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Mayor Wu just did the burbs a favor

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Employees and employers in the Wells Ave. and surrounding office parks have a new reason to return to their offices, following yesterday’s grand opening of the West Suburban YMCA’s new Wells Ave branch.
 
If you squint you'll recognize the 61,000-square-foot facility as the old, dingy Boston Sports Club that was once there. This is a total reboot, highlighted by new everything, including a 24,000 square-foot gymnasium with freshly installed maple hardwood floors and a four-lane, 25-yard lap pool. 
 
Congratulations to Jack Fucci, his team at the Y and everyone else who made this public-private partnership possible.
 
Mayor Wu just did the burbs a favor
ļ»æ
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu may have just done suburban commercial property owners and developers a big favor by proposing a dramatic hike in Boston's linkage fees for all types of new commercial projects and -- for the first time -- even higher fees on life science labs, reports Greg Ryan at the BBJ.
 
At a time when borrowing and building costs are soaring, fees on new labs in Boston would double from what they are today (from $15.39 per square foot today to $30.78 per SF).  Other types of commercial developments would jump by 50% (to $23.09 per SF).  In addition, Boston's exemption threshold would be cut from 100,000 to 50,000 SF.
 
Cambridge recently approved a 66% hike in its linkage fees  (putting them at $33.34 per SF).
 
Watertown is also close to introducing a linkage program, that could impose a fee of up to $18 per square foot, with an exemption on the first 30,000 SF, on nonresidential developments. (That proposal still needs to be finalized by Watertown’s City Council and may still need the governor's signature.)
 
As long as Watertown keeps its fees in check, Boston's and Cambridge's much higher fees should continue to make Watertown enticing to biotechs. However Watertown's city leaders should be cognizant of competition from neighboring suburban communities where there are no linkage programs. 
 
What's really at stake
 
Linkage fees typically raise revenue for affordable housing and often replace less essential community givebacks. And Wu's linkage hikes are part of a larger set of steps designed to create new, desperately needed, housing, notes the Globe's Catherine Carlock.
 
So in that way Wu is also doing our entire region a favor: leading the way on developing affordable housing, something our suburbs need to become much better at.
 
Boston can't, and shouldn't, do this alone.
 
And I'm being somewhat facetious suggesting that making it onerous to develop in Boston and Cambridge is cause for celebration in the burbs. Our economic ecosystems and success depend on each other.
 
And speaking of housing in the burbs, did you see that compelling series of interactive maps published in the New York Times linking housing density to the climate crisis?
 
If not, here's a free link. It's worth a look.
 
The Prince and Princess of Wales enjoy a taste of Newton
 
Speaking of Wu, when the Prince William and Kate went to Boston City Hall for tea the other day Boston's mayor turned to a company founded in Newton to provide the baked treats.
 
That would be coffee cake from My Grandma’s of New England, which began about 43 years ago in a tiny 250 square foot Newton kitchen.
 
There really was a grandma, according to Eater, who built her business from an old family recipe.
 
ļ»æCurrent owner Bob Katz and his father Ed purchased the business in 1993 from the grandson of the original grandma. In 1994 the company moved to a larger facility in Dedham and later Hyde Park.
 
Anyone know "grandma's" name or where in Newton she was located? I haven't been able to find it.
 
Removal of the Watertown Dam gets council support
Watertown’s City Council is asking the state to remove the Watertown Dam.
 
“Aging infrastructure like Watertown Dam pose a risk as we are seeing stronger and more intense storms of which this dam was not designed for,” Council President Mark Sideris wrote in a letter to state officials that was shared by Councilor Nicole Gardner.
 
This  interactive story map from the Charles River Watershed Association explores some of the issues behind efforts to remove the dam.
 
And here's a video of a CRWA presentation we hosted on the topic last year.
 
Taxpayers to get help understanding Newton's override
 
Newton voters will go to the polls March 14 to decide if they’re willing to raise property taxes by nearly $15 million through three tax override ballot questions.
 
And starting next month they will have a new professionally-run news site to help guide them in that decision.
 
The Newton Beacon will be edited and written by two of my former Newton TAB colleagues -- Gail Spector and Dan Atkinson – the nonprofit, nonpartisan Newton News Foundation announced yesterday.
 
Note: Although I have been part of the steering committee working on the Beacon’s launch, I'm not involved with the Beacon’s news operation and am not on its board so as to not conflict with my role at the chamber.
 
But I'm rooting for its success.
 
Still more things to know
 
  • MassBay Community College in Wellesley is offering a free Computers and Technology course from January to May 2023 on Wednesday nights, 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Contact Fabiola Mendez-Torres
 
  • The Foundation for Metrowest has awarded $642,500 in grants to 49 human services and arts and culture nonprofit partners, including chamber members Family ACCESS of Newton, REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, Inc., Riverside Community Care, Hope and Comfort and The Second Step.
 
  • Watertown is offering a limited number of parking permits to local business owners/employees in the Watertown Square and Nichols Ave lots on a first come first serve basis. Apply here. (Watertown News)
 
  • The Newton City Council’s Land Use Committee voted in favor on Mark Development’s proposal to transform the Santander Bank building in West Newton into a mixed use project, including a 160-seat restaurant, 50 apartments and underground parking. The developer still needs to resolve some issues related to parking (as Fig City News explains) and needs a full council approval.
 
  • Workbar will be a new location at 111 Speen Street in Framingham next summer. (Framingham Source)
 
  • Arsenal Yards will host its first-ever public menorah lighting ceremony and celebration on Monday (Dec 19) from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Featuring a live fire dance performance, lighting ceremony, live music, complimentary treats & crafts. Details.
 
 
Committee and community step up to support local
 
ļ»æFor the fifth straight year our Young Professionals Committee  has spearheaded a multi-pronged effort to support the City of Newton, The Village Bank and Rotary Gift Drive, which benefits hundreds of families every winter.
 
This year the effort broke all records -- collecting bagsful of toys and $2,000 in donations at our big year-end event at Showcase SuperLux. Local merchants at The Street Chestnut Hill, Just Next Door in Auburndale and Henry Bear’s Park in Newtonville also had in-store collection boxes.
 
“We had people coming in specifically to make donations and to teach their children how to give back,” said Will Regan, manager at Henry Bear’s Park.
 
Every dollar raised was used to buy toys from local stores, so the effort didn’t just help families in need but merchants too.
 
A special shout out to committee member and Village banker Nicole Jencunas for her leadership. 
 
Newton man could be heading overseas; Needham native lands a new gig too
Newton resident -- and former U.S. Congressman -- Joe Kennedy III has emerged as the favorite to become President Joe Biden's US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, according to Irish Central.
 
And a former Needham High basketball player (in photo, left) who later went on to serve as governor, is going to be president after all.
 
Where to watch the World Cup this weekend
 
Finally this morning, looking for a place watch the Saturday’s 10 a.m. Third Place Playoff or Sunday’s 10 a.m. World Cup Finals with a crowd?
 
Chamber members Paddy’s Public House, O’Haras Food and Spirits, Moldova Restaurant and Battinas Bakery in Newton have let us know they will be open for both games. So did City Works in Watertown (reservations recommended).
 
Baramor in Newton Centre will be open for Sunday’s game only.
 
 
That's your need to knows for today, unless you need to know how to give the perfect villain for the holidays.
 
Tell me you're going to shop local this weekend, right?
 
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President
617.244.1688
 

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