BOS to consider changes to Revere development

Selectmen have many issues to ponder before approving three modifications to the master agreement between the town and Canton Holdings, developer of the Paul Revere Heritage Site.

A recent photo of the Paul Revere Heritage Site courtesy of the CCPC

Lloyd Geisinger of Thorndike Development, the developer of the Copperworks condominium project underway at the site, requested at Tuesday night’s BOS meeting a reduction in the number of townhouse-style units from 19 to 16 but with a stipulation that all of the units contain three bedrooms. Currently, plans call for 10 of the units to have three bedrooms.

Geisinger also requested to increase the number of units in one of the buildings from 36 to 40 units.

The third request is a consideration to move one building of 84 units from Lot 8 to Lot 9 near Factory Pond and Canton Junction because a low level of lead and zinc were discovered during environmental cleanup. According to Rick Mann of Canton Holdings, one thought is to move commercial development to Lot 8 and move the 84 residential units to Lot 9, which he described as “pristine land.”

Mann said Canton Holdings, as of December 17, had not yet decided whether to switch Lot 8 with Lot 9 but wanted selectmen’s opinions. He added that putting the residential units in Lot 9 would allow for the construction of underground garages.

Selectmen will look into each of the requests before revisiting the matter at their next meeting on January 14.

Of greatest concern to selectmen Mark Porter and John Connolly is the request for additional three-bedroom units due to its potential impact on school enrollment — something that has been a longstanding concern of school officials as well as residents. While Geisinger said a similar project they worked on in Plymouth (Pine Hills) did not produce many new school-age children, Porter and Connolly asked for concrete data.

Porter said after the meeting that he believes that residents are generally opposed to having a large number of three-bedrooms units due to the impacts.

Geisinger said he believes that some residents prefer the three-bedroom option in order to house adult children who visit.

In other Paul Revere Heritage Site news:

* After hearing from former Selectman Victor Del Vecchio, now chairman of the Paul Revere Heritage Commission, selectmen authorized the drafting of special legislation …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Dec 21 2019. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.