Greystar seeks special permit for 390‑unit Whittington Mills redevelopment; peer review authorized, hearing continued

Greystar Development asked the municipal council for a special permit to redevelop the 42‑acre former Whittington Mills site at 437 Whittington Street into a 10‑building, 390‑unit mixed‑use complex with about 10,000 square feet of future retail space and a 1.6 parking‑spaces‑per‑unit initial ratio. The council authorized a third‑party peer review of site, stormwater and traffic plans — to be paid by the applicant — and continued the hearing to March 18, 2025.

The project team, including Ryan Soules (senior director, Greystar) and attorney Gregory Sampson, said the plan calls for primarily one‑bedroom apartments, about 1.5 acres of publicly accessible open space, a walking trail, a clubhouse with pool and resident amenities, and preservation of the mill smokestack as a site feature. Greystar said the redevelopment would require demolition and environmental remediation because the mill buildings are contaminated with volatile compounds, PCBs and asbestos; the company’s preliminary remediation and demolition estimate is about $10 million.

Greystar requested a waiver from the city’s standard off‑street parking requirement (two spaces per residential unit). The applicant said the design will provide 625 constructed parking spaces (a 1.6 ratio) and hold 56 additional “land‑banked” spaces for future conversion if demand grows. The planning director recommended a condition requiring annual registration of resident vehicles and a trigger: if registered vehicles exceed 95 percent of constructed spaces, the developer must build at least 25 more spaces, subject to required permits.

Officials and consultants identified other requirements before final approvals. City departments and boards flagged several steps: a planning board site‑plan review (hearing scheduled March 6), a notice of intent to the Conservation Commission because of on‑site and adjacent resource areas, and a DPW estimate that sewer and water upgrades for the development could cost approximately $1,020,000 and $1,160,250 respectively if no grant covers them.

Traffic and mitigation: Greystar’s traffic consultant proposed new sidewalk along the site frontage, consolidated driveways, bike accommodations, a four‑way stop at a nearby intersection and other pedestrian improvements. VHB transportation engineer Pat Dunford described transportation demand management measures to reduce car trips, including better transit/bus information, bike accommodations, carpool coordination and on‑site property management support.

Housing mix, affordability and school impact: Greystar said the project is intended to deliver workforce/attainable housing in the HDIP zone and that modeled rents are generally a discount to comparable Class A product within five miles. The project team has discussed possible project‑based Housing Choice Vouchers with the Taunton Housing Authority. Greystar’s development impact statement estimated roughly 56 school‑age children would live in the 390 units, a figure derived from comparable properties and published multifamily data; councilors requested more detail on that estimate.

Peer review and process timing: The city planner and city engineer recommended a peer review of stormwater and traffic; the committee voted to require a $29,800 peer review (applicant to pay). The planning department’s consultant gave an estimated three‑week turnaround; the council continued the hearing to March 18 to allow the review and additional departmental comments. The council also authorized that a senior, qualified police officer (in place of the recused police chief) provide a public‑safety comment to the council.

Votes at a glance: The council authorized and required a third‑party peer review of drainage and traffic ($29,800 applicant‑paid) and continued the special‑permit hearing to March 18, 2025. The peer‑review authorization was approved on a roll call vote by councilors present.

Next steps: Greystar and city staff will complete peer review, the planning board will consider site‑plan review, and the Conservation Commission will review wetlands and an order of conditions. Greystar said it hopes to close on the property by June 2025 if permitting and remediation proceed on schedule.

Ending: Councilors emphasized the need for public meetings, independent technical review and clear, transparent information on traffic, utilities and school and public‑safety impacts before any final approvals.