City gets first look at proposed Moody Street hotel
Hotel owner Michael Colomba presented the City Council’s Ordinances and Rules Committee with a first look at the hotel he plans to build at 220 Moody St. His team presented renderings of how the hotel would look to passers-by.
The committee had requested a parking plan after councilors voiced concerns about adequate parking around the site. Colomba’s team presented a plan at Monday’s committee meeting, which reiterated previously discussed options for running parking shuttles and purchasing seven to 15 annual parking passes from the city to address the issue.
The committee had also requested the team present any plans it had to beautify the nearby Embassy Park. Colomba said he was “more than happy” to work with the council to design improvements to the park, such as creating an outdoor space that could be used for seating or performances. He added, however, that he “need[ed] to have some sort of cooperation” to deliver on all the committee’s requests and make sure the project was feasible.
Colomba said he plans to pair the new hotel with a dinner cruise on the Charles River, which he’s in the process of developing.
The committee will revisit the hotel project at its next meeting on April 6. It has requested Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy attend the meeting to discuss air rights for the proposed building’s cantilevered second floor and other plans for the Riverwalk and Embassy Park.
In response to a memo from the Law Department, the committee also requested a number of updates from Colomba’s team including fixed inconsistencies in its draft decisions, a revised traffic plan with updated data, details on the presence of amenities such as fitness facilities and bike storage, a snow removal plan, a swept path analysis and building access details for the Fire Department as well as additional legal documents.
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That’s where Jake’s Dixie Roadhouse used to be!
I have not paid close attention to this project. Will it pay taxes and does anybody know the projected rates or discounts i.e. how much of a free ride did McCarthy give it? Thank you.
I can find no reporting from the city council records or here in the Waltham Times that indicate that any special tax exemptions or “free rides” have been offered to the developer. My understanding is that this is a private development on private land, so it is expected to generate significant tax revenue rather than receiving Tax Increment Financing (TIF) or other special exemptions. The hotel will pay the standard commercial tax rate per $1,000 of valuation, as established by the City Council. In addition to property taxes, the city will collect hotel and liquor taxes, and the developer is committed to providing public improvements to Embassy Park and the riverfront. It seems like a solid way to grow the city’s tax base and improve an existing eyesore.
I support this project and when I was on the city council, he built the hotel on Crescent Street and that hotel was beautiful.
I trust his work and I know that he loves Waltham and reside here as well. Many of the people who stayed at his Crescent Street hotel were families with children that came here for treatment at Boston Children’s Hospital Waltham (the former Waltham Hospital) and I expect that maybe the case when this project is completed and will bring in business travelers as well that will be dining and making purchases in our downtown area.
We should not be so critical of a project that would only stand to improve the appearance to the gateway of our downtown.
I can’t wait till the shovel hits the ground and the ribbon is cut! 👍
I agree with this statement, as I participated in the COGDesign process. Please consider using the findings of the people who use the park as to what is wanted there. Not just what an out of city developer might presume city dwellers want.
As I noted in my comment on the earlier article about the proposal a few weeks ago, I wholeheartedly support developing the Construction Zone property at 220 Moody Street — and Monday’s presentation only reinforced that view. It is long past time for this site to contribute to our city rather than detract from it.
A hotel here is a net positive on every front: new tax revenue, steady foot traffic for Moody Street businesses, and the potential for a dinner cruise on the Charles River that could draw visitors from well beyond Waltham. These are exactly the kinds of amenities that make a commercial district thrive.
I’m also encouraged that Mr. Colomba expressed willingness to improve Embassy Park — a space with real community history and potential. Done right, a renovated park alongside a well-designed hotel could make this stretch of Moody Street one of the most appealing corners in the city.
The committee has raised legitimate questions about parking, traffic, and coordination with the mayor on air rights and the Riverwalk. Those details matter and deserve careful answers. But the fundamental question of whether this development should move forward? The answer is yes. Let’s get it done.
No. Absolutely not.
I live in that area.
Dreadful proposition.
You are a dreamer of fantasy.
And the city council will get what it wants regardless of what we want.
It will be an eyesore here.
How about a nice little park to sit and rest in.
I completely understand the desire for more quiet, green space in our area, Lisa. One reason I’m leaning toward this proposal is the developer’s mention of helping to renovate Embassy Park. If we can hold them to that, it might be the fastest way to get that ‘nice little park’ you’re looking for, while the hotel itself helps foot the bill for city services. It’s definitely a tough balance, but I’m hopeful this project can actually serve both our interests if the City Council listens to residents like you on the design.
In 2010, the community-based nonprofit, COGdesign, held an international design competition for Embassy Park. Many segments of the City took part including local residents and businesses, the mayor and city councillors, artists in the nearby studios, and local high school students. The owners of the Construction Zone property at the time were also participants as they assumed the park would be improved upon completion of their planned building.
The whole process was documented including all the design submissions and the winners.
We fully support the conversion of the eyesore Construction Zone building and the adjacent Embassy Park to a hotel and useful lifestyle/entertainment space. This is prime real estate where the development to a hotel and a public park will revitalize and beautify this area. The current building is dilapidated and dangerous. The sooner this project is approved to move forward, the better!