Brief history of the W. R. Grace site in North Cambridge, Massachusetts and surrounding areas, including activities related to:
W. R. Grace and associated companies
Highway construction
City of Cambridge official agencies
MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority)
MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act)
History, by decades:
Up to 1940
Before 1919 - Grace site was initially a marshy field that was later mined for clay by several companies. Mining operations were exhausted by 1893.
1929 - Alewife Brook Parkway & Bridges built
1919 to 1940 - Dewey and Almy manufacture rubber and rubber based products until they are bought out by W.R, Grace.
1933 to 1934 - Route 2 and rotary built as a new state highway
1940s
1940s, post WWII - Dewey and Almy developed several dispersants, such as DAXAD (naphthalene sulphonate), used in rubber-making and other processes. Several lagoons used as settling ponds (standard disposal practice at that time) and for cooling water.
1948 - Highway Master Plans for Route 2 Extension
1950s & 1960s
1950 to mid-1960s - local operations phased out by W.R. Grace for Dewey and Almy site.
1962 - Highway Master Plans for Route 2 Extension
1970s
1970 to 1972 - Protests against Inner Belt & Route 2 Extension . Route 2 plan was shelved. MBTA announced plans for Red Line extension to Alewife.
1978 - Cambridge Community Development issued its master plan for Alewife (under CDD director Vickery). Plan was called the "Fish Book" it stressed new development.
1980s
1982 - The 21E Superfund was enacted. Wastes from MBTA tunnel alignment were excavated and removed from site and sent to Kingston, RI for disposal .
1984 - MEPA granted a waiver for 87,000 s.f. office building at Alewife Center with 320 parking spaces.
1986 - Reports on site environmental issues required. Alewife Center Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) issued.
1987, September - New development for an office complex was proposed on W.R. Grace Site, requiring a special permit, Industrial Zone C - Planned Unit Development (IC-PUD). Special Permit, granted by the Cambridge Planning Board.
1987 - FEIR, Alewife Center, Vols. 1,2 (EOEA #5869) issued and found inadequate by MEPA.
1988 - Supplemental FEIR, Alewife Center, (EOEA #5869) (1988) issued on existing site conditions and development impacts.
1988 - Demolition of existing building at former Lehigh Metals site.
1988 - One Alewife Center Building construction completed.
1989 - Minor amendment requested to alter construction schedule with Cambridge Planning Board; granted.
1990s
1990 - Final controversy over Route 2 plans. Lively protest against "Salvucci's Wall" and the plans for protests.
1992 - Massachusetts Highway Department issued its Section 61 finding for Alewife Center
1993 - Cambridge Community Development issues its new master plan for Alewife which does not include the WR Grace parcel.
1995, June -David Vickery of Spaulding & Slye announces plans for 60,000 s.f. supermarket and 90,000 s.f. retail building on WR Grace parcel. Project to be called Alewife Center.
1996 - Notice of Project Change filed with MEPA by Spaulding & Slye for Alewife Center. Notice of Project Change withdrawn by Spaulding & Slye prior to MEPA public hearing.
Oct 1996 - Cambridge City Council approves temporary 400 foot buffer zone between Grace Site construction and neighborhood property.
Nov 1996 - City Council approves one year moratorium on construction at Grace Site.
Nov 1997 - City Council extends building moratorium for another year.
July 1998 - Soil sampling on Grace property reveals asbestos, and MADEP assigns tracking number RTN 3-17014.
Oct 1998 - Environmental Site Assessment, Subsurface Conditions at Russell Field Final Report filed indicated that subsurface soil was contaminated by asbestos, metals, and semivolatile organic analytes, and groundwater was contaminated by nickel. MADEP assigns tracking number RTN 3-17087.
Oct1998 - Alewife Study Group awarded Cambridge Peace Commission's "Cambridge Peace and Justice Award."
Dec 1998 - Preliminary results from soil sampling across entire site indicate asbestos contamination is spread throughout the site.
Jan 1999 - Neighborhood's Von Grossman Petition is rejected by City Council. This petition would have restricted development to 130,000 sq. ft. and put in controls to
protect the neighborhood from traffic, contaminants, and flooding. City Council voted to
allow 422,500 sq. ft. of new development (3 office buildings and a hotel were planned) and
a 50,000 sq. ft. grocery store (by a late admendment by V. Mayor Galluccio).
Neighbors become concerned about increased traffic (and subsequent air
pollution) at the last stoplight before Rt. 2 becomes a highway.
May 1999 - Grace publishes final report on the asbestos found in the soil. 16.2% of
the sampling locations contained asbestos, although Grace chose to phrase it as 5.8% of
the samples taken. Contaminated areas are spread throughout the site, raising concern
from at least one statistics professor. Many inconsistencies with proposed sampling plan
were overlooked. No further sampling is planned in the report.
May 1999 - MADEP awards $10,000 to Alewife Neighbors, Inc., for more Russell Field testing.
May 1999 - City Council, on CDD's recommendation, allocates $10,000 to Alewife Neighbors, Inc., for more Russell Field testing.
May 1999 - Settlement with Genetics Institute re: 200 CambridgePark Drive planned
development to retain flood storage capacity, have GI donate increased land near bikepath
entrance for a possible nature center, have GI donate $10,000 to a Alewife Trust Fund
for natural resource preservation, and to increase visual screening between project and
Alewife Brook Reservation.
