The Townsman reports that neighbors who were against a National Development project to build housing, retail and office space on the old Grossman’s lot at the Wellesley/Newton line have dropped their appeal. Details of an agreement of how to move forward aren’t being revealed but it sounds like the project isn’t exactly going to get started tomorrow. Like with the developers at the old Wellesley Inn spot, the economy is playing a role in how fast development will move forward. Jack O’Neil, a managing partner at National Development, tells the Townsman: “I can’t be too specific, just yet, but I will tell you that our plans are to develop the site. Those plans are a little bit uncertain right now, just given the state of the economy and the capital markets, but our expectations are that things are going to improve over time and that we will be going forward.”

Share/Bookmark

Jack O’Neil, a principal in National Development, said his company scaled back the proposal in response to neighbors’ concerns. Among other things, he said, the proposal cut a four-story apartment building closest to the residential streets to three stories, eliminating nine of the original 150 apartments.

“We were hoping that would go a long way in addressing neighbors’ concerns,” said O’Neil, “but we obviously didn’t quite get there.”

Share/Bookmark