UPDATED: ZBA Gives Green Light to Assisted Living at Marist Property

The Framingham Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-0 Tuesday night, March 8, to green light a Southborough builder's plan to construct an assisted living complex on Pleasant Street at the former Marist property.

Brendon Homes signed an $4 million agreement to purchase the 28-acre property owned by the Marist Fathers of Boston.

The Southborough-based company then submitted plans to the Town of Framingham to build high-end townhouses for those age 55 and older, plus partnered with Benchmark Senior Living for plans to construct an assisted-living complex at 518 Pleasant Street.

A previous plan by Walden Behavioral Care to turn the Pleasant Street property into a 80-bed treatment center failed. Walden dropped its plan in October 2014.

The plans submitted to the Town of Framingham is for 14 memory care units and 38 assisted living units, plus construction of 60 high-end townhouse condos, deed restricted for those age 55 and older.

Brendon Homes was requesting a special permit from the Framingham ZBA to develop an assisted-living center and a dimensional variance from side setback requirements.

In 2015, the Town of Framingham’s Building Commissioner Michael Tusino denied a building permit stating the applicant needed a special permit from the ZBA for the assisted living component, and a special permit from the Framingham Planning Board for the adult active housing proposed.

At the ZBA hearing in November 2015, attorney Paul Galvani, representing Brendon Homes, said the current single Marist property lot would be divided into two lots. One lot would be about 20 acres and exclusively for the over 55 project and the second lot 8.65 acres would be for the 52-unit assisted living facility.

The Zoning Board vote was just for the assisted living part of the property.

The Framingham Board also put several conditions on the special permit related to traffic, which was a concern of residents in the neighborhood.