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Do you think the Target store in Westwood Station will be good for the community?
Submitted by daveatkins on November 22, 2007 - 8:16pm.
Get the Facts
Westwood Station is NOT just a Target store. PHASE ONE is as big as the Natick Mall, the South Shore Plaza, the Burlington Mall. It is 5 times larger than Wrentham outlets. 50,000 cars a day will use up the capacity of the Add-A-Lane on Route 128 and the traffic will be backed up to Route 9. Visit www.fixthetraffic.com. Get informed. Westwood voters did not understand what they were voting for at town meeting. "Upscale Newbury Street" stores was just a sales pitch. 18 full liquor licenses are going to need how many new policemen in town? Westwood approached development cautiously for 100 years. Now this project has sold out this side of town.
Westwood Station
I'm in total agreement with you. Residents need to reallize that this project will forever change the quality of life and character of Westwood as well as neighboring communities. With 35,000 daily visitors Braintree has opened a police substation to deal with the crime. The cost for two officers ( 2 pm to 10 pm-7 days) is $110,000 per year. Simon Property is reinbursing the town . Given that figure, just how much will additional police cost this town? I urge folks to read the minutes from Fin Com. They are posted online. Check out the tax projections thru FY12. Your property taxes are not going down. Why is the town now questioning "WHAT WILL WESTWOOD STATION BRING? In response--"Timing is significant issue, Potential new tax growth? Potential change in residential/commercial split of taxes?" The skilled and masterful sales pitch by town officials and the developer included the tax growth and change in the split as one of its benefits. The posted info also indicates that it is questionable whether the town will receive any funds from the project in FY08 or FY09. Read the Globe Business section. Today's edition states that store closings in 2008 could reach 5,770 (the largest number since 2004). Cosumers are described as cash-and credit constrained" and out of purchasing power. There's also a report on loss of earnings for McCormick and Schmick's Seafood Restaurant ("Seafood restaurant takes a dive"). Nice to know that one of our proposed tenants is doing so well! What about the other ingredients of this mixed use project--office and housing? Not such good news either. See you at town meeting!
Behavior of BOS
I am glad to see a discussion of candidates for Board of Selectmen(BOS) on this blog and hopefully there will be a forum for the issues to be discussed. This past week the Board of Selectmen agreed to lift residential restrictions on the condos to be built at Westwood Station. The public was told at numerous meetings that the town would have strict controls on these units - iniitially sold to the town as LUXURY CONDOS. I realize the housing market has changed but to lift all restrictions on the developer and give them permission to go ahead and build 1,000 rental units will forever change the makeup of the town and the school system. The BOS and Planning Board will be meeting on Wednesday, March 19 to discuss the changes in the development agreement including lifting the restrictions on residential units. Hopefully there will be a big turnout for this meeting. We need the whole town to be informed -- not just a handful of concerned residents. Please check the town website for time and location. Thank you!
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