Planners Examine Norwood Hospital Parking Proposals on Civic Center Land-October 21, 1975

Planning Board and Hospital Officials Review Civic Center Parking Options

Members of the Norwood Planning Board and Norwood Hospital administrators met last night to review preliminary proposals for establishing hospital parking on two town-owned parcels located on Civic Center land adjacent to the hospital.

The collaborative review followed the hospital’s recent abandonment of a controversial plan to raze a vacant house at 795 Washington St. for a 44-car parking lot, a project dropped after facing strong objections from the planning board and subsequent denial of zoning variances by the Board of Appeals. Hospital Administrator David P. Norwood Buchmueller clarified that the hospital still intended to purchase the Washington Street property to refurbish the existing house into development and communications offices, noting that a local attorney was researching whether zoning variances would be required for the office use.

Hospital Administrative Assistant Donald Moulton presented rough sketches drafted by the hospital’s engineering department, outlining two proposed leased parking areas:

First Location: A 25-space lot situated at the corner of Washington and East Hoyle streets.
Second Location: A 37-space lot located at the Washington and Winter Street corner.

While Buchmueller emphasized that the lots would remain open to the public, planners recommended installing curb cuts along heavy-traffic Washington Street and advised against relocating the pedestrian walkway at the Civic Center entrance. Planner Francis Wisgirda suggested fencing the parcels “so they will be divorced from any Civic Center activities” and proposed installing parking meters. While hospital officials expressed willingness to install meters if required by selectmen, Thomas A. Riolo noted that meters “would keep people from parking there all day and the town would make some money on it.” Riolo also recommended closing the Winter Street lot at night to prevent loitering, warning, “otherwise the kids will sit there all night and drink their beer.”

The planning board agreed to schedule a joint meeting with selectmen, Recreation Director Robert H. Ivatts, and Parking Commission Chairman A. Franklin Swift Jr. on November 3 to advance discussions.

Long-Term Expansion Alternatives and Other Board Actions

The hospital’s parking discussions form part of a broader, long-term master planning effort. While the hospital received permission from selectmen to study the feasibility of expanding onto the Civic Center site—an option hospital insiders privately speculated would prove far less costly than relocating the entire institution to a 30-acre tract it owns in Walpole—consultants’ final recommendations were still six months away. Additionally, Buchmueller noted that the hospital was committed to purchasing another property at 21 Winter St., though its future use remained undecided.

In other business during the meeting, the planning board took action on several residential development proposals:

West Border Road Apartments: The board unanimously rejected a preliminary plan by the Franchi Brothers of Newton to construct 138 apartments on a seven-acre parcel on West Border Road. Citing discrepancies in the town engineer’s report and insufficient information, planners turned down the proposal—the third submitted for the site in recent years.
Vernon Street Barn Conversion: Following a recommendation by Thomas A. Riolo, the board voted to oppose a petition by David and Jean Ahearn to convert a barn at 80 Vernon St. into five apartments. Riolo argued that the conversion amounted to a de facto zoning change requiring town meeting approval, warned that the lot lacked sufficient land, and cautioned that approval could trigger a wave of similar requests. The matter was headed to the Board of Appeals on November 4.
795 Washington Street Office Use: Chairman E. William Bamber voiced support for the hospital’s revised plan to convert the Washington Street house into administrative offices, remarking, “It’s a hell of a lot better than using it as a parking lot.”