Image courtesy of Finegold Alexander Architects
City Realty Group has two months to build support for a 801,000 square-foot redevelopment of a Chestnut Hill office park into a 200-room hotel, 266 apartments and condominiums, medical offices and retail space.
The Allston-based developer launched a web site this week for its Meridien Chesnut Hill project as it prepares to lobby Brookline town meeting members who will have the final say.
City Realty Group has received commitments of support from 138 of the 255 town meeting members, Chief Development Officer Cliff Kensington said this week. It will need a two-thirds majority, or 170 votes, to approve the rezoning.
“We are hoping it will be more of an educational process than any kind of contentious process going forward,” Kensington said.
The Brookline Select Board voted this week to place the rezoning on the warrant of the May 26 special town meeting.
Since unveiled in 2024, the project was redesigned to reduce building heights and place the tallest buildings on the western side of the property. The three-building project includes a trio of buildings ranging from 7 to 14 stories.
The town’s Chestnut Hill Commercial Area Study Committee has been meeting since early 2024 to update zoning for the Route 9 corridor near the Newton line, which contains approximately 60 commercial properties totaling 27 acres.
City Realty Group also took preliminary steps last year to seek approval under Chapter 40B, the affordable housing zoning law, for an all-residential project, but worked with Brookline officials to propose the locally-crafted rezoning plan instead.
City Realty Group acquired the Chestnut Hill Office Park in May 2024 for $41 million and began drawing up plans to redevelop the 5.3-acre site with a major housing component.
The plan originally included buildings as tall as 20 stories, but generated a backlash from residents in a nearby residential neighborhood.
Developers have agreed to contribute $10.9 million to Brookline’s affordable housing trust fund, to meet their off-site affordable housing obligations for the 126-unit condominium portion of the project. All 21 income-restricted rentals would be located on-site in a 7-story apartment building.
The condos would occupy the seven top floors of the tallest building, above seven stories of hotel, retail and event space.
City Realty Group estimates the project would generate $6.3 million in net new annual tax revenues.
