Newton's Centre Street Property to Be Affordable Housing, Hotel, Restaurant?

NEWTON, MA — If all goes according to plan, Newton is getting ready to make way for a hotel, restaurant, and affordable housing near the old library in Newton Centre, according to the mayor's office.

The proposed project would bring in money for city and help diversify housing, say officials. And it would preserve the library built in the 1920s, but hasn't been used as one since the late 1990s. But it's still early days and to early to talk timelines, according to Stephanie Foner in the Mayor's office. "This is just the start of the public engagement process," she said.

The City Council gave the green light to the Mayor's office to redevelop the property - with some stipulations in 2015, and Warren's office announced requests for proposals in fall of 2016. They came back in December a committee made up of nine people, including two Ward Councilors and two residents, one of which is a Newton Centre Street resident, evaluated them and gave First Cambridge Realty Corporation the thumbs up with the winning $13.2 million project proposal. After the public engagement process gets underway it will have to go back to the city council for review. So it's not set in stone, said city officials.

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The developer is proposing a three-story residential building with six units total, meant to help low income families, on city-owned land behind the former library. Also in the plan: a four-story, 57-room hotel on an adjacent piece of land the developer owns at 39 Herrick Rd.

The longtime chef of the Mandarin Oriental and Seaport Hotel, and Needham's RFK is slated to open a restaurant in the space formerly occupied by the library with as many as 90 seats along with some public space. The plan calls for an underground parking garage with 24 spaces, and nine above-ground parking spots.

"It's our intent to restore 1294 Centre Street to its past glory," reads the proposal, which goes on to say that developers planned to maintain original woodwork and facade.

A presentation of the proposal will be take place on Friday, May 12, at 8:15 a.m. at the site.

"I hope that people get a real sense of what this project is all about and have a sense of the developer and his plans for the property and get a feel for what the spaces are going to look like and what kind of treatments the developer envisions," said Barney Heath of the planning department. "This is a project that could really enliven Newton Centre, restore that property, which was one of the principle goals of the RFP, and provide a public benefit in providing housing for low income families."

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