Kingston, MA. Thorndike Development is very pleased to announce that the Town of Kingston’s Town Meeting recently voted to approve the creation of a new SmartGrowth Overlay District abutting the commuter rail station. Thorndike would like to thank all who voted in favor of the proposal and is humbled by the confidence that the community has shown.

This approval is the beginning of a process of community involvement to guide the creation of a new traditional neighborhood.  Dubbed 1021 Kingston’s Place, this community will ultimately consist of up to 730 new homes, retail and commercial space, and several community infrastructure improvements.

Here are some of the exciting elements:

• Reclamation of 109 acres of blighted property, master-planned for up to 730 homes, for a full range of demographic groups
• A mixture of single family homes, condominiums, apartments and live/work spaces
• Approximately 146 affordable homes, many set aside for local residents
• New retail and office space next to the commuter rail train station
• Environmentally-sensitive and pedestrian-friendly development and design
• Over 28 acres of new open space

SmartGrowth (Chapter 40R) Background

In 2004, the state of Massachusetts passed a general law referred to as 40R to encourage SmartGrowth, increase housing production and decrease dependency on cars in Massachusetts.  The goal is to create mixed-used developments with market rate and affordable homes in locations close to public transportation.

40R developments come with financial incentives from the Commonwealth and allow individual communities to choose the location for affordable housing, thereby enabling the community to prohibit unwanted 40B developments.  These new mixed-use developments will also bring significant tax revenue to local communities.

In Kingston, the land adjacent to the MBTA station is the ideal location for a 40R development.  It is expected that many of the residents of 1021 Kingston’s Place will live, work and/or shop close enough to walk to many destinations.  Many of the residents will use the train as their main transportation to and from work.

Back to the Future

In the case of 1021 Kingston’s Place, Thorndike is thrilled to be re-circulating the best ideas of the past.  So whether it is called SmartGrowth or Transit-Oriented Development or Traditional Neighborhood Design or Building Green, it all adds up to a new community designed and built for the way people wish to live today, based on the best values of yesteryear.