The developer planning a major project in an office park on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill has put forward a scaled back proposal after hearing feedback from neighbors.
The new plans would reduce the density and height of the three-building development at 1280-1330 Boylston Street, according to Cliff Kensington of City Realty, who presented the updated proposal at a community advisory group meeting on Wednesday.
You can watch Wednesday’s meeting by clicking here.
The tallest building on the site would now be 16 stories, down from 20. The overall footprint of the new proposal is just over 1 million square feet, down from 1.2 million in the original plan. And an assisted living facility in one of the buildings would instead be senior housing.
Along with a hotel and 215,000 square feet of retail space, which remain a centerpiece of the proposal, there would be 421 residential units, which is 172 fewer than the original plan.
The scaled-back plan is still facing opposition from residents of the neighborhood around the project, several of whom made comments at Wednesday’s meeting.
“16 stories is still really high,” said Janice Kahn, a Town Meeting member who lives in the neighborhood. “It’s still trying to squeeze too much, it’s asking this five acres to do way, way too much. It doesn’t make any sense for this particular part of our town. We’re very suburban. We have light and space and open air.”
Town leaders are hoping to send a zoning proposal to Town Meeting next May which would free up the under-utilized property for development.