🔨 Groundbreaking at Nobscot

Groundbreaking at Nobscot | Public Health Clinic Closes | Cleaning of 350 Irving Street...Finally | The Week Ahead

Saturday was a great day in Framingham! First the 11th Annual Earth Day Festival was held on the Common. Even though it was overcast, that didn’t stop people from enjoying the day. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Friends of Framingham Trails tent to say hi!

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Groundbreaking at Nobscot

Mayor Sisitsky, Councilors and members of the development team at the groundbreaking in Nobscot.

After decades of discussion, it happened: The groundbreaking for the new Villages at Nobscot took place Monday afternoon. A small group gathered to watch as elected leaders and members of the development team took the ceremonial shovels in hand, hardhats on heads and posed for a photo. 

What are The Villages at Nobscot? A mixed-use 3 story development comprising 158 apartments with 10,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor. The complex is being built on the site of the old Nobscot Plaza along Water Street, which was torn down this winter. 

What is the timeframe for construction? According to Peter Spellios of Transom, the developer building the apartments, construction will take about 18 months. So, if all goes as planned, we should see a ribbon cutting in September 2024. 

Renderings of the Villages at Nobscot on display.

Public Health Clinic Closes

The Public Health Nurse Clinic is moving down the street to 188 Concord Street, recently acquired by the city for new government office space. The clinic will be located on the first floor. However, the storefront is closed and the new clinic is projected to open in the fall. 

Background: The Spicer Administration rented the storefront at 113 Concord Street in 2019 for $2500 a month. The clinic closed in 2020 and reopened in July 2021. It was then closed again due to the vacancy of the public health nurse. 

Cleaning of 350 Irving Street...Finally

Another step in cleaning up environmental justice areas in South Framingham occurred at the last Council meeting when Eversource presented their plan to clean 350 Irving Street. 

The project proposal: The proposed project would remediate contaminated sediment, soil and groundwater from the site. Mitigation measures put into place during remediation include monitoring air quality, odor, dust control, noise impacts, and vibrations. Eversource would restore any surface affected, including wetlands, paved areas, and landscaping.

Background: The 350 Irving site was used to manufacture gas from coal and oil to produce lighting, heating and cooking from the late 1880's until 1967. The process produced two main byproducts, tar and purifier waste, which are the two byproducts being cleaned up at the site.

Next steps: Project is targeted for the end of 2023, and is pending the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act review process and receipt of all the local, state, and federal permits. It is expected the project would take approximately two years to complete. Eversource requested a letter from the Council and the Mayor to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in support of the project. The Council approved sending a letter 11-0. 

The Week Ahead: 

Agendas are linked below.

• Monday, April 24

  • 9:30 AM: MWRTA Advisory Board 

  • 4:30 PM: School Committee: Policy Subcommittee 

  • 7:00 PM: Board of License Commissioners

  • 7:00 PM: Community Preservation Committee 

  • 7:00 PM: Agricultural Advisory Committee 

• Tuesday, April 25

  • 2:15 PM: Keefe Tech School Council 

  • 5:00 PM: School Committee: Finance & Operations Subcommittee 

  • 7:00 PM: Community Preservation Committee

  • 7:00 PM: Traffic Commission

  • 7:00 PM: City Council

• Wednesday, April 26 

  • 2:00 PM: Edgell Grove Trustees

  • 4:00 PM: Board of Assessors 

  • 5:30 PM: Veterans Council 

  • 6:00 PM: City Council: Finance Subcommittee 

  • 7:00 PM: Sustainability Committee 

  • 7:00 PM: Conservation Commission 

  • 7:00 PM: Disability Commission 

  • 7:00 PM: School Committee 

The Mayor submitted his budget (before the May 1 deadline as outlined in the Charter) to the Council. It is on tomorrow’s Council agenda for a referral to the Finance Subcommittee for their review and debate. I’ll be covering the budget in the next few issues of The Ham’er.

Have a great week!

-Mary Kate