Owners of Forbes Site Likely to Bring New Project This Summer

The owners of the old Forbes Lithograph campus on Mill Hill will likely propose a new project to the City in the coming months, like this summer, said City Manager Tom Ambrosino.

The Chinese company once proposed a gigantic campus development with skyscrapers, a hotel and more than 1,000 apartment units in a multi-phase development with one small entrance coming in through the neighborhood. It was vociferously opposed by most every resident and elected official in the City.

That was a couple of years ago, and since that time the company has been laying low and preparing to propose something a little more modest.

“My guess is perhaps they’ll be in front of us this summer,” said Ambrosino.

He said the development could likely be by right, meaning there might not be any reviews or public hearings necessary for the project to go forward.

He said the numbers of units would be far smaller than previously proposed and much less dense.

However, parking requirements for the district are two spots per unit, which might be hard for the developer to achieve by right. That would mean a parking variance would be required, triggering reviews and public hearings.

The issue of accessing the site still hasn’t been resolved.

Previously, Ambrosino had made a point of requiring that the company look into providing access via a bridge over the Chelsea Creek to the site from Revere. In the previous proposal, he had said he or the City would not support any proposal that didn’t include that access point.

It is uncertain at this point if that’s still the case with the smaller project that is believed to be coming.

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