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By Josh Perry
Hometown Weekly Staff
Late last week, LCB Senior Living announced that it had reached an agreement to purchase the Clark Tavern property on Main St. The Norwood company said that it will not be merging the property with the already purchased land on which it has proposed a new assisted living facility and that it plans on renovating the Clark Tavern as a two-family residential property.
According to LCB Senior Living spokesperson Ted Doyle, the company will keep the aesthetic of the Clark Tavern and ensure that it retains its historic identity.
In addition, Doyle noted that by purchasing the property, LCB will be removing the proposed parking lot and lights that would have been installed had the Clark Tavern been turned into a business, a plan that was put forth by a developer last year.
Without the parking lot being added to the land, Doyle said that LCB would be able to save the buffer zone of vegetation between the proposed assisted living facility and the Peak House. He said that LCB plans on adding to the trees and plants that currently exist to help provide sight cover between the new facility and the historic buildings on Route 109.
“It’s not a material change,” said Doyle on Friday, “but completely changes the aesthetic value of the project and the traffic impact.”
Removing the commercial component of the Clark Tavern, Doyle explained, will reduce the traffic impact in the Route 109 neighborhood by 48 percent per week, based on estimates of the traffic impact of both a tavern and the assisted living facility.
The project has drawn the ire of the neighborhood, which has petitioned the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals to reject it. Doyle said that he understands the neighborhood being cautious about a new facility coming into the area, but also warned against “misinformation” that has skewed perceptions of the project.
“We are meeting or exceeding all requirements from the town and state on environmental regulations,” he said. “We’re under the highest scrutiny and we’re okay with having to meet those high standards.”
Doyle added that concerns about traffic and about the project density are unfounded. He said that the proposed facility and parking lot would only use about 20 percent of the 14.7-acre property that LCB purchased.
In addition, LCB announced that it would be donating $5,000 per year to the Peak House for maintenance and upkeep for as long as the company owns the Clark Tavern property. It is also making a $10,000 donation to the Medfield Food Cupboard and will be creating a program for Medfield High students interested in learning about the business.
“We’re hoping this will be part of a long-term commitment with the town,” said Doyle, “and show we’re willing to invest in the community.”
The project will come before the Zoning Board of Appeals again on April 14.
Josh Perry is an Editor at Hometown Weekly. He can be reached at news@hometownweekly.net and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.
