It’s Now “The Bradford”
by John DiCocco
At an April 27 meeting in the Town Hall art gallery, Toll Brothers Apartment Living representatives updated the community on construction and design plans for Cushing Square in the upcoming weeks and months.
The developer has changed the project name from “Cushing Village” to “The Bradford.”
2012 site plan, just to show position of buildings. Top right is Winslow, lower left is Hyland, and lower right is Pomona. Graphic courtesy of Town of Belmont.
The Cushing Square Neighborhood Association has been pressing Toll Brothers for more timely and informative input on the project’s progress and planning, particularly in regard to environmental concerns. There is a significant amount of contaminated soil to be removed (from spills by Tops Cleaners years ago), among other concerns.
Aapproximately 55–60 people attended as Otto Weiss, Toll Brothers project manager, and Bill Lovett, Toll Brothers director of acquisitions and development, took questions for an hour and then described the most recent design changes and the anticipated next steps in construction. Resident questions focused on parking and traffic and pedestrian flow, air monitoring procedures, toxic waste removal, noise, and timelines.
In issuing permits to build, the town had earlier addressed and approved several of the traffic issues, and the Toll representatives’ answers seemed to satisfy the attendees for the time being on the remaining questions.
The Timeline
Weiss said, “The Winslow Building on Trapelo Road will open first in the summer of 2018. The Hyland, on Common Street, and the Pomona on the corner of Trapelo and Common, will follow on in late 2018, and summer 2019, respectively.”
Lovett explained that the previous owner had designed the project from the outside-in, and that the current revisions to the project were driven by functional changes to the living units, which in turn led to changes to the façade.
Revisions made to date include:
• Reduced the units from 115 to 112
• Eliminated the roof deck from the Winslow
• Rearranged and/or enlarged many windows
• Replaced stucco siding with more brick
• Removed the smaller decorative tower (facing Common Street) from the Hyland building
Site Preparation
As to the ground preparation, several phases are underway at once. The mechanical mixing of the liquid neutralizing agent to remediate the contaminated soil is scheduled to begin in mid-May. Once contaminant levels are sufficiently reduced in accordance with state Department of Environmental Protection regulations, the soil can be transported off site. Weiss stated that the whole process will take about six to eight weeks.
Meanwhile, Toll Brothers’ contractor Nauset Construction (Needham, MA) is expected to begin dewatering the site in about three to four weeks, to lower the water table to prepare for excavation. They will then begin excavation of soil to prepare for below-ground construction of the Winslow and Hyland buildings.
Toll Brothers has offered assurances that their environmental consultant, Sage Environmental, is monitoring outdoor air quality at various points around the site. They also stated that they have offered indoor air sampling to homeowners whose properties abut the project. When asked, Weiss stated that indoor air sampling of properties across Trapelo Road would be part of the Phase II environmental work.
Glenn Clancy, Belmont community development director, indicated that John Thompson, licensed site professional and environmental consultant geologist, will continue to work with the town, visiting the work site every other week.
John DiCocco is editor of the BCF Newsletter.
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