The Real Property Reuse Committee recommended on Feb. 27 that the city-owned portion of parking adjacent to 25 Chestnut Street in West Newton be made available for sale, a move the committee said would clear a long-standing split ownership and allow a local chocolatier to proceed with plans for the vacant storefront.

The recommendation, made by Councillor Domenic Gentile and approved 4–3, asks that the city-owned share of the eight parking spaces and a right of access be offered for sale with a minimum sale price of $276,000. Councillors Malachy, Lipoff, Danberg and Gentile voted in favor; Councillors Lucas, Getz and Oliver opposed. The measure now goes to the full City Council; the mayor has final authority over sale or lease decisions and any procurement process required under Chapter 30B of Massachusetts law, city attorneys said.

Committee Chair Vicki Danberg opened the public hearing on item 205-24, the reuse of a parcel at 25 Chestnut Street. Barney Heath, Director of Planning and Development, said the parcel had been used under a 40-year lease arrangement that expired in September 2024 and that the site has been vacant since October 2022. Heath said city staff worked with the city assessor and the associate city engineer to establish ownership splits and valuations for both sale and lease options.

Assistant City Solicitor Andrew Lee told the committee that if the reuse committee recommends sale or lease, and the City Council concurs, the Executive Department must run a procurement process under Chapter 30B to select a purchaser or lessee. "They have to publish notice that the property is available for sale, identify any characteristics with regards to how a bid will be evaluated," Lee said.

Members of the public and business representatives spoke in favor of making the spaces available for Hilliard’s chocolates, which attorneys representing the property owner said plans to renovate the vacant building. Lawrence Lee, attorney for JMCRE LLC (the property owner) and the proposed tenant, said Hilliard’s prefers a sale because it gives the company "a lot of certainty" for the long-term investment and to meet seasonal operational timelines. Gordon and Megan Scott, who represent Hilliard’s, and several neighborhood residents said the chocolatier would be a family-friendly draw for West Newton Square.

Some committee members said they preferred a lease to retain greater city control over parking and the village center. Vice Chair Councillor Lucas and Councillors Getz and Oliver argued a lease would allow the city to reassess village parking needs if circumstances change. Councilor Oliver said he opposed dedicating municipal land to a single business and urged a solution that would preserve some public parking nearby for other merchants.

Councillor Gentile framed the $276,000 minimum sale price as arithmetic based on the assessor’s suggested value of $50,000 per space and the city’s 69% ownership share of the eight-space parcel. That valuation and ownership split were included in the planning department’s memorandum to the committee.

The committee’s recommendation does not itself transfer title. Andrew Lee and committee members emphasized multiple remaining steps: the full City Council vote, the mayor’s authorization to execute a sale or lease consistent with that vote, and a Chapter 30B procurement process to identify the final purchaser or lessee.

The committee recorded the vote and closed the meeting; no further business was heard.