(Credit: New England Development)Brookfield Properties and New England Development recently unveiled an updated plan for the South Weymouth Naval Air Station project.
The plan was unanimously approved by the Southfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA) during a mid-March session. Updates to the Land Use Redevelopment Plan increase the development team's flexibility to build more housing, or less, depending on market conditions.
“This is the first step in a long process in which we will be working closely with town officials in Weymouth, Rockland, and Abington,” John Twohig, New England Development’s executive vice president said in a statement sent via email.
As the plans progress and construction commences, the commercial and residential ratios will be determined based on financial feasibility. The recently presented plan indicates that the abutting area, which saw the development of 1,275 housing units in 2011, will remain unchanged.
In 2015, LStar Ventures planned to turn the site into a high-tech “smart city.” LStar's plan, which initially seemed promising, ended up encountering financial troubles and legal disputes within a few years. As a result, the SRA officially removed LStar from the project, creating an opportunity for other players to enter the market. This led to Brookfield Properties and New England Development stepping in to take over in 2019.
The approval of Brookfield Properties and New England Development's proposal marks the beginning of a lengthy process to revitalize the abandoned space. Further, this endeavor will involve multiple steps. On March 29th, the developers will participate in a public meeting with the Weymouth Planning Board and Town Council. Next, a zoning review in Weymouth. Followed by, town meetings with Rockland and Abington later this fall.
