Weston citizens at May 2008 Town Meeting voted in favor of transforming the
Josiah Smith Tavern back to its original function:
a tavern/restaurant. Permission to petition the Massachusetts General Court for a liquor license at the Tavern was voted in as well. The town also approved the restoration and transformation of the Old Library into a new home for the Women’s Community League and for a Weston History Center.
This website is designed to provide information about the ongoing planning phases for the renewal and reuse of the Josiah Smith Tavern & Old Library in Weston, MA. The town committee charged with overseeing the planning process to return these historic buildings to active community use has spent this summer identifying tasks for this coming year. This website is one way the community can easily stay informed and engage in the planning process.
Visit the “May 2008 Town Meeting” page to read a transcript and view the building and landscape schematic designs. While the town passed the two warrant articles related to this project by a clear majority, there were questions and concerns expressed about the size and scale of the project and the need for the Committee to work closely with the Tavern & Old Library’s immediate neighbors to resolve parking & traffic concerns. It will be vital during the coming year for the JST/OL Committee to work with as wide a spectrum of the town as possible to complete a compelling plan that is widely and enthusiastically endorsed by the community, both at town meeting next May and in the years to come.
One way the Committee is seeking the town’s input is through this website and the interactivity it can generate by providing information, two-way messaging, online surveys and polls – such as the one included below. Developing a common vision for the use of these buildings and sharing these ideas with potential restaurant operators, project managers, architects and engineers will only enhance our success in discovering the most effective and efficient design for these proposed centers of community activity. Please take a moment now to respond to the current survey and to sign up to receive periodic emails with updates on this project (see “Stay Connected” box in sidebar).
The JST/OL Committee will also host a series of community open forums. Read about these forums and other ways to participate on the Get Involved page of this website.
We look forward to working together this next year to achieve a plan that will serve Weston for many decades.
