Norwood Creates Life Sciences Development District

NORWOOD, MA - Norwood Town Meeting members voted unanimously to create a Life Sciences Development District at Monday night's Special Town Meeting, paving the way for the expansion of Moderna's Norwood campus.

The vote eliminates the Forbes Hill Mixed Use Overlay District. It also prevents the development of housing in the district. The historic Forbes Hill property, which Moderna purchased in December, includes a mansion. This was the third time that the 27-acre parcel had been up for sale.

The new district encompasses 158 acres and will allow for development of buildings up to 80 feet high as of right. The town approved a tax increment financing agreement with Moderna at the October Special Town Meeting.

"The proposed Life Sciences Development District will promote life sciences and biotech research, development and manufacturing in the new district," Town Planner Paul Halkiotis explained. "It will allow for commercial development designed to incorporate low-impact development principles. It will promote the types of development that the town wants - such as life sciences, biotech industries and medical research."

The design of the district will preserve the wooded area at the site's entrance at Upland Road from future development, he added. It will also expand the town's tax base and create more employment opportunities, particularly for highly skilled workers.

The district promotes a campus-style facility that will be upgraded from the current district, which was the former site of the Universal Technical Institute, Polaroid and Mercer. Moderna's buildings will be connected in what Halkiotis called a "cluster-style development."

One reason for the district's creation was to allow for the taller buildings that the biotech industry requires. Buildings of up to 80 feet will be allowed as of right, while those of up to 100 feet may be built if a special permit from the Planning Board is acquired. The current maximum building height is 60 feet.

The owner of the property, Alexandria, proposed a conservation deed restriction on the 18-acre wooded area, located between Plantingfield Brook Road and Moderna Way, to separate the campus from the residential neighborhood.

"This particular piece of property has some serious development constraints," Halkiotis explained. "It's got a hill. Plantingfield Brook runs down the middle of it."

The slope of the land will help to "minimalize any visual impacts" for people traveling on Upland Road, he added. He noted that Moderna already has created about 1,300 jobs since locating its facility in Norwood five years ago.

There are already several buildings proposed to add on to the campus as part of the Moderna master plan, and there is no guarantee that there may be more in the future. There will be a connecting covered walkway linking several buildings in the campus.

Phil Macchi, representing the property owner, said that he has worked with town officials for months to encourage Moderna's growth potential.

"Clearly, Moderna wants to build its worldwide headquarters to meet the next problem here in Norwood," he said. "Some things may seem a little larger scale than you're used to. But to build a world-class facility, you're going end up with buildings that are 30-foot-high single stories, and two 15s on top of them."

The logistics supply center building will need to be 100 feet, he added, noting that biotech facilities require thicker floors. He said there will be no impact to the sightline.

Town Meeting member Judith Howard did not agree with that assessment.

"These proposed building heights will negatively affect the Town of Norwood," she said. "Bylaws and rules such as this one are changed to accommodate the applicant, not the town or its residents."

She compared this with the building height allowed on the Boston-Providence Highway, which is 60 feet and the new Coakley Middle School building approved at the Special Town Meeting at less than 60 feet. She said she was in favor of life sciences development, but not at the height proposed on the highest point of the town.

"I think it's a good move for the Town of Norwood," said Town Meeting member Paul Eysie. "To have Moderna to pick Norwood is unbelievable."

Norwood Fire Chief David Hayes said Moderna has "been a great partner to the town in regard to fire safety." While the truck ladders only go to 70 feet, there will be an enclosed stairway to the top as well as fire prevention methods in place, including sprinklers. The 100-foot building will be a "largely unoccupied automated warehouse."

The future of the Forbes Mansion is uncertain. Currently it is planned to be a conference center for Moderna as well as a high-tech manufacturing and quality control center.

Joe Greeley, chair of the Trails Advisory Committee, suggested that there could be a trail in the deed restricted land to "connect the dots" to the Father Mac's property and Route 109 via footpaths.