|
|
|
|
|
|
Medfield State Hospital Master Plan Committee Update
A development committee was appointed by the Selectmen after the MSHMPC submitted the Master Plan. This article provides a brief overview of the work done over the past twelve months by the development committee. Todd Trehubenko, Chair of the MSHDC, brings us up to date and explains the reasoning behind the Zoning changes and the upcoming Special Town Meeting on November 18th.
|
|
The MSH Development Committee
The Medfield State Hospital Development Committee (MSHDC) was created by the Board of Selectmen in September 2018 and is comprised of Medfield residents with longtime experience in commercial real estate. The MSHDC was tasked with engaging the broader real estate development community in discussions regarding the viability of the “Preferred Scenario” envisioned in the August 2018 Strategic Reuse Master Plan and to make recommendations to the Selectmen on what, if anything, should be presented to Town Meeting with respect to the future of the MSH site.
In October 2018, the MSHDC issued a non-binding Request for Information (RFI) to solicit feedback on numerous aspects of the Preferred Scenario including significant challenges and opportunities, possible financing mechanisms, proposed zoning changes, and overall development timeframe. Five substantive responses were received and reviewed, followed by meetings in early 2019 with each respondent to obtain further clarifications and feedback. From this effort, MSHDC confirmed that there is significant interest in redeveloping MSH along the lines envisioned by the Strategic Reuse Master Plan, including among Boston-based firms considered to be national leaders in historic redevelopment projects. Importantly, these firms all emphasized that qualified developers are very unlikely to invest the substantial money, time, and resources necessary to respond to a formal and binding Request for Proposals (RFP) from the Town of Medfield without the Town first passing the zoning change necessary to enable a project of this size and complexity.
Accordingly, the MSHDC recommended to the Selectmen that a Special Town Meeting be scheduled to focus exclusively on the proposed zoning change as the next step in the potential redevelopment of MSH. Approval of the proposed zoning would not obligate the Town to redevelop the site, surrender its control over the future of the site, or lock in an unrealistic timetable. However, MSHDC believes it will substantially improve the Town’s ability to attract the most qualified firms to the redevelopment effort, remove significant uncertainty for the Town’s potential development partners, and ultimately result in a better redevelopment for the Town of Medfield. The Special Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 18.
- written by Todd Trehubenko, Chair, MSHDC
|
|
|
To sign up for our weekly email blasts, get more information,or schedule a MSHMPC representative to speak with your Club or Organization please contact Sarah Raposa, Medfield Town Planner at sraposa@medfield.net
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
