NewCAL is up for discussion this week before the City Council. The first meeting — a Committee of the Whole discussion on the lawsuit Arnstein, et al. v. City of Newton, et al., filed against the City of Newton in Middlesex Superior Court — is scheduled for Monday, August 1 at 7PM (Zoom link). The Council will likely enter into executive session in accordance with Mass General Laws Chapter 30A, Sec. 21(a)(3), in order to discuss strategy relating to the litigation. In the second meeting, which will follow the Committee of the Whole discussion, the Finance Committee will discuss and vote on a request to authorize and expend $19.5 million for the NewCAL project. The Public Facilities Committee voted to approve this at its July 13 meeting (NewTV video).
The West Newton Armory Open House is scheduled for Monday, August 1, 4PM-6PM. Representatives from the development team (Metro West Collaborative Development and Civico Development) will be on hand to meet with the public, provide information about the project, and present updated project designs. Tours will be at 4:30PM and at 5:30PM.
29 Greenwood Street — Gershom Hyde House — the site where a local landmark was demolished — is on the Newton Historical Commission’s Agenda for August 2 at 7PM for a continued discussion and review of proposed plans to remediate the violation and allow for a reconstruction of the landmarked building (Zoom link). The house was one of the city’s oldest houses and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and designated a City of Newton Local Landmark in 1997. Currently there are 30 properties designated as local landmarks in the City. More details in this news article.
In addition, the Newton Historical Commission will review plans by Northland Development to address the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s requirements for the development of the historic mill site at Needham and Oak Streets. It will also review 4 demolition requests and 1 request to waive a demolition delay (agenda).
This week’s road construction schedule can be found here.