Housing Headlines

NORTH QUINCY --- A businessman’s plan to replace an industrial facility near the Neponset Bridge with a six-story residential building would involve an extensive clean-up of toxic chemicals from the site. John McCormack, owner of Industrial Heat Treating at 31-39 Newbury St., has hired an engineering firm to remove contaminants from the site to pave the way for an 84-unit, four story apartment building.

QUINCY --- Mayor Thomas Koch is asking the city council to approve new transit-oriented" zoning districts at the North Quincy, Wollaston and Quincy Adams T properties so as to make the city more attractive for mixed-use development. The new districts would allow developers to build denser projects than what’s currently allowed near the three stations. For example, new buildings could go as high as 10 stories.

HARVARD --- Town meeting voters in Harvard, Ayer, and Shirley have approved a zoning change for nearly 33 acres in the sprawling Devens complex that would allow commercial and industrial projects on a site that had been zoned for residential development. While the property lies totally within Harvard, state law requires that all three towns within the former Fort Devens footprint sign off on all zoning changes.

BOSTON --- At least two major developers are exploring the idea of reviving Columbus Center, the 10-acre megaproject from the 2000s to cover the highway between the Back Bay and the South End. These developers have separately approached the Massachusetts Department of Transportation about Columbus Center, a state official said Monday and an official from Trinity Financial confirmed it is one of the firms taking a second look.

WINCHESTER --- With Winchester, Stoneham, Reading and other towns dealing with a spate of 40B applications, Sen. Jason Lewis and other lawmakers are discussing reforms that would encourage more appropriately-sized developments near downtown rather than larger projects in neighborhoods.

MARSHFIELD --- The town's Zoning Board of Appeals has opened hearings on a 40-unit 40B for Ferry Street, with ZBA Chairman Joe Kelleher setting the ground rules and calling for dignity: "I know 40Bs can be emotional, but when we do have public comment, I insist everyone treats each other with dignity," he said. "We will allow everyone to speak and speak their minds and we will listen to you."