The Town of Weston has appointed a temporary committee that is "responsible for assessing the opportunities and challenges in finding future uses and/or buyers" for the three buildings that are part of the acquisition of the 62-acre Case Estates property. In minutes of a Board of Selectmen meeting on Jan. 23, 2007, the town charges the committee to consider all options of the buildings' use and restoration with the goal of allowing the Town to recoup all or part of its financial investment " while providing a use for the buildings compatible with the wishes of the community.
The Case Estates Building Advisory Committee will be responsible for assessing the financial implications to the Town of such permanent preservation and uses, as well as the possible impacts and/or desirability of moving or demolishing the structures and marketing the lots with restrictions, should permanent protection on site be deemed impractical. CEBAC will review each building and make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen by Fall 2007.
Members of the CEBAC are Tom Chalmers, Pamela Fox, Dusty Reeder and Eric Rubin.
Letters of Support: Originally Printed in the Town Crier and the Boston Globe
(All letters printed with permission from the Wayland/Weston Town Crier and the Boston Globe )
Kristen Sands, Field School, Grade 5
To the editor:
I am concerned about the Case Estates being sold by Harvard. Last year, when I was in Mrs. Brewer's fourth-grade classroom, we would take hikes there.
I think Weston should work to save the Case Estates after all of the things my class did and learned in their woods and fields. Mrs. Brewer taught us about seeds, plants and the way the leaves turn fall colors in the autumn months. Mrs. Brewer would take the book we were reading outside to read in the shade. We would go out to write poetry often and make snowmen in the winter. We learned about wildlife by following animal tracks and trying to figure out what animals they were and where they were headed.
It is for these reasons I think Weston should try to save the Case Estates. The property is a great place to learn about nature around us and to walk and have fun.
Allison Elvekrog, Weston Resident & Mother of 3
"...Because of time constraints and necessary actions to be taken in the next few weeks to determine the fate of the 62-acre property, I am taking the liberty to briefly outline the facts, process, timeline, and stakes if we do not act now to purchase the Case Estates. Please forward this email to as many town friends as you can in an effort to inform them that we have EXACTLY THREE WEEKS before we must vote to retain control of the 62-acres that not only comprise the Case Estates, but also the heart, soul, and center of this town." Read more...
Andy Levinsky, Wellesley Resident
Will Globe West readers outside of Weston notice if the Case Estates--now a
62 acre educational, recreational, historical, and environmental
sanctuary--becomes a subdivision of 30 McMansions? Those who have not visited the property would probably feel quite at home, used to the suburban sprawl in their own town. Those who have will remember why Weston is not just another suburban subdivision. At least not yet.
What Weston residents have is the opportunity to preserve the very quality
that makes their town so unique and sought after. Other cities and towns
have good schools and safety services. Many are at least as convenient to
Boston. What sets Weston apart and makes people willing to pay substantially more to live in this community is the feeling of living in the country with suburban conveniences.
$22.5million sounds like a big investment until you factor in the effect
those 62 acres of land will have on property values. Then the deal can be
seen for what it is: protecting one's investment.
Sincerely,
Andy Levinsky
84 Standish Road
Late in 2005, the town of Weston was informed that the Case Estates, the 62-acre piece of land in the heart of Weston which has belonged to Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum since 1944, was likely to be sold in the near future. Harvard has now said that they would like the matter settled by the end of 2006.
Its gorgeous landscape of meadow, stonewalls, woods, a unique rhododendron garden and elaborate flower beds - as well as a couple of historic houses - is so emblematic of the rural character of Weston that a number of concerned townspeople have come together as the Case Coalition to find a way to preserve this land for the town in perpetuity. Read more...
Meg & Jonathan Kelly, 338 Boston Post Road
"Nearly one and a half years ago, when Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum announced its intent to sell the 62 acre Case Estates, our selectmen created the Case Estates Review Committee (CERC) to evaluate this property. The CERC, ably chaired by Kay McCahan, sought the input of a wide range of stakeholders and interested parties, and recommended that the town purchase the entire parcel to gain control of the process. The CERC further emphasized the “Hillcrest Historic Corridor” as a particularly important piece of landscape for the town..." Read more...
Bill Brady, President, Case Fund, Inc.
To the editor:
In November the voters in Weston will decide whether to acquire the 62-acre Case Estates property. The public funds available will not be enough to protect this spectacular gem for future generations. A significant amount of private donations will be needed to preserve this land forever.
The Case Fund has been established to raise the necessary private funds. The IRS has approved the Case Fund as a tax-exempt public charity. The members of the board and those assisting the board are all volunteers. We are driven by the belief that we have a special opportunity to shape the future of the town by controlling the destiny of this land, and we cannot afford to miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
We began to seek pledges from private donors two weeks ago when town officials decided to proceed with a Town Meeting vote. However, the time up to Town Meeting is only the first phase of our work. Since the town will have additional time in 2007 to determine the fate of certain parcels within the Case Estates, we have additional time to reach our campaign goals to preserve those parcels.
All contributions of any size are encouraged. If you would like to make a pledge, visit "www.caseestates.org" where you can find the pledge form. Members of the Case Fund will be happy to meet with anyone interested in additional information. You can also contact me directly at 781-801-3613 with any questions.
With a great show of private support, we will have the opportunity to protect and maintain this irreplaceable treasure.
Write Your Own Letter to the Editor
Continue to send the message that preserving the Case Estates should be a priority of Weston's voters! Address your electronic letter to Michael Wyner, Editor of the Wayland-Weston Town Crier, at mwyner@cnc.com. Letters should be received by Monday morning to be printed in that Thursday's paper.
