Full Extent of Stonybrook Contamination Unknown

An L-shaped area of land in the Stonybook section of Jamaica Plain has been shown to contain contaminants left over from when the site was an industrial area. Developers at a neighborhood council meeting April 30

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Joseph Ferson said the site is a Tier 2 site. Contaminated sites that require additional cleanup are designated Tier 2. Sites that pose an immediate threat to groundwater are Tier 1A, B or C, depending on severity.

The soil under the patch of land at 3521-3529 Washington St. off of McBride Street was essentially used as a chemical dumping ground possibly during the 1940s when the site operated in an industrial capacity, according to records.

“We’ve asked for additional testing to determine the full extent of contamination,” Ferson said. “This includes abutting residential properties and the English High School site.”

The testing so far has shown no sign of public health concern, Ferson said, and there are no private wells nearby, but officials and developers must figure out how widespread the contamination is in the groundwater and soil before remediation can begin.

The property owner, listed as Burnett Realty Inc., has until October 2014 to file its results from its phase of the testing to clear the Tier 2 status and allow the site to be built upon.

Developers seek to build a three-building complex at 3521-3529 Washington St. with residential, retail and storage components. The residential building would have 36 one, two and three bedroom units. The area would also include a 70-space parking lot, new landscaping and additional green space. In total, the site would have 42 residential units, with 15 percent being deemed affordable housing.