Urban Affairs backs 90-unit Ames Village condo project on 3-2 vote

MARLBOROUGH — April 2, 2026 — Marlborough Urban Affairs backs 90-unit Ames Village condos 3-2 after restructuring mitigation. The committee recommended a special permit for the Marlboro-Northboro Land Realty Trust, a Gutierrez Company affiliate, to build two buildings with up to 90 age-targeted, two-bedroom ownership units on 11 acres at Ames and Forest streets, preserving 5.8 acres as a natural buffer. Attorney Brian Falk said the project would generate more than $475,000 in annual tax revenue, with 12 percent of units deed-restricted as affordable. Councilor Frachillo's amendment split mitigation into $50,000 for an Ames Street sidewalk gap, $90,000 for the new Richer School, and $90,000 for the West Side Fire Station — about $2,555 per unit, exceeding the Lazat Drive Glenwood project's per-unit contribution. Councilors Orem and Preciado dissented, with Preciado questioning affordability for retirees and pressing for a rodenticide ban consistent with city policy.