Politics & Government

Proposed Healthcare Facility on Allied Drive Raises Traffic Concerns

The Dedham and Westwood Planning Boards are looking to see how the benefits outweigh the impacts of the project.

Heavy traffic around the East Street rotary was at the height of concern for the Dedham and Westwood Planning Boards Monday night, when the two boards reviewed a proposal to construct a new healthcare facility at 40 Allied Dr.

The project would entail demolition of the 34,000 sq. ft. building currently located at the address, which lies within the boundaries of both towns and has been vacant for the better part of two years, and the construction of a new 66,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art Shields Healthcare facility. The new building would provide such services as outpatient surgery, physical therapy, and diagnostic services, among others.

"It's a building that the applicant firmly believes he'll be able to occupy," said Peter Zahka, who is representing Greater Boston Musculoskeletal Center Real Estate Company, LLC, the owners of the property.

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The project would bring about expanded property taxes for the building, but with that comes financial benefits for both towns, Zahka explained. But members from both Planning Boards, while commending the applicants for the proposal, expressed sincere concern over how to address additional traffic to the area.

East Street Traffic Concerns

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With the use of a new 66,000 sq. ft. building, traffic would increase in that specific location by 380 daily trips during peak commuting hours from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., according to a traffic analysis conducted by Vinod Kalikiri, a project manager for Vanesse Hangen Buristlin, Inc.

"We have specific data from Shields on how many patients they expect to see on a daily basis," Kalikiri said. "All said and done, you're looking at traffic impacts, you're thinking about the peak hours. The impact of a project like this or any other use on the site would be most felt during the commuter peak hours."

Parking on site would comprise 253 spaces, with 168 on the Dedham side and 85 on the Westwood side. Currently, only 187 parking spaces exist on site. 

While all three boards commended the presentation of the proposal, the main concern revolved around the issue of vehicles moving to and from the new building from the East Street rotary, which historically has been a hub of heavy traffic traveling on and off Rte. 128. 

"My biggest concern is, I often go through East Street several times a day," said Planning Board member Michael Podolski. "Forty to 60 percent of your traffic coming off Rte. 128 comes right onto the East Street rotary."

Dedham Planning Board Vice Chair John Bethoney agreed, and cautioned the applicants on comparing new traffic to existing traffic, as there is no flow to and from the current building.

"The East Street traffic, as it exists today, is a significant problem here in town," he said. "What we need to see from you is a side-by-side comparison of what you believe are the benefits, and what negative impacts there may be. Don't discuss the building that's there right now. The Board feels that the existing use is a non-use. We're looking at a brand new facility adding traffic to the existing roadway network 100 percent, because right now the existing condition is 0 percent."

From the Westwood end, Planning Board Chair Stephen Rafsky agreed and said that there are more than 800 homes on Canton Street in Westwood with residents who use the rotary frequently, as well as a number of Westwood residents on the Dedham side of East Street.

"I do agree totally that it's very misleading when it comes to traffic to look at existing conditions on a report when it really doesn't have any use today," he said. "For the record, when it comes to traffic, I really don't believe we should look at this as a Dedham side and Westwood side."

Both Planning Boards agreed to meet once more on Nov. 21 to address the specific issue of traffic and review a benefit-impact analysis report with the applicants, as well as any other details that may come before the boards. 

Westwood Planning Board Secretary Jack Wiggin raised the concern around certain parking aspects of the plan, specifically parking spaces that would entail vehicles backing out into the main lane of travel. 

The applicants agreed to address the issues in detail for future meetings on the project. 

Property Taxes and Fiscal Benefits

The combined property taxes for the building would increase from $127,935 to $290,400, Zahka said; on the Westwood side, the taxes would expand from $52,543 to about $110,000, or about 210%. In Dedham, the property tax would increase from $75,392 to about $180,000, or 238%.  

The net fiscal benefit for Westwood, however, would expand from about $39,000 to about $85,000, while in Dedham it would increase from about $57,000 to about $139,000. The project would also help create employment opportunities for construction work as well as for staff needed at the healthcare complex, Zahka said. 

"We believe that this project, from a fiscal perspective, is extremely beneficial and positive to both communities," he said.

For utilities, the building would connect to gas and water lines, as well as electrical utilities, that already exist through the Allied Drive area. 

"We'd have some new connections," said Griffin Ryder a project manager with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. "But they'd still remain through Allied Drive."

The Westwood Conservation Commission was also present at the joint public hearing, which was held at the Dedham Hilton on Allied Drive. The Dedham Conservation Commission was unable to make quorum for the meeting, and will hold a separate hearing with the applicants at a future date.  

Westowod Conservation Commission Chair Joe Previtera said the proposal was impressive, as it would be an environmental improvement over what's there now, but asked to see more detail on certain areas, such as where an oxygen system would be placed. The Commission will also meet with the applicants next month for further updates on the proposal.


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