What's Happening To Brookline Hills T Station, What To Know

BROOKLINE, MA — The Brookline Hills T station is about to get a makeover. As the town works on a $205.6 million high school expansion project, plans have put the school over the MBTA tracks. As part of the deal that allowed the town to use the MBTA's air rights, the T asked the town to help update the platform.

For months, the Brookline High School Expansion Committee have been discussing changes to the platform. The meetings are open to the public, but Brookline State Rep. Tommy Vitolo said it's time for more residents to weigh in, so he's hosting a meeting for folks to come hear about what's going on tonight at 7 p.m.

"We've got folks from LivableStreets out at the station this morning handing out fliers," said Vitolo.

School Committee Member and co-chair of the building committee Susan Wolf Ditkoff said throughout the process, the School Committee has heard a lot from the neighbors. But, she said, ahead of the next building committee meeting with the architects this is a good time for other users to have their say.

"This is the perfect time for regular users of the Brookline Hills T stop to weigh in. The concrete is not set, either literally or figuratively, the plans are now developed enough that we have a sense from the MBTA about their parameters," said Ditkoff. "Before the concrete sets, it's really important to hear from the rest of the users."

Vitolo is sponsoring the chat with LivableStreets Alliance, an advocacy group for better biking, walking and public transportation in the metro area to get people's initial reactions.

If you can't make that meeting Tuesday night, the BHS Building committee will be having a meeting, complete with public comment and Q&A with the architects and committee members tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. The full BHS Building committee will hear the summary at 7 p.m. and then there will be another Q&A with the architects on the logistics and construction at 7 p.m., according to Ditkoff.

"The full building committee meeting starts with the architects to hear the feedback from tonight and answer questions where possible and then take feedback into account," she said.

The architects will then go back to the MBTA with the town's feedback to see what can be addressed. But, at the end of the day, any changes to the platform are the MBTA's decision, said Ditkoff.

Vitolo said when he realized the folks who use the station haven't had a chance to weigh in, he decided to put together a meeting to present what the town and the MBTA have come up with and allow folks the opportunity to have their say.

Meeting Tonight:

7 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, Vitolo and Livable Streets are hosting the public meeting on the third floor of the Unified Arts building on the Brookline High School campus. The meeting will be at Brookline Interactive Group's studios at 46 Tappan Street, right next to the Brookline Hills T station.

Meeting Wednesday:
Wednesday, March 27, head to the 5th floor of Brookline's Town Hall for two public meetings on the expansion of the high school and the MBTA platform feedback, beginning at 6 p.m