Ernest Kirwan, respected architect and developer has spoken out against the most recent of Brian O'Neill's proposals to the town of Belmont.

He has formally presented the following defective and inappropriate housing plans to the Belmont Planning Board.

Housing at the Belmont Uplands.
Inappropriate Development           September 30, 2003

O'Neill Properties presented a second version of the housing concept to Belmont officials on September 9, 2003; this new layout utilized a central multi-level parking garage for 480 cars, with eight 4-story wings directly attached to the garage. Up until the past week, only a Site Plan (at a small scale) was made available to the public; the critique on this page is based on that published Site Plan and building statistics. Modifications or improvements may have been made in the design since that date.

Our primary argument is that this project, as shown, does not represent the type of attractive housing or neighborhood that the Town of Belmont, historically, has provided for its residents. In addition, we feel that special challenges and costs may make this project difficult to build within reasonable rental rates making it very difficult to market the apartments.

• Location. The building is in a remote corner of town, surrounded by floodplain and wetlands; it is isolated by heavily traveled roadways, with no shops, restaurants, elementary schools or libraries to walk to - or easy connection to public transportation; the T-Station is a long walk away especially in bad weather or with bags of groceries.
  
  
• Site Design. The buildings, drainage swales and retention areas leave little space for landscape amenities usually found in high quality residential developments, terraces, pools, tennis courts; outdoor activities may be curtailed by insects, since pesticides are generally restricted in wetlands areas.
  
  
• Building Layout. All outside trips will require use of vehicles. On returning home, residents must enter the concrete- walled parking garage (bright lights and acoustics), pass through a metal fire door and down a double-loaded corridor with few windows. In many units, natural light and outside views will be available from only one side. From the front door, the distance to the farthest corner wing unit would be about 275'; to the center wing is 400'. .Visitors will not have an easy path to your apartment - from the garage or front door.
  
  
• Special Costs. The apartment rents will have to absorb quite a few unusual costs; Parking garage. Expensive garage -$12,000 per space in 2005 ?); and maintenance - snow plowing of the open-topped garage; mechanical ventilation of the lower garage floors and the inevitable long-term repairs.
  
  
• Security. Expenses for two main and garage entrances (24-hours/day to provide safety in the garage and corridors. Layout may require many stairways to meet egress code - as well as multiple elevators to efficiently reach all wings.
  
  
• Environmental Safeguards. Above average costs for construction of flood storage areas, wetland enhancement plantings, sedimentation and erosion control, surface drainage system habitat enhancement, "green" construction standard, and other measures.
  
  
• Utilities And Traffic Improvements. High cost for sewage and water systems if required to build within Belmont border plus $115,000 sewage mitigation fee to Town of Belmont; costs for traffic improvements in nearby roadways and intersections.
  
  
• Debris Removal. Excavation and removal of extensive construction debris in widespread areas of the site as described in plans and boring logs in the ADL Site Report by BSC in 1994, on file in Town Hall.
  
  
• Noise and Traffic. If the housing is completed in 2004-5, residents will have to put up with the noise and nuisance of construction traffic for the proposed Cambridge Discovery Park and the probable Martignetti project…which could last for 10 years or more. And when these large projects are complete, residents will have to endure the heavy daily traffic that the occupants will create as well as compete for access to Lake Street and Route 2.

In conclusion, we feel that the best use of this property would be the one initially recommended by the Belmont Alewife Study Group - that it be preserved as open space and as habitat for our native animals, birds, trees and plant species and - importantly, as part of the natural solution to the flooding problems in the area and by improving the air quality on a lovely site badly polluted by vehicle exhaust.

Ernest Kirwan, architect/planner. resident of Cambridge. volunteer working with FAR and BCF.