Published March 5, 2020
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — A preliminary proposal to construct a 600-unit residential development on the northern shore of Lake Quannapowitt was presented at an informal meeting that included about 25 local residents Monday night in a conference room at the former Comverse/American Mutual building at 200 Quannapowitt Parkway.
It was the most recent of several such meetings with a select group of residents where Jay Doherty, CEO of Cabot Cabot & Forbes, outlined the proposal, which would involve razing the current building and constructing two six-story multifamily apartment buildings and one five-story condominium building. Waterstone Properties is the current owner of the 20.4 acre site, but Cabot Cabot & Forbes (CC&F) has a purchase and sale agreement to acquire the property.
In the draft proposal, the two apartment buildings would include a combined total of 485 units. The condominium building would have 115 units.
Doherty did get significant pushback from some residents in attendance who expressed concerns over the height of the buildings and the number units as well as the proposal’s potential impact on town services, including schools.
Doherty said that the proposed project would “improve open space and celebrate the Lakefront.” He said that CC&F has experience with waterfront development and cited a project along the Mystic River in Medford which he said incorporates inviting public walkways and parks.
He said that public access through the area would be enhanced in accordance with the town’s wishes. Bike lanes and expanded sidewalks for walking and jogging could be incorporated in order to emphasize forms of mobility other than cars and promote those types of connections to the downtown. He sad that CC&F would be willing to explore access to the Lake along the site for kayaks and canoes if allowed by the town.
Doherty said that CC&F would like to provide amenities in order to create an inviting location for residents and for the public. He cited the possibility of a craft brewery, outdoor dining and food trucks as amenities that could be offered. Other possibilities include pubic fitness centers.
Several attendees said that they didn’t want public amenities like food trucks and a gym to compete with established Wakefield businesses. Doherty said that the project is fully viable without public amenities and CC&F would be sensitive to the community’s wishes.
Water Street resident Bob McLaughlin wondered about the impact that 600 units of housing could have on school enrollment.
Doherty maintained that market-rate apartments and condos are generally not where people want to raise kids. Most prefer a home with a yard, he said. He did, however, acknowledge that “affordable” housing units can attract families with children. It was pointed out that Wakefield’s inclusionary zoning bylaw requires 18 percent of units in all new multi-unit housing developments to be affordable.
McLaughlin also pointed out that the town has made a significant investments in the two parks at the head of the Lake as well as the pathway on town land behind 200 Quannapowitt Parkway. He suggested that CC&F might want to contribute to a fund to help maintain these areas which would likely be heavily used by residents of the proposed project.
Doherty said that CC&F had agreed to similar arrangements with projects in other communities. He added that no public land would be touched without consulting with the town and the Conservation Commission.
The goal would be to maximize greens space, Doherty said, and one way to do that is with a “wrap” building constructed around an above-grade parking garage. The garage structure would be enclosed by the residential units and would not be visible.
Doherty said that currently only 30 percent of the site is permeable surface. Under the proposal, that would be increased to 50 percent, he said. CC&F would also modernize the drainage and groundwater recharge system. There are no plans to move Quanapowitt Parkway, Doherty said, but CC&F would rebuild the roadway.
At its highest point, the current building is 55 feet, Doherty said. The two proposed six-story apartment buildings would be 65-70 feet high, he noted, while the five story condo building would be 55 feet high.
Several attendees asked to see renderings to compare the existing building with what the proposed buildings would look like from across the Lake. Doherty said that such renderings would be done as part of the planning and permitting process.
Doherty said that the plan includes offering shuttle buses to the nearby commuter rail stations in order to help minimize vehicle traffic and the need for residents to own cars.
Bronwyn Della-Volpe of Cyrus Street maintained that many of CC&F’s projects were located in urban settings. She asked Doherty if he thought that the proposed project was appropriate for a suburban setting like Wakefield.
Doherty said that he did think it was appropriate and cited Charles River Landing in Needham as a comparable CC&F project in a suburban setting.
Della-Volpe said that the town would have to decide if the public amenities offered were important enough to justify six stories of housing at the head of the Lake.
Julie Scott of Main Street said that such a large project was “not acceptable” at one of the entrances to Wakefield.
“This is our skyline,” she added. “We are not Boston. This will change the Lake and the town forever, and not for the better.” Three or four stories might be OK, she added.
Doherty stressed that what he was presenting was just a draft plan. However, he did say that the alternative was probably the status quo, noting that something on the scale of a townhouse development would not make sense for the site. He added that the proposed plan would bring at least $1.5 million in annual tax revenue to the town, which he suggested would outweigh any burden on services.
Scott also pointed out that 173 units of housing are going to be built at Tarrant Lane, near Route 128 Exit 38 and if CC&F’s plans are approved, it would mean another 600 units at Exit 39, resulting in hundreds more cars.
Doherty said that CC&F would do a careful examination of traffic and intersections in the areas to determine if some investment is needed as part of the project. He said that a lot can be done to mitigate traffic. He also noted that the state would likely get involved due to the proximity of Route 128.
He reiterated that CC&F tries to locate projects near transit centers and would provide shuttle service to the commuter rail as a way to discourage private vehicle use.
Asked if CC&F would consider reducing the height of the buildings and the number of units, Doherty said that they would certainly look at those possibilities.
Doherty said that he had met with Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio, Town Council Chairman Edward Dombroski, Public Works Director Joseph Conway and Building Inspector Jack Roberto.
He did not indicate when CC&F might be ready to initiate the formal permitting process, but indicated that additional informal meetings with more residents would be scheduled in order to gauge what would be acceptable to the community before any official proposal is filed.
Founded in 1904, CC&F is one of the oldest real estate firms in the nation, having developed more than 100 million square feet throughout the United States. Over its history, CC&F has been responsible for the planning and construction of prominent Boston and Cambridge landmarks such as One Boston Place, 28 State St., 100 Summer St., 60 State St. and 55 Cambridge Pkwy.