Construction Begins On Controversial Apartment Project

WALTHAM, MA —After years of back and forth and pushback from the community, a luxury apartment building with 25 percent of its units deemed "affordable" to be built at 341 2nd Ave near Bear Hill Road is under construction.

The project "Broadstone Watch City" is set to feature 195 apartments, 49 of which will be designated affordable.

The project was brought forward by Alliance Residential Co., a Phoenix-based developer, is being built using an affordable housing law that allows a developer to circumvent most local zoning as long as the project provides a percentage of units at rates deemed affordable according to state income guidelines. Chapter 40B (or 40B as its referred to) is a state law enacted in 1969 to address affordable housing shortages statewide.

It's difficult for towns to fight a project planned under 40B.

The state defines affordable housing as an apartment or home that can be purchased or rented by a household making up to 80 percent of the median income of the area. Once a city meets certain requirements, such as having more than 10 percent of the town's housing stock deemed affordable, developers can no longer use 40B.

In 2015, the developer filed for a comprehensive permit to build under 40B. It wasn't until 2018, that the zoning board of appeals approved that permit, but then the city appealed that decision. The mayor wanted more then 49 units to be set aside as "affordable."

Some complaints about the project included the density of the development, which city councilors said exceeded anything that would otherwise be allowed by Waltham's Zoning board if the proposed location were to be residential. As it is, the project is proposed in a commercial district and while several buses come nearby (170Waltham Central Square Express, the Waltham Center Shuttle Route B, the 70, and the Alewife shuttle), none are exactly easy.

During the process there was some compromise: The units deemed affordable would only be set aside for 30 years. The city wanted to have them earmarked as affordable in perpetuity. The developer agreed to that change.

The building at 341 2nd Ave will include a community lounge, fitness center and central courtyard with pool and entertaining space, according to Callahan Construction Managers.

The 348,936 square-foot development will include five floors. Site utilities have been installed, with excavation, backfill and waterproofing. The building will also include 293 parking spaces.

"The project design is a nod to the industrial history of the immediate area, the building includes brick and weathered 'Corten' steel siding and an innovative interior design that references the clock and watch industry that Waltham is famous for,"said Luke Beck, Project Lead at CUBE 3, based in Boston and which designed the project. “In addition to expected luxury amenities, the project includes a dedicated commuter lounge, spa-like courtyard area, and integrated bike storage and pet grooming.”

Related:

Waltham Pushes Back On 195-unit Apartment Project On 2nd ...

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.