Heritage Companies project on Willard/Quarry reduced; developer to donate granite building, fund traffic study; board approves site plan with conditions

The Quincy Planning Board on May 21 approved a reduced design for a multi‑story residential project at 86–92 Willard St. and 135 Robertson St., with commitments from the developer to donate an on‑site historic granite structure to the city and to provide $30,000 toward a comprehensive traffic safety study for nearby intersections.

Attorney Edward Fleming, representing 622 Quarry LLC and Heritage Companies, described a series of changes submitted after public comment at an earlier hearing. The developer reduced the building by one full story (from six to five stories from Quarry Street and Willard Street perspectives) and cut the unit count from 58 to 48. Fleming said the mayor’s office and city engineers arranged a structural assessment of the granite house on the site and that the city will relocate the building to the Lions Turning Mill (Quincy Quarry Museum). “My client has agreed as a result to donate that structure and all the granite related to that structure…to the city at no cost,” Fleming said.

Fleming also told the board that the developer agreed to provide a $30,000 contribution to fund a professional comprehensive traffic study covering the Quarry/Willard/Robertson area; he said the contribution will be made before the applicant receives a building permit so the city can immediately retain a consultant and use the study to determine short‑ and long‑term intersection improvements. The applicant also committed to preserve two large, mature trees on the site and to relocate the loading and transformer/generator equipment away from the Robertson Street entryway.

Architect David Siebert (BKA Architects) summarized architecture and circulation changes: the reconfiguration moves service access to Willard Street, increases landscaped open space in the entry court, consolidates parking entries and retains a main lobby at the Quarry level. Engineer Carlos Sculte described stormwater modifications and said the project will detain and infiltrate roof runoff in underground chambers beneath the parking area, reducing post‑development runoff rates compared with current conditions. The team said peer review and DPW comments have been addressed and that the stormwater design will be inspected by DPW during construction.

After public comment that included support and opposition from nearby residents, and a detailed staff recommendation listing site‑specific conditions, the board voted to approve the site plan review and the requested relief, subject to more than a dozen special conditions (see list below). Conditions include recording an operations and maintenance plan for the stormwater system with the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, a pre‑demolition asbestos survey and post‑abatement inspection if required, CCTV inspection of the sewer main pre‑ and post‑construction, construction‑period erosion control inspections, and timing and verification requirements for the $30,000 traffic study and granite building relocation documentation.

The applicant’s commitments — donation of the granite building and an advance contribution to the city’s traffic study — were recorded in correspondence provided to the planning department and set as pre‑building‑permit conditions in the department’s recommendation. The board approved the site plan with the department’s recommended conditions and with typical construction‑period controls cited by public health, DPW and planning staff.

Vote: The Planning Board approved the site plan and special permit with the department’s conditions (motion and second on the record; vote unanimous).