Commercial caution in Milton
Failed shopping center has property owners moving carefully to develop Central Avenue area
MILTON -- Earlier this year selectmen rejected plans for a major shopping center that would have boosted Milton's commercial tax base by one-third, providing relief to homeowners who pay nearly all property taxes here.
With that fiasco in mind, a trio of property owners looking to take advantage of new zoning that encourages mixed-use developments are treading carefully, said Milton planning director Aaron Henry . They're seeking permission to build in the Central Avenue area, between Milton Village and the Neponset River.
The properties are zoned for a total of 100 condos, while the ground floors must be at least half retail. They include: an old Hendries ice cream plant at 131 Elliot St. that has been vacant for 15 years; a Fallon Ambulance garage at 95 Elliot St. now only used by mechanics; and a parking lot on Central Avenue.
Milton has little experience with commercial development. The failed proposal earlier this year was for a 133,000-square-foot shopping destination across town at the public works yard. Called Milton Centre, the shopping facility "was too much, too fast," said Henry .
The three property owners in the Central Avenue district are being "very careful and deliberate," Henry said. "This is nothing major -- there'll be some small businesses, most with local ties, so people will know what they're getting. The town will shed some of the wariness of development with this."
The property owners said the Central Avenue district, which has an MBTA Red Line trolley stop, is poised to thrive. The closed Hendries plant is the biggest site, and developer Jerry Connelly said the newly zoned district is "a step in right direction." "Its been depressed for a long time, and it doesn't meet its potential at all as far as taxable income. With the zoning everything just falls into place," said Connelly , principal of Connelly Construction Co.
Connelly envisions about 47 condos, including about 36 two-bedroom units priced in the low $400,000s that would be between 650 and 1,300 square feet. He is also confident the 3,500 square feet of retail space would lease quickly.
At the 36 Central Ave. parking lot, owner Michael E. Roberts has plans for a development with about 18 condos, mostly two bedrooms priced between $350,000 and $400,000, and retail space of 4,000 to 4,500 square feet. He is developing the property with Paul Sullivan, another Milton resident.
"This is a real chance to create something in Milton that doesn't exist right now," he said.
Tim Fallon of Fallon Ambulance said new residents would boost demand for "a lot of coffee, dry cleaning, alcohol, and hair cuts. It will definitely have a positive effect that will clean up the area. For any community, it's not good to have a clump of buildings vacant for very long." Fallon has not decided what to develop on the site, which is zoned for up to 33 residential units.
Some businesses in the neighborhood already do well. At
"We'll all benefit and prosper if there's a community of homeowners here who can walk to places to shop," he said. "That would enhance all the property values."
While the failed Milton Centre would've added retail to a residential area, adding residents to a commercial area draws little opposition, he said. However, the Central Avenue area is too small to become a downtown, he said. "We have several small commercial areas, and we need to strengthen all of them," he said.
Philip Mathews , editor of the blog Milton View, said too many residents leave town to spend money or move away to find more affordable housing; more mixed-use developments would help solve both problems.
"People are excited to see change in this area of town," he said. "The development of Central Avenue will show people what can be done if you're not terrified of considering new things."
