab plates, salads, shakashukas (a North African egg dish), and more. Nearby, baristas are busy at the drinks bar putting together everything from a simple cup of black coffee and always-popular lattes to the new summer drinks menu that includes iced beet latte with roasted beet, cardamom, and maple syrup; beet seltzer; strawberry rhubarb seltzer; and iced chocolate.

Tatte, Wellesley
Tatte’s baked goods display case, or the “Viennoiserie” as they call it, was the subject of a little pre-opening infamy in Wellesley. This innocent-looking piece of millwork, a signature element of Tatte’s bakery and cafe design, caught the attention of the Health Department due to concerns that drawers and knobs might stick out far enough to spike patrons or employees as they brush up against it. Health concerns also were expressed over cracks and crevices that could harbor bacteria. Tatte responded by sanding the Viennoiserie, giving it a couple coats of polyurethane, and reserving shelving for paper goods, not food.

We were greeted at the front door by a friendly staff member who checked our name off the “sneak peek” invite list. We then  made our way to the long display case to ogle (and order) the baked goods and to choose a meal item off the laminated menu. No ordering from a QR code here. Cafe manager Nick Newman said, “The big thing is we are trying to connect with every customer and make them feel as at home as possible.”

“We want to create an experience,” leadership and development team member Megan Kittinger added.

Here are a few pics of our experience:

Tatte, Wellesley

Tatte, Wellesley
Refrigerated desserts case. Desserts and baked goods are made by hand by the Tatte pastry team, which takes seriously the visuals of the display case.

 

Tatte, Wellesley
The food! Roasted peach and whipped ricotta tartine served on housemade sourdough bread, tossed with maple syrup and topped with mint and cashew nuts ($11.50). Absolutely delicious, and not too sweet.

 

Tatte, Wellesley
The food! Spinach, corn, and poached egg plate, served over garlic labneh and topped with Aleppo chili oil, with toasted sourdough on the side ($11), perfect for mopping up the egg and the labneh. This dish could become habit forming.

 

Tatte, Wellesley
Barristas at work at Tatte, Wellesley

The Tatte way

At the register we were handed a table-number flag, and a staff member brought our meal out within a few minutes. It’s a civilized system that feels much more relaxed than an at-table ordering system, and is unlike a fast-food experience. During our visit there were a couple dozen staffers, there to serve the smattering of us allowed in for a sneak peak, so we moved through the process with lightning speed. Especially during Tatte’s early days, I’m told customers can expect lines. I’m also told the staff is up to the challenge.

The opening of Tatte brings Linden Square another step closer to the reimagining of the area. New restaurants Karma and Oath Pizza are expected to open in 2022. Plus a redesign outside of Wellesley Tavern that includes outdoor seating is almost done, as is the addition of outdoor seating at Qdoba. (Both Wellesley Tavern and Qdoba are open throughout that minor construction process.)

More

Wonderful Wellesley initiative celebrates the town’s amped-up restaurants scene

Restaurants in Wellesley, Mass.—more that 50 dining options

Where to eat in Natick, Mass.


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Filed Under: Business, Construction, Restaurants

Wellesley weighs large house project along the Brook Path

May 24, 2022 by Bob Brown 3 Comments

Neighbors are well aware of the Large House Review for 20 Tappan Rd., which has been the focus of two colorful Planning Board meetings this spring (April 20 and May 16) as well as a series of town board, committee, and commission meetings. Whether many others who frequent the Brook Path know about this project is less clear.

A continuation of the Planning Board’s Large House Review is slated for June 6, so that will give those of you who might not have been in the loop a chance to catch up and weigh in if so inclined. Materials related to the Large House Review have been collected by the Planning Board on the town website.

The Planning Board and planning director, acknowledging the greater-than-usual neighbor response, have emphasized and re-emphasized what the Large House Review process is all about during the meetings in order to focus discussion. “The purpose of Large House Review is to minimize the impacts of large houses on their surroundings by addressing aspects of the projects related to the 6 Large House Review Standards and Criteria: Preservation of Landscape, Scale of Buildings, Lighting, Open Space, Drainage, and Circulation,” according to the town website.

We reached out to the planning director for any information on how the amount of public feedback on this project compares to that of past projects, and will update this post if we hear back. The town’s website page on past Large House Reviews showed an error message when we tried to review it.

Some three hours of discussion at Planning Board meetings to date including this Large House Review have been alternately uncomfortable and compelling to watch (I’ve gone through both twice). Heartfelt comments, as well as accusations, apologies, and marketing have all been part of the mix. Planning Board Chair Jim Roberti found the need to “bring the temperature down a little bit” toward the end of the April 20 meeting after voices were raised.

fuller brook path near tappan road
Springtime view of the Brook Path at Tappan Road

 

Neighbors are heard

Neighbors say they are fond of the longtime resident looking to raze her home of 44 years and replace it with one that will accommodate herself as well as her son, his wife, and their five children. These neighbors don’t deny the proposed design for the new home is attractive, and they’ve praised the family for meeting with them since last summer and listening to their concerns. But those neighbors who have spoken during Planning Board meetings say the proposed home is too big for the location and given its proximity to the Brook Path (the applicant’s attorney, David Himmelberger, pointed out that not all neighbors oppose the plans). Direct abutter Mike Mahlenkamp prefaced his remarks at the April 20 Planning Board meeting by saying, “This has been difficult for me to write the letter that I wrote…” He concluded that the proposed house design would “irreversibly change the neighborhood, it would change the Brook Path.”

He and others sent another letter dated May 20 to the planning director acknowledging the willingness of the Slawsby family that owns 20 Tappan Rd., to scale down their project to the point where most Planning Board members will likely approve it. But these neighbors stressed that they’re looking for “significant” changes that will adhere to the Large House Review threshold of 3,600 sq. ft. for single residence districts.

They forwarded the letter, signed by more than 100 residents, to the Natural Resources Commission director, as the NRC oversees Fuller Brook Park. The NRC has not yet discussed this project, nor the broader question about larger homes close to the park, according to NRC Director Brandon Schmitt.

(Disclosure: I’m an appointed member of the Wellesley Trails Committee, which falls under the NRC.)

During the May 16 meeting, a neighbor who lives directly across the Brook Path from the home under discussion aired concerns about what he termed the “disproportionate” mass and scale of the proposed project. Alexander Murphy questioned the relevance of changes that have been made by the design team to date, stating that “the final measure is the ultimate output” that neighbors and the public will see. Murphy also raised the issue of what sort of precedent such a home could set for future projects along the path. “This will form the basis…for future economic opportunities sought by developers and investors who may seek to change fundamentally the nature of the neighborhood,” he said.

Multigenerational design

The team that would build the house has touted changes they have made along the approval process based on town and neighborhood input. They’ve emphasized the “multigenerational” angle of the home, hoping to appeal to the sort of public sentiment that recently resulted in Town Meeting support for allowing accessory dwelling units in town to accommodate so-called in-law apartments. Owner Lauri Slawsby said during the May 16 meeting that her “most fervent wish” is to live out her life at that location, noting that her family dedicated a bench on the path to commemorate her late husband’s spirit and appreciation for the area.

Planning Board member Marc Charney complimented the applicant’s team for a design that would fit all family members without resorting to huge bedrooms. While this project isn’t exactly an accessory dwelling unit situation, Charney said during the April 20 Planning Board meeting that it “incorporates the spirit of what we were trying to do with the accessory dwelling unit bylaw change….because the goal of the bylaw was to try to encourage folks to stay in their houses.” Charney raised questions related to the massing and scaling of the project at the next Planning Board meeting.

The “modern take on a stick-style Victorian,” as described by the applicant’s team, boasts 4,700 sq. ft. of TLAG (total living area plus garage space) vs. the 2,200 sq. ft. of the current 1.5-story cottage-style home. The 2.5-story house would cover about a quarter of the roughly 10,500 sq. ft. lot, which is complex in that it faces both Tappan and Benton Roads at the end of two dead-end streets, as well as the Brook Path.

The team behind the proposed home says it has kept the center of the building toward the center of the lot, and made changes to the design (more windows, less wall) based on town and resident feedback that has resulted in less real and perceived mass. The design team has frequently referred to the modest, or “modest by modern standards” size of the proposed home’s features.

The team outlined stormwater management plans and landscaping design with new native plantings to minimize impact. “We’ve also gone through considerable effort to reinforce the wetlands habitat on the Fuller Brook Path, which is currently grass leading down to a compacted gravel path,” said Architect Jonathan Chace. “A substantial portion of our site is dedicated to replanting that with native wetland species and minimizing the lawn. So in effect, we have reinforced the wetlands buffer along the path to a much greater degree than what currently exists.” Chace showed images to give a sense of what those on the Brook Path would see, suggesting a combination of trees and plantings would diminish the size the of structure from their viewpoint.

Differing views

Neighbors and the team behind the proposed home have different interpretations of whether the home would fit in with surrounding homes based on its size, including a height of more than 34 feet at its peak, and footprint. They’ve also offered different measures for how far the home will be from the middle or edge of the Brook Path (from 30 to 35 feet).

Architect Chace summed up his presentation during the May 16 Planning Board meeting by stating: “We would suggest that this house is quite in keeping in scale and style to the neighborhood, and will be a welcome reinforcement and enrichment to the Fuller Brook Path.”

This echoed Attorney Himmelberger ‘s assertion that “We don’t believe that this is out of scale to the area, including the Brook Path.”

Not all on the Planning Board agreed.

“I think we’re going to have a situation where despite the efforts to mitigate this issue with design, you’re going to have a very large, very tall, very bulky house kind of looming over the Fuller Brook Path,” said Planning Board member Kathleen Woodward, referring to Fuller Brook as “probably the most heavily used public park in town.” Patricia Mallett termed the proposed house “pretty,” but said “I think the mass and scale of the house is overpowering for the site.” Roberti added that the proposed new house would be “a game changer, something new for that area.”

To that point, resident Peter Solomon said toward the end of the May 16 meeting that while notifications about the project have been sent to abutters, that “the notices that go out don’t go out to everyone that uses the Brook Path. It’s not hundreds, it’s thousands of people, and I think that it’s really important to recognize that if you think about the number of meetings there are in this town and the notification process and how everyone’s so busy, I just would hate to have a situation where if [the design goes through] and people were walking by and saying ‘Oh my gosh,  how did this even come to be?'”

The town website states that Large House Review is generally a 3-4 month-long process from the date of submission to the receipt of a building permit, and that the Planning Board will typically issue a decision at the second meeting if all issues have been resolved. We’re already headed toward the third meeting, and talk at the end of the second was that this will be an iterative process in which the design team will present updates at the next meeting and things will go from there.

Roberti’s stated view is that the Planning Board’s role is to shape projects so that they will be better for neighbors and homeowners. “I want to see a win-win, not a win-lose kind of situation for these projects,” he said.


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