Developer: Polaroid Site not contaminated

WALTHAM

An executive of the development company that plans to build a 1.7 million square foot retail and office project on the site of the former Polaroid headquarters says that soil and groundwater contamination issues at the site have been remediated.

Chad Cooley, and assistant vice president for The Related Companies, recently told the city's Zoning Board of Appeals that Poloroid had been taking steps to eliminate contamination from its manufacture of film and chemicals for the last two decades. Cooley said the site was "closed out" as an environmental concern by state officials two years ago.

"There are no problems, and while we'll continue to monitor and to evaluate, Polaroid did a nice job," Cooley said.

The board has asked Related to provide proof of its environmental claims when their application for a zoning variance is brought up again on March 11.

-- Stephanie V. Siek