Published in the May 19, 2020 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — The Zoning Board of Appeals last week got its first opportunity to weigh in on Cabot Cabot & Forbes’ proposal to redevelop the former American Mutual/Comverse site at the head of the Lake by constructing two five-story apartment buildings with a total of 600 units.

The reaction of ZBA members to the preliminary presentation was mixed. Several members expressed serious reservations about the size, density and mass of such a project. Others expressed cautious interest in seeing what is ultimately proposed for the site.

Last week’s session held via Zoom teleconferencing was a “pre-application meeting” designed to gather feedback from the ZBA and give CC&F some direction prior to filing an official application with the town. CC&F still has filed no official application with the Building Department or any other town agency. The large developer has previously presented concepts for the site to a select group of local residents including the Friends of Lake Quannapowitt at a series of informal meetings.

Local attorney Brian McGrail represented CC&F and said that his client has the property under agreement to purchase from current owner Waterstone Properties. Waterstone purchased the property in 2018 for $15 million and last year received permitting from the ZBA to lease out the existing building for research and development and office use.

But Waterstone’s plans changed and now CC&F is looking at ways to build a large residential development on the site.

McGrail introduced Jay Doherty, CEO of CC&F, who used a PowerPoint presentation to explain what the real estate giant had in mind for the property.

Doherty said that in his 40 years with CC&F, he has focused on “transit-oriented” development, which had often coincided with waterfront development. He showed several examples of CC&F projects that have campuses near public transit and bodies of water.

While Doherty acknowledged the value of Lake Quannapowitt, he also pointed to some less aesthetically pleasing features of the neighborhood, such as car dealerships, an aging office park and Jordan’s Furniture.

Doherty said that CC&F’s goal was to “create a sense of place” that is part of the community and that will “enhance, celebrate and protect the Lake.” Doherty said that he would like to see the site become more welcoming and reflect the character of the community.

He talked about the attempt to keep the height and mass away from the Lake in the most recent design concept, which “steps up” from three stories closer to the Lake, toward an elevation of five stories on the side facing Route 128.

He described the “wrapped” garage design, where most of the parking would be hidden in the center, with the housing units constructed around the garage space.

He said that CC&F would do whatever the community is comfortable with in terms of cleaning up and maintaining the lakeshore area. He also suggested that public amenities, including an optional “loop dock,” would be up to the community. He said that the intention was to keep the area open and welcoming for public use with a combination of active and passive infrastructure, according to the town’s guidance.

CC&F would rebuild Quannapowitt Parkway, which is currently in a state of serious disrepair, and install new drainage and lighting. Overall, Doherty said, CC&F’s proposal would reduce impervious surface of the site from the current 69 percent to 48 percent.

Doherty said that Building 1 would have 320 units and Building 2 would consist of 280 units. The current plan is for a combination of studio apartments plus one and two-bedroom rental units, but he said that some condos could be included if that is what the community would prefer.

He said that the planning, permitting and design process for a project of this scope would take about two years before any construction begins. If approved, he anticipated that the buildings wouldn’t be ready for occupancy until at least 2024 or 2025.

ZBA member Chip Tarbell asked if CC&F would keep the property in its portfolio or sell it off after development.

Doherty talked about CC&F’s “institutional partners,” usually financial companies that invest in these types of properties.

Tarbell noted that the ZBA would want to see a traffic study and an economic impact study. He observed that Wakefield schools are already “maxed out.” Tarbell added that he wouldn’t mind seeing some kind of restaurant included to provide a Lakeside dining option.

Doherty noted that a restaurant was included in the initial concept, but that idea was not well-received at earlier informal meetings with community members. He said that other amenities such as fitness facilities open to the public were another option.

ZBA member Jim McBain said that he liked the “stepping” design keeping the full height away from the Lake. He also observed that the overgrown lakeshore would need to be addressed as well as drainage on the site. He said that he looked forward to seeing how the architectural design develops.

Board member Ami Wall was less than enthusiastic about the proposal. She said that it was too far away from the commuter rail to be considered a “transit site.” She also said that it was too much in terms of size and density.

“I’ve reached my capacity,” she said, noting that the amount of development in town was getting close to the limit.

“It would take a lot to get me on board,” Wall added.

ZBA member Greg McIntosh said that he shared Wall’s concerns, adding that the proposal was 3.5 times the size of the Tarrant Lane project and “completely changes an aspect of the town.”

Doherty suggested that the housing shortage in greater Boston might call for a more long-term view, given the area’s aging housing stock. He maintained that residential was a better option for the site than commercial.

In response to another comment, Doherty insisted that public access to the walking path along the Lake would be maintained even during construction

Board member Tom Lucey agreed with those who felt that size and mass were concerns. He also agreed that a restaurant would be a nice amenity.

ZBA Chairman David Hatfield stressed that all aspects of the site plan would be covered in much greater detail once CC&F files an official application with the town, and plenty of opportunities will be available for public input.