Aldermen approve scaled-down purchase of Crystal Lake property

(City of Newton image)

NEWTON

The city's Aldermen have approved spending up to $950,000 of Community Preservation Act funds to purchase about 8,000 square feet of a waterfront property at 230 Lake Avenue in Newton Centre.

The land will be used to expand public access to the city's swimming area at Crystal Lake. Under law, Community Preservation Act funds can be used to help communities preserve open space areas and historic sites, and to create affordable housing and recreational facilities.

The city's plan to buy the property has undergone numerous changes since it was first introduced six months ago. In the version approved Monday, a third party buyer would purchase the property from its current owner for $1.9 million. The city will pay the buyer for a portion of the lot, an easement for pedestrian traffic, a conservation restriction along the waterfront, and a preservation restriction for the house's front facade.

Aldermen said there are already three potential third-party buyers interested in purchasing the property.

-- Rachana Rathi