Community members are invited to attend the Norfolk Planning Board’s Southwood Hospital Redevelopment workshop on Tuesday, October 10 at 7 p.m. The workshop will be held in Room 124 at the Norfolk Town Hall, 1 Liberty Lane. A Zoom and call-in option will be available.

During the workshop, the Planning Board will discuss different scenarios under consideration for the redevelopment of the Southwood Hospital site, as well as a zoning analysis.

The presentation was prepared by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and it will explore scenarios that provide the greatest opportunity for viability and how best to begin translating those into zoning bylaws. Community members will have the ability to ask questions and provide their input on the scenarios.

“The future of the former Southwood Hospital site is important to not only the residents in the immediate vicinity, but it’s very important to everyone in the Town of Norfolk,” said Town Planner Rich McCarthy. “There are a variety of opportunities for the site, which include opportunities to add to the Town’s tax base. We encourage community members to attend this workshop and provide their feedback as this project will impact everyone in town.”

Added Town Administrator Justin Casanova-Davis, “This is an important opportunity for community residents to not only provide further feedback based on the presentation given but to also become more informed about the possibilities at the site. It is an exciting and important project for the Town.”

About the Southwood Hospital Redevelopment Project

The Town of Norfolk was awarded grant funds from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) in 2021 to conduct an extensive public engagement process and zoning analysis related to potential future zoning changes to enable redevelopment of the Southwood Hospital site.

The site of the former Southwood State Hospital, which was closed in 1997, consists of 87 acres along Route 1A. This property was identified in the town’s 2022 Housing Production Plan as a site to consider for possible future market rate and affordable housing development.

To date, the town has conducted a robust community engagement process that has included the examination of alternative future uses of the site with the goal of coming to a consensus on and implementing future zoning changes to enable future housing redevelopment of the site.

To learn more about the project and proposed scenarios, visit the Planning Board page on Norfolk.ma.us.

Residents can also attend this meeting via Zoom or call in at 929-205-6099 (Meeting ID 844 7404 6211).

Email Rich McCarthy, Town Planner at [email protected], with questions or comments, or for the Zoom link.