Westwood Station Developments

I don't see why a road diet would be necessary for a development that is going to have heavy car usage. Adding a cycle track is not going to change that. It's not like you have 6 and 7 lane roadways here. I have driven through the area several times and it seems to me to be very reasonable, 2 lanes in each direction with added turn only lanes in logical spots. The extra lanes are going to be needed once they rebuild the Dedham Street overpass and add in the off ramp on northbound 95.
 
My tone was one of wistful sarcasm. Cycletracks and a need for only single lanes in each direction is fanciful at best, this I realize. A bike lane, however, would be nice.
 
Does anybody have a copy of the original renderings somewhere? I'd love to see what this was originally going to look like.
 
here's an old brochure from Elkus, the original architect...

http://www.elkus-manfredi.com/upload/attachment/WESTWOOD_Broch.pdf

here is a comparable project analysis done for the town back in 2007:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct..._kvM04c0x-wKiLqKA&sig2=sV0dzp-YM-JKiOouPD67og

I live right up the street from this development and have some family that works in commercial real estate, hence my constant BUMPing of this project. It's definitely a strip mall, but 'jazzed' up a bit to make it look nicer. I do belong to the new gym, Lifetime Fitness and it's very nice and high quality - it may be what help saves this mall. The real problems are that it's not a walk-able development, you literally need to drive from one end to the other, a lack of sit-down restaurants or entertainment venue and I think too much reliance on big-box stores. In fact, I've talked to several employees at the various stores and it sounds like lots of them are not meeting sales expectations. Go drive by on a Saturday or Sunday, when it should be packed, and it's a sea of empty parking spaces. I really do think they picked the wrong retail tenants, with a couple stars mixed in. Nordstrom, Marshalls and Home Goods are doing great from what I hear.

The Wegmans will also help, as an earlier posted said, but they really need more restaurants or some kind of "entertainment" concept to draw people in. Maybe they can add in bike lanes or something - there is just way to much space in between the buildings. I wish that they went with a design that resembles Assembly Row or even The Point in Littletown, rather then this massive-spread out strip mall.
 
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Well that's actually really depressing to look at. This could have been excellent TOD comparable to Assembly Square but instead it's not even a nice mall akin to Legacy Place.
 
akmags said:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/07/06/canton_developer_huddle_to_avoid_suit/

Granted this article is from 2008, but we have the Town of Canton to thank for decrease in scale of this project.
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Not surprised by that in the slightest. Canton leadership thinks their town is Closer-to-Boston-Sharon. And Sharon . . . thinks it's Brookline South, but not Coolidge Corner Brookline, that's way too city. Norfolk County, what can you do?

(full disclosure: Foxboro native, favorite late 90s high school job was delivering flowers for a local florist to towns throughout Norfolk and Bristol counties; second favorite job was serving ice cream at Crescent Ridge on the Sharon-Stoughton-Canton border)
 
I spent the first 24 years of my life in Westwood and while I agree with everything said in here about it being a glorified strip mall with nice materials, it's a hell of a lot better than what was there (nothing). Everyone knew the CC&F proposal was wishful thinking, the new developers actually worked with the town to create a decent project.

You were never going to get density here, the Town would never allow that simply because the schools are too highly rated and already at capacity just 10 years after building a $50MM high school. I'm not trying to sound stuck up but that is the 100% truth. People pay a premium these days to get into the Westwood school system and no one wants 500+ apartments here for just that reason.

Legacy Place being so successful definitely hurt the tenants available for Westwood which is why I believe it's more of a big box development with some specialty retailers mixed in. Hopefully the office portion is successful, my guess is Liberty Mutual may look at upgrading their current space located behind University Station, I think that is their biggest location in MA outside of the city.
 
Bergeron37 said:
I spent the first 24 years of my life in Westwood and while I agree with everything said in here about it being a glorified strip mall with nice materials, it's a hell of a lot better than what was there (nothing). Everyone knew the CC&F proposal was wishful thinking, the new developers actually worked with the town to create a decent project.

You were never going to get density here, the Town would never allow that simply because the schools are too highly rated and already at capacity just 10 years after building a $50MM high school. I'm not trying to sound stuck up but that is the 100% truth. People pay a premium these days to get into the Westwood school system and no one wants 500+ apartments here for just that reason.

Legacy Place being so successful definitely hurt the tenants available for Westwood which is why I believe it's more of a big box development with some specialty retailers mixed in. Hopefully the office portion is successful, my guess is Liberty Mutual may look at upgrading their current space located behind University Station, I think that is their biggest location in MA outside of the city.
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I agree completely. I live in Dedham - so I was very happy when this development finally opened, and will be even happier once Wegmans opens.

I used to work for Liberty. I also have them for insurance - my claims rep is based in Westwood. IMO, It would be great if they looked at the opportunity, but I'm not entirely sure if they would expand in Westwood - especially considering they have their facility in Weston right off the pike/128 interchange. Maybe the regional corporate office for McDonalds? - i think they are right in that area as well.

I get the argument for the fear of influx of children on the school district - but I don't always think the argument is viable. Developers/the town could have limited the number of bedrooms - and develop studios, 1, and 2 bedrooms. Plus, if they are charging 2k+ a month for a one bedroom, it would be a smarter option for a family trying to get into the district to actually buy a home.
 
I get the argument for the fear of influx of children on the school district - but I don't always think the argument is viable. Developers/the town could have limited the number of bedrooms - and develop studios, 1, and 2 bedrooms. Plus, if they are charging 2k+ a month for a one bedroom, it would be a smarter option for a family trying to get into the district to actually buy a home.
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I have this argument with my coworker from Mansfield all the time. Mansfield is perfectly situated right between Boston and Providence and yet the area around it's train station is a barren wasteland. Build! Use zoning to influence the demographic if you're concerned about kids.
 
It looks like the hotel part of the project is going to happen. Just came across this news:

"Developer's proposal for 130 guest room, four-story Courtyard Marriott with business center, indoor pool, bistro, and 157 parking spaces"
 
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I can confirm that General Dynamics (big defense contractor) is taking about 95,000 SQ of office space at 101 Station Drive - the building that used to house State Street. This is an existing building that the developers have completely renovated and respun. GD is moving from Needham - near the new TripAdvisor office park area - as well leasing significant space in Dedham. There are 3 other tenants also going into 101 Station Drive - no word on who they are.

I'm still trying to figure out if any tenant has signed up for the 2 or 3 build-to-suite buildings near the train station/"village"/hotel area.
 
I came across this site, that shows multiple lease/layout plans for the rest of the project. Use the drop down menu to cycle between the various plans. It looks like a lot of the future development is TBD - as you can see from the 2 major options on this site.

- there is 1 option that shows a Barnes and Noble layout
- there is a 2nd option that shows new retail users; blaze pizza, green tangerine spa, Back 2 Rock, and Capitol One 360
- Another change I've noticed is that the 2nd restaurant - to the right of NYAJ - looks to be different than what I've seen before, and a lot bigger.

http://newenglanddevelopment.propertycapsule.com/properties/universitystation/#plans/552

Also, some of the other retailers looks new/different from a lease plan I saw about a year ago. Gone are: Hallmark store, drybar, Learning Express and Muse Paint Bar...New retailers are; an un-named user in place of Hallmark, a dental office, Eighteen Eight men's salon,Verizon Wireless, Which Which Sandwiches

Things are continuing to evolve. Stay tuned.
 
So the hotel (Courtyard Marriott) is about to be approved and will be located next to the train station...I know they are working with Amtrak/MBTA/Government to try and add some sort of connection from the train station to the development...idk what that is going to look like

Also, I heard from a well placed source (someone in retail brokerage) that Del Frisco's is taking a very serious look at building a free-standing restaurant at the site. This would be next to the "to-be-built" hotel, across from the Not Your Average Joe's...the site is directly behind the big "University Station" sign at the intersection of University Ave and the entrance to the train station...if true, this would be a great addition to the project, in terms of retail/restaurant options.
 
From your brief description of hotel and stand-alone restaurant, it sounds very office park inspired circa 1997. Both are nice additions, but if developed the way it sounds won't really help the project beyond bringing in more customers to the complex.
 
Reznor said:
From your brief description of hotel and stand-alone restaurant, it sounds very office park inspired circa 1997. Both are nice additions, but if developed the way it sounds won't really help the project beyond bringing in more customers to the complex.
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Bringing in more customers is only the objective now. Thank the residents of Canton and their local politicians for fucking this project up. They had Westwood over the barrels (although Westwood wasn't too keen on vastly expanding their school population despite the significant increases in tax revenues to be gained).
 
kenns15 said:
So the hotel (Courtyard Marriott) is about to be approved and will be located next to the train station...I know they are working with Amtrak/MBTA/Government to try and add some sort of connection from the train station to the development...idk what that is going to look like

Also, I heard from a well placed source (someone in retail brokerage) that Del Frisco's is taking a very serious look at building a free-standing restaurant at the site. This would be next to the "to-be-built" hotel, across from the Not Your Average Joe's...the site is directly behind the big "University Station" sign at the intersection of University Ave and the entrance to the train station...if true, this would be a great addition to the project, in terms of retail/restaurant options.
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In my experience, the Del Frisco Grilles (Chestnut Hill and Burlington) have been very underwhelming and on recent visits, not terribly crowded. Would this be the steakhouse or the grille? Big difference at least for me.
 
HalcyonEra said:
Bringing in more customers is only the objective now. Thank the residents of Canton and their local politicians for fucking this project up. They had Westwood over the barrels (although Westwood wasn't too keen on vastly expanding their school population despite the significant increases in tax revenues to be gained).
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What did Canton do to this project?
 
mass88 said:
What did Canton do to this project?
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Basically they sued the developers and brought it all the way to the SJC. Even though they lost in the end, the crash of 2008 came along and the project ended up being less than 1/3 the size of the original proposal.

IMO, this was a perfect location for a high density, transit oriented community. But now it is nothing more than any other strip mall off of 128 with a few apartment buildings thrown in for good measure.


http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/2010/01/28/good-news-follows-bad/

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/dedh...n_westwood_station_developers_nearer_to_pact/

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/12/08/daily42.html

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/dedham/2010/01/by_john_r_ellement_and_1.html


http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20090331/News/303319085/?Start=2

Supreme Judicial Court to look at Westwood Station dispute

The legal struggle between the town of Canton and Westwood Station's developer is headed to the Supreme Judicial Court, but the state's highest court likely will not take up the case until this fall.



By Edward B. Colby/Daily News staff

Posted Mar. 31, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 31, 2009 at 8:31 PM

WESTWOOD

The legal struggle between the town of Canton and Westwood Station's developer is headed to the Supreme Judicial Court, but the state's highest court likely will not take up the case until this fall.

In December a Suffolk Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit by Canton that alleged the state conducted inadequate environmental reviews of Westwood Station, and sought to require Cabot, Cabot & Forbes to pay for additional infrastructure improvements for its massive development project along the border of the two towns.

Canton subsequently appealed the lawsuit's dismissal. Canton selectmen announced last week the case has been granted what's called direct appellate review by the state's highest court - meaning it, and not an appeals court, will hear the case. Both sides requested the SJC take the case.

SJC spokeswoman Joan Kenney said the case has not made the court's calendar yet, but is expected to be heard in the fall. Oral arguments likely would be made in September or October.

The court's decision to hear the case was called "an encouraging sign" by Canton Selectman Victor Del Vecchio, who said that he and fellow board members have confidence in the strength of the town's position.

Douglas McGarrah, an attorney for Canton, did not return phone calls. He said previously that Judge Judith Fabricant's dismissal was "not in keeping" with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act, the state's environmental review process.

Michael Goldman, a spokesman for Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, said he believes the December decision would stand.

Meantime, Canton selectmen said the town has reached "a tentative understanding" with Cabot, Cabot & Forbes over their infrastructure dispute.

The town says the project will overwhelm its roads with 65,000 more cars each day, It has been seeking infrastructure work such as the widening of Dedham Street, a connector between Interstate 95 and University Avenue, the Station site.

In December, CC&F President Jay Doherty had cut off the Canton talks. At the time the town said it was asking for about $20 million in infrastructure work, but Goldman pegged the cost at $35 million.

In the statement, Del Vecchio read last week, he said the tentative agreement included terms that would "require the support of the commonwealth of Massachusetts to fill the funding gap for the infrastructure improvements."

Citing the sensitive nature of the talks, Del Vecchio did not offer details, but did say that discussions between the town, developer and the state are continuing.

"It is in everyone's interest to meet everyone's concerns," Goldman said. "That's been our position from day one - we've never changed that."

"We continue to do everything that we can to ensure that this project moves forward, meets all of its legal obligations, and gets funded, and opens as is planned in the spring of 2011."


Supreme Judicial Court to look at Westwood Station dispute

The legal struggle between the town of Canton and Westwood Station's developer is headed to the Supreme Judicial Court, but the state's highest court likely will not take up the case until this fall.

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