🔨 Downtown Parking Lot Eyed for New Apartments
New Businesses in Trolley Square | Lewis Faces Primary Challenger | Municipal Aggregation Hearing | Need a Tree? Ask FHS! | Community Garden Meeting | The Civic Week Ahead
Happy Super Tuesday, Framingham!
As I mentioned last week, two new restaurants opened in Framingham. Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of joining fellow members of the Framingham Business Association in a ribbon cutting at U Dumpling House. They opened last week, and from what I hear the line has been out the door! I tried four different kinds of dumplings for lunch today. Absolutely incredible.
Feng, the owner of U Dumpling House, also owns Aoi Japanese Restaurant in Trolley Square and YumYum Bubble Tea on Edgell Road. A Framingham success story!
Let’s dive into the rest of the issue…
Have a comment or question? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at mkfeeney@gmail.com
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Downtown Parking Lot Eyed for New Apartments
Going up: An Allston-based developer is seeking to build multi-family housing in the parking lot next to the Armenian Church of the Holy Translators on Howard Street. The building would neighbor the MBTA Commuter Rail parking lot, the United Way and the Old Colony Hotel.
The details: The plans show for a 6 floor apartment building with 135 units with a first floor parking garage. A courtyard will be on the side of the trail station, and features a pergola.
Stack’em up: The proposed parking plan is for stacker packing, with 110 spaces. The stacker parking, as you can see from the photo below, well, stacks cars on top of each other. By using a fob chip reader or a mobile app, you can open up the full height sliding gate, park your car and the system will move it to allow another car to park. Outside there will be 13 regular spaces, and a car sharing program with electric vehicles and charging stations.
In front of the Planning Board: The developer is in front of the Planning Board for a major site review, and has requested special permits for use of multi-family housing in the Central Business District, Land Disturbance and Stormwater Management, reduction in parking, dimensional reduction in parking and inclusionary housing.
Public hearing continues: The Planning Board holds a public hearing on this project this Thursday at 7pm.
New Businesses in Trolley Square
More new business developments: Casa Meat Market will replace the existing Bazaar West Market later this year. They will start renovating the existing store starting in July 2024. Casa Meat Market is a Brazilian market featuring a master butcher, prepared foods, fresh breads and groceries.
The Teddy Bear Village is opening in June next to AOI. Teddy Bear Village is an early education program. This will be their second location; their first is on Fountain Street.
Studio 7 Six Tattoo is now open in the rear of the building near Mystic Fitness.
Lewis Faces Primary Challenger
State election season starts: State Representative Jack Patrick Lewis, a four term Democrat representing the 7th Middlesex District, is facing a challenger in Carlton Phelps of Ashland. The 7th Middlesex District contains all of Ashland and part of Framingham north of Route 9.
Officially Filed: Phelps officially filed to run as a Democrat with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance this morning, Tuesday, March 5.
Who is Carlton Phelps?: While no official announcement has been made, little is known about Phelps. He appears to be in finance and sales. His campaign website says he is running because “...because we the people understand that our voice is not always guaranteed. We as a collective community must continue to push inclusion, equality, happiness, and prosperity all of which are our constitutional rights in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the other United States of America.”
The state primary: All elected officials in the Legislature are up for re-election this year. The primary is Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Community Events
Virtual Public Hearing with Department of Public Utilities on Framingham Community Electricity
Another step forward for municipal electricity aggregation: The state Department of Public Utilities will hold a hearing for public comments on the proposed electricity aggregation plan.
Framingham filed a request for the plan on February 2, 2024.
The big picture: Municipal, also referred to as community, aggregation is a form of group electricity purchasing. Aggregation benefits include cleaner electricity, and competitive, stable prices (however, no guarantee there will be savings). More than 150 communities around Massachusetts participate in aggregation programs.
How to join the hearing: Held on Zoom, the hearing will take place on March 14, 2024 at 2:00pm. Attendees can join by entering the link, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81722675035, from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. For audio-only access to the hearings, attendees can dial in at (305) 224-1968 (not toll free) and then enter the Meeting ID# 817 2267 5035.
If you anticipate providing comments via Zoom during the public hearing, to the extent possible, please send an email by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Monday, March 11, 2024, to timothy.m.federico@mass.gov with your name, email address, and mailing address.
Alternatively, any person who desires to comment on this matter may submit written comments to the Department via email no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Wednesday, March 14, 2024.
Local questions: For any questions about Framingham Community Electricity, please contact Sustainability Coordinator, Shawn Luz, at sluz@framinghamma.gov
Community Development Committee Holds Public Hearing
Give your input: Framingham’s Community Development Committee is seeking input regarding community needs for their upcoming fiscal year planning process. The hearings take place on Wednesday, March 6 and Thursday, March 7 at 7pm both nights.
What is the committee?: The Community Development Committee works in cooperation with the Community and Economic Development Department and holds public hearings to hear community development and housing needs and recommends to the City Council and Mayor an annual Community Development Plan consisting of a statement of Community Development Objectives and Projected Use of Funds.
Who is welcome to attend: All applications, stakeholders and interested citizens. Login information can be found on their agendas: March 6 and March 7.
Public Invited to Community Gardens Design Meetings
Have ideas about community gardens?: You are invited to attend public meetings on Saturday, March 23 to learn about the community garden program and share your thoughts!
Who is behind this project? Transition Framingham and the Framingham Community Gardens Working Group, in partnership with the City of Framingham’s Department of Planning & Community Development, Department of Parks & Recreation, and Agricultural Advisory Committee, have been awarded Community Preservation Act funding from the Community Preservation Committee to develop designs for possible new community garden sites at Bates Road Park and Roosevelt Park (project no. CPA23-019, “Design Study for New Community Garden Sites in Framingham”).
Where are the meetings?
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. - Roosevelt Park (80 Fay Road) - Meet at shade shelter
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. - Bates Road Park (40 Bates Road Ext) - Meet at baseball field
Facilitated by design consultant RDLA, the March 23 meetings will provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about this project, hear about the unique opportunities at each park location, and discuss ideas for possible garden features.
Most importantly, attendees will have a chance to be involved in the design process by offering ideas and suggestions for how a portion of each of these parks might be used for community gardening.
Interpreters will be available on site for those who would like to participate in Spanish, Portuguese, or ASL.
Additional details:
Rain Date: In the event of inclement weather on Saturday, March 23, the meetings will be rescheduled for the following Saturday, March 30.
To make sure you hear about any event updates, please Sign Up for their email list.
Meeting Registration: Advance registration for the March 23 meetings is encouraged but not required. Please tell us which meeting(s) you plan to attend, how many people will be attending with you, and whether you are requesting interpretive services by filling out this Meeting Registration Form.
Need a Tree? Ask FHS!
The FHS Environmental Awareness Club is partnering with Tree-Plenish, a non-profit organization, to offset 75% of the high school's paper usage by planting trees around Framingham.
Order your sapling today and have it planted by volunteers on April 6th. The first 173 trees ordered are FREE! After those are sold, trees are $5. Orders must be in by March 6th. Click here to order and learn more.
The Civic Week Ahead
Monday, March 4
Tuesday, March 5
Wednesday, March 6
Thursday, March 7
In Closing…
Next Sunday we turn the clocks forward and start Daylight Savings Time…which means longer days, warmer weather…we made it!
Today is Super Tuesday, so please don’t forget to vote. Polls are open today until 8:00pm.
See you next week,
Mary Kate