Since 2005: More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.
According to Rich Ames, GIS coordinator and more for Natick’s Department of Public Works, area DPWs have good working relationships with each other. So he’s making the rounds, via drone, and recording aerial videos of communities nearby Natick.
It was Wellesley’s turn this week, and while much of what you’ll see in this video looks familiar, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Town Hall from this vantage point.
More: An aerial view of Wellesley’s COVID-19 pandemic shutdown
Since a very young age, Natick’s Christian de Weck carried around an “idea” notebook with him in which he wrote down possible inventions. While the 19-year-old MIT freshman might not have envisioned a need back then for cranking out medical masks, his brain was working in a way that prepped him to spring into action during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The mechanical engineering student has set up a 3D printer workshop in his family’s dining room, where he so far has pumped out 20 masks for use at Mass General Hospital.
“This effort started when I saw on the news that the president of MGH tweeted that they were in desperate need of masks and were asking anyone with 3D printers or any other fabrication capability to help out,” says de Weck, who is using his own materials and donating the masks to the healthcare facility. “I figured that since I have two 3D printers at home, they could be put to good use making masks for people who need them… I am willing to give them to any facility that might want/need them.”
Like other students whose campuses have been cleared and in-person classes canceled, de Weck has seen his life uprooted by the pandemic. And he’s well aware of how it is affecting the lives of so many others directly and indirectly. “Many families including my own have been staying at home for the past few weeks, not to mention many services are shutting down and people risk unemployment/eviction. I also believe this virus exposes some of the flaws within our current healthcare system and overall society. Hopefully, this virus will allow people to see and rectify these issues…”
The Beaver Country Day School grad is using 2 Qidi dual extruding 3D printers, 1 of which he received as a birthday present a couple of years ago, and another he came by more recently.
“The masks are being made from a plastic filament called polylactic acid (PLA) that is commonly used in 3D printers. This material “is easy to melt and shape, but should also be adequate for protecting the user of the mask,” de Weck says.
“It takes close to an hour-and-a-half to print each mask, then roughly three-quarters of an hour to make the filter and cap. There’s additional assembly involved as well, such as using warm water to shape the masks and attaching elastic straps.
The 19-year-old’s volunteer efforts come as no surprise to his mother, Lynn, who says as a youngster he was always asking what he might invent to help her around the house.
She references an independent study he did in his junior year in high school in which “he designed and 3D printed a prosthetic arm for students, complete with a thumb drive in the thumb and a ruler on the hand edge and a pencil case on the forearm. 3D prosthetics are cheaper to print for kids who are growing and need to be refitted often.”
She couldn’t be prouder about his latest volunteer effort. The de Wecks made their first mask delivery on Sunday to a friend who is an MGH doctor.
“[Christian’s] creativeness, combined with caring for others and always wanting to help is the fabric of who he is,” she says.
Meanwhile, her son expects more filament to arrive on Monday. “I plan to make as many masks as I can until my PLA filament runs out,” he says.
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More: Sustain Swellesley
Running and gasping up hilly Pond Road a few times a week, I rarely notice the houses as I pass under the tree canopy and by stone walls, security gates and Lake Waban. That’s part of what’s special about this bumpy old path, 1 of just 7 officially designated scenic roads in Wellesley. It is, as one Pond Road homeowner said at a recent public meeting, kind of like.going through a “magical forest.”
That dynamic could be changing. A Boston developer is looking to build 2 homes on property at the top of the road, near Rte. 135, that would be set closer to the road than most of the estates along this stretch. Despite the development team’s assertions that plantings will be added and efforts will be made to retain a tree buffer between the new homes, the existing ones and the street, it seems clear that the look and feel of upper Pond Road would change.
The owner of the 10,000-plus sq. ft. home at 200 Pond Rd., in Natick is selling lots at 194 and 196 Pond Rd., in Wellesley to the developer, who has been making the rounds with his team through Wellesley board meetings since fall. They’ve hit the Design Review Board (pretty easy) and Planning Board (not so easy), and next will star at a public scenic road-focused meeting on March 16 featuring the Planning Board, Natural Resources Commission and Tree Warden.
The developer, recognizing that Wellesley ain’t SOBO, has hired attorney Larry Shind, who knows the ropes in town as a former Board of Selectmen and Advisory Committee member. The lawyer has done his best to position the proposed homes as not being out of character, noting that the topology of the property allows the houses “to be nestled into the hillside.” He has also cited existing homes that are indeed visible from the road, especially at the lower end and during winter, and that are larger than the houses pitched for 194 and 196 Pond Rd.
As is typical of such proposals, the developer went for broke with an initial plan to cram lots of house onto each property, as presented at a Dec. 2 Planning Board meeting. Planning Director Don McCauley, who acknowledges the challenges of weighing the right to build vs. maintaining the character of an area, ticked off a long list of concerns about the project. These related to scale, landscape preservation and other issues, such as the logistics of construction on so narrow a road, where no on-street parking is allowed.
The developer has since scaled things back in light of town official and neighbor feedback during this Large House Review process. This “substantially revised proposal,” as attorney Shind described it at a Feb. 3 Planning Board meeting, included moving away from making the 2 proposed homes look so similar to each other, shrinking their square footage from 12,500 to 9,000 and 11,500 to 9,400, pushing the houses back from the road to a minimum of 65 feet (from 40 feet), and planting dozens of new trees. He emphasized that the stone wall and trees along the road would remain untouched.
(Time tracker: While I’ve never actually stepped foot in a Pond Road home, I go up and down the road often. For this post, I’ve plodded through some 5 hours of meeting recordings on Wellesley Public Media, and I’ll tell you, nothing gets my blood pumping like some good TLAG and dark sky lighting talk. I’ve largely written this post based on the videos, minutes from the meetings and other background.)
Neighbors and town officials still have their concerns, which range from the visibility of the proposed homes from the road to significant tree removal to sewer and lighting issues. The aesthetic impact of the side-by-side projects is the main concern on this road, which mainly includes Wellesley College property on the east side.
“I hope you truly understand how people in this town feel about…Pond Road,” said Planning Board member Kathleen Woodward at the Feb. 3 meeting, where she expressed special disappointment over landscaping plans. “It’s very precious to this town, and it deeply disturbs a lot of people that someone wants to come in, tear down a lot of trees and place houses close the road that don’t fit with any house on that street and change the look of a really beloved road in our town.”
Neighbor David Howe at the Feb. 3 meeting publicly thanked developer Joe Hassell for reaching out to him and meeting, but still has issues with the preservation of the landscape, scale of the buildings and the open space implications of this project. “If you look at Pond Road…it is maybe not a unique road in town, but it’s close to that. And particularly at this end of Pond Road, it is sort of a canopied entrance into an older forest,” he said. “While I appreciate the changes that have been made, they don’t really change to me the impact of what it’s going to be like to drive through the beginning of Pond Road and see 2 white houses still quite close to the road.”
Also among those speaking up have been members of the Hunnewell family, which is synonymous with Pond Road to me. Frank Hunnewell, who lives at the lower end of Pond Road with his wife, also said he appreciates the willingness of the project leaders to listen to comments and make changes. But he said he still has concerns about open space usage and nearness to the road. “Given the environmental, the scenic and the historic nature of the site, it would be my hope that the project actually would have to reach a higher bar than if it were in a part of town where these buildings are more customary.”
The public will get to hear more at the scenic road public hearing on March 16 at Town Hall. Given that the road is at the edge of both Wellesley and Natick, and that only a handful of homes have Pond Road addresses, it remains to be seen whether this matter will gain attention across Wellesley from more than the Hunnewells, their neighbors, and town officials. We’ve seen controversies in the past in Wellesley involving development along scenic roads, including on Brookside Road, which includes Wellesley Country Club among its neighbors.
The 2 new homes will have little impact on things like traffic and school population, issues that have inspired public action involving recent 40B projects in more central parts of town. While the cutting down of trees will be apparent on Pond Road, the changes won’t be as in-your-face to most of Wellesley as say the Great Plains Avenue 40B project, which is passed by so many on their way to the Wellesley dump.
But if you value what Pond Road means to Wellesley and want to learn more, the scenic road hearing on March 16 should be worth your while.
More: Littering fines that even Wellesley residents can’t afford
Natick’s new fenced-in dog park along Rte. 135 near the Middlesex Path is slated to open this spring, providing one of few dedicated off-leash options in the area.
An orientation for pet owners and potential pet owners is being held on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7pm at Morse Institute Library in Natick. It could be a good opportunity to hear how welcoming the Eddie’s Park might be to those who live outside Natick. Pooches are not invited to this meeting.
Organizers say they are “gathering a board of experts in the dog world. Learn more about responsible dog ownership and also bringing your dog to the park.” You can learn more about the park at the FIDO of Natick Facebook page.
Wellesley doesn’t have any fenced-in dog parks, though Centennial Reservation, Perrin Park and other open space in Wellesley are often used by free-range dogs, sometimes to the chagrin of those walking, running or playing. These parks are destinations for residents from Wellesley and beyond.
Some efforts have been made to spark discussion about a dedicated dog park in Wellesley, nothing official has happened. Needham’s got an official off-leash recreation area, but it’s only for Needham dog owners.
More: Top Wellesley dog names & breeds for 2019
The fifth annual TEDxNatick will take place on January 25, 2020 at Natick High School. The event will feature 11 speakers who will tell their stories live and on stage, TED-talk style.
We’re most excited about investigative journalist and award-winning mystery author Hank Phillippi Ryan. Ryan is an on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, and winner of 36 Emmy and 14 Edward R. Murrow awards. A nationally bestselling author of 11 mysteries, she also has won five Agathas, three Anthonys, and the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Hank’s 2018 Trust Me is an Agatha Nominee. Her newest novel is The Murder List. Critics call her “a master of suspense”.
An all-volunteer, community-driven initiative, TEDxNatick brings together 800 community members, civic leaders, business leaders, technologists, artists, educators, and other professionals for a full day of thought-provoking talks, inspiring music, conversations and networking. This year’s event will have over 20 corporate and individual sponsors, and 12 fantastic speakers. Those interested in volunteering may contact volunteers@tedxnatick.org. Tickets are on sale at tedxnatick.org. Buy your tickets soon, every previous TEDxNatick event has sold out in advance.
Our latest round-up of Wellesley, Mass., and nearby business news:
Wellesley will soon have another spray tanning outfit, this one in Church Square. Like seemingly every other business in town, from dry cleaners to eateries, Pure Glow touts its organic-ness.
I dragged my pasty self over to Church Square to snap the photo above.
The business plans to open in the former Sloane & Ivy space this spring.
The Starbucks in Linden Square re-opened on January 13 after a 12-day renovation project that freshened up the place. The 19-seat coffee spot, in town since 2007, upgraded the the seating, gave the walls a fresh coat of paint, and re-tiled the backsplashes.
Store manager Brandon Lewis said, “We just made everything a little newer to keep the Linden Square Starbucks looking like a place where a Wellesley customers want to keep coming. Our customers here expect things to look nice. We will keep giving everyone the same great service.”
Boston real estate firm Gibson Sotheby’s International has acquired longtime Wellesley firm Benoit Mizner Simon & Co., for an undisclosed sum. The buyer is excited about the “discerning clientele” of its acquisition and drops the term “luxury” four times in its press release. The deal gives the Boston firm further reach into the ‘burbs, and the Benoit group, formed in 2010, gets more resources to support its business.
As we reported last summer, the Babson College and Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) partnership, designed to bolster the College’s efforts to enhance the natural synergies between entrepreneurship and the arts, came to an end after seven years. Now we have learned that CSC, the organization that each summer brings free Shakespeare on the Boston Common to the masses, has officially moved out of Wellesley. The theater group now is located near the Boston Commons at 101 Arch Street.
Sponsored content: Congratulations to long-time Swellesley supporter Jesamondo Salon as the Natick beauty business welcome Jenna Pasquale aka Jenna Rose to the Jesamondo family. Jenna has been doing hair for eight years in the MetroWest and San Francisco Bay areas. While she can handle any of your hair care needs, she specializes in blondes, foils, balayage, fantasy hair, and modern hair-cutting. Please call (508) 907-7171 or go online to schedule your appointment.
Got tips on business openings, closings or whatever, feel free to email us here: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com
Also email us if you’re interested in sponsoring our weekly Wellesley Business Buzz roundup.
More: Past Business Buzz editions
We stopped into The Verve in Natick last week to check out the 251-room hotel’s new retro-style 1970s-stye decor. The property has recently joined the Hilton portfolio of brands, which has led to major overall upgrades throughout the Route 9 eastbound-side property. Groovy flourishes include the wall of lava lamps in the front entrance; the Barbie doll tableaux at the registration desk; album cover art throughout the first floor; vintage telephone booths; video games (No need for quarters. Just play.); and more. The Pantry Restaurant is still open for breakfast and lunch, and the chic and moody Violet Thorn serves dinner, small plates, and craft cocktails.
The “Entering Wellesley/Entering Natick” sign on Rte. 16 is now back on its post. As we reported last month, the sign was found on the ground on Christmas morning, and later wound up in the middle of a side street, then up against a neighbor’s bushes.
When we saw the sign we were not tempted at all to grab it and do some interior decorating. But we alerted Wellesley Police, who said they would let the state know.
One other observation, pointed out by a Swellesley reader. A stone marker on the ground is marked with “N N.” I’d noticed this marker on Christmas morning and briefly wondered about it. The reader suggested it might refer to Natick and Needham, which Wellesley was once part of…
Wellesley became a little less welcoming over Christmas on Rte. 16, as the “Entering Wellesley” sign (or “Entering Natick,” if you prefer) could be seen leaning on a stone wall near Hunnewell Farm rather than atop its usual steel pole. (Update: As of the morning of Dec. 26, the sign is now gone.)
If Mr. Swellesley were a more emotional man, he would have shed a tear at the sight. After all, that sign serves as our logo, with the red “S” added via the magic of the web.
We’ve even done some supermodeling in front of that municipal boundary sign.
Our preliminary crime scene investigation showed no evidence that the sign pole had been smashed into by a vehicle. No tire tracks in the mud or snow.
However, there did appear to be missing bolts that would have attached the sign to the pole. We weren’t sure if the downed sign was the result of an accident, mischief or more legitimate activity.
The hefty sign, known by highway officials as a “book leaf” for its shape’s similarity to an open book, is large at 48×60 inches. Not so easy to run off with by a prankster.
We notified the Wellesley Department of Public Works, which has had its hands full in 2019 with missing Old Town Road street signs, as well as the Wellesley Police Department. The police told us they were letting the state’s DPW know.
In the meantime, you’ll just have to take your chances on mistakenly winding up in Wellesley or Natick, depending on which way you might travel along Rte. 16.
