Greetings, everyone. This past week saw the launch of Brookline for Everyone’s Book Club. We gathered at United Parish Church to discuss Jeff Speck’s acclaimed Walkable City–rightly acclaimed, seemed to be the consensus. The discussion flowed into questions about how to apply its lessons to our own town. Our next meeting, probably in January, will look at the recent book Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Stay tuned for details.
Looking for a Way to Help Out?
We are still looking for volunteers for Outreach events this fall, even as early as this week. Please sign up if you’re interested here.
Looking for Affordable Housing?
Just announced: for sale by lottery, a 3-bedroom condo at 8 Juniper St. in Brookline. Info here. And more generally: don’t forget the Massachusetts Housing Navigator, a good way to search for affordable housing, as we’ve mentioned before.
Town Events of Interest this Week
- The potentially major development at Chestnut Hill West gets another look on Monday, Oct. 20, at 6 pm, with the latest version of plans for this large mixed-use development presented in a hybrid meeting (room 111 in Town Hall and on Zoom; Agenda is here). This project has the potential to deliver far more housing for Brookline than anything else in the works, along with commercial development that can ease the burden on residential taxpayers. But hurdles remain. If you haven’t already, please speak up in support of a bold project that makes full use of the site, in public comment at the end of the meeting, or in written comments to Meredith L. Mooney at mmooney@brooklinema.gov.
- Meanwhile, also on Monday, at 7 pm, the Fisher Hill West Uses Advisory Committee meets to discuss the current proposal for a Town Recreation and Community Center (but no housing) on the former Newbury College site. This is also a hybrid meeting (room 103 in Town Hall and on Zoom); agenda here.
- Discussion continues on Warrant Article 7, which would permit the conversion of the former school building at 2 Clark Road into 35 much needed apartments near transit. The Advisory Committee’s Land Use subcommittee will take it up again on Monday at 11 am; the Select Board will discuss it on Tuesday at 7 pm (or later); and the Planning Board returns to it on Thursday at 7 pm.
Also continuing from last week:
- Another brief walk and presentation on the plans for the Beacon Street Bridle Path, this one on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 5 pm, at the Coolidge Corner Library, 31 Pleasant St. More info here.
- Two events for the Brookline Village parking study: the pop-up at the corner of Harvard and Washington Streets, rained out last week, will come back on Wednesday, 11-3. It will now be preceded by a public meeting on Tuesday, 6-8 pm, on Zoom. More info here.
Good News and Events from the Around the Region
From Newton: An aging 112-unit housing development in Newtonville will stay affordable, as the city aids the Boston-based affordable housing developer WinnCompanies to buy the property and subsidize the rents at below-market rates.
From Watertown: The MBTA Communities Act required the city (yes, it’s a city, despite the name) to rezone for 1,701 new housing units. It has allowed 4,423 units instead, by redesigning its central Watertown Square around housing, mixed-use development, and walkable public space, rather than speeding traffic, with a design by Brookline’s own SpeckDempsey, working with Utile.
And finally, Abundant Housing Massachusetts’ annual Celebration of Abundance is coming up on Thursday, October 23 at 5:30pm at Broken Records Beer Hall in Allston. Join AHMA to mingle with and celebrate pro-housing advocates, leaders, and champions across the Commonwealth. Get your tickets here.
Thanks, and have a great week,
Brian Ladd, for Brookline for Everyone