Mar 25, 2014 By Nick Lewandowski 2 min read

The Mt. Lebanon commission again voted to table a motion to re-zone a parcel on Castlegate Avenue from an R-2 to R-4 residential designation on March 24. Green Development and Oxford Development requested the delay to schedule an informational meeting with Brookline residents who live near the property.

The site is currently home to the former Bradley Center, which has fallen into disrepair. The developers intend to build 120 units on the property: 60 units of subsidized housing for senior citizens and 60 high-end residential units.

“We would like to have this tabled for another month prior to proceeding,” Ben Kelley, project manager for Oxford, said as he addressed the commissioners. “We were expecting people to contact us individually with questions after the last meeting and that did not really happen. We would like to have a meeting where people can ask questions and air their concerns.”

He added that the developers would host additional information sessions throughout the project if it proceeds.

Brookline residents remain concerned that the development would place too great a burden on local infrastructure. They have cited potential issues with traffic and even mine subsidence. They also worry that R-4 zoning is too broad a designation, and could open the door to low-income, section eight housing in years to come.

“I don’t see why you have to make it R-4 to do this project,” Brookline resident Dan Dugan said. “If you can do it with R-2 or even modified R-3, then why make it difficult for us?”

The developers are presently coordinating with people in the affected neighborhoods to obtain contact information for concerned residents and to schedule the meeting. No date or time had been set as of the March 24 meeting commission meeting.