UPDATE: Offices, Garage Planned For Rail Site

A realty trust whose partners are two local companies will be coming to the Zoning Board of Appeal Monday, June 21, to put forth their plans to build a 14,820 sq.-ft. combination garage and office space on a site abutting the MBTA commuter rail line on Brighton Street. 

F. E. French Construction of Waltham and Belmont's Mahoney Oil will be seeking a special permit and a site plan review to build a single story "warehouse and office building" located in a general business zoning district. 

The new site will also bring in $24,740 in annual revenue in real estate taxes and excise tax.

The site is currently a long concrete slab with a dilapidated shed adjacent to three printing businesses at 46 Brighton St. It is also located across the tracks from an existing warehouse that is empty and seeking a buyer. 

While their company is located in Waltham, Francis and Michael French grew up in town and one continues to live in Belmont. Their firm is best known for snow removal and sanding services during the winter which they describe as "the foundation of their business."

They also perform excavating, demolition, material delivery, pipe and utility work and trucking services.

They are teaming up with Mahoney Oil, the Belmont firm that delivers premium diesel fuel to trucking companies, construction equipment and generators, to build a single story office on the 1.47 acre site along with an asphalt parking area, driveway and landscaping.

The new construction will be the home for the two firms, each garaging their fleets on the location. French has 12 employees and have a number of large vehicles including four dump trucks, three mini-excavators, four sanders, six front end loaders and five 4X4s. Mahoney has four drivers and two office personnel. 

The building will need ZBA approval as it needs a special building permit as the plans for the new commercial site exceeds the 5,000 sq.-ft. zoning restriction, and requires a design and site plan review for being greater than 2,500 sq.-ft. in a general business zone. 

So far, town reaction has been positive from at least one source.

"This property has been a source of difficulty over the years for the health department," said Donna Moultrup, the town's current health department director wrote in a letter to the town.

"I can't be more thrilled that an appropriate use has been found to develop this very difficult property," she said.