LETTER: 'Apartments At Staples Site Are A Bad Idea'

FRAMINGHAM, MA—The following was submitted by Cheryl Tully Stoll. Want to get in on the conversation? Email charlene.arsenault@patch.com.

Dear Editor,

I am writing regarding the 360 units of apartments and condos proposed for Staple’s property on Crossing Boulevard. I believe that this is a very bad project for Framingham.

The site is one of the largest undeveloped commercial parcels in town. Our commercial tax rate is more than double our residential rate, and commercial parcels are often assessed at a much higher values. Not only will we lose potential tax revenue in perpetuity, we will also have fewer opportunities to bring new companies and jobs to town and it will be much harder for our existing businesses to expand here. That could easily result in our current companies having to leave, taking jobs from Framingham in order to accommodate growth.

The suggestion that folks who would live there would be working on the other side of Route 9 in the Technology Park is concerning. There are no roadway enhancements planned with this project. That means that workers would have to cross multiple lanes of Boston rush hour traffic within a few hundred feet, to reach to the lights for the Tech Park. That won’t end well.

We are also being told that it will be only one and two bedroom units so there will be no impact on our overcrowded schools. We heard the same thing regarding one of the downtown projects. Then, at the last minute, like it was news to them, we were informed that HUD had a required ratio of three bedroom apartments in a complex that size. I find it hard to believe that this won’t happen again.

When I met with a representative of Staples and their attorney several weeks ago, I specifically asked, “What is in this for Framingham.” The only answer they had was “tax revenue.” This revenue won’t be anywhere near what commercial revenue would be for a project of similar size. That means the real long-term answer is less tax revenue.

This project serves one purpose; to make the venture capital firm that is buying Staples and a real estate developer a lot of money at the expense of our current residents and businesses.

The people of Framingham deserve better.

Cheryl Tully Stoll, Framingham