Framingham Selectmen Endorse Downtown TIF Deals, Sanction Portuguese Club Over Alcohol Violations

FRAMINGHAM — February 28, 2017 — Framingham selectmen unanimously backed two amended downtown Tax Increment Financing agreements and accepted a negotiated alcohol-violation settlement at their February 28 meeting. Community and Economic Development Director Arthur Robert told the board that TIF agreements for a 197-unit project at 75 Concord Street and a 270-unit project at 266 Waverly Street had been revised to include specific bedroom-mix commitments — with hard caps of five three-bedroom units at Concord Street and 27 at Waverly — after the Standing Committee on Ways and Means flagged the gap. Both agreements proceeded to Special Winter Town Meeting the same evening. The board also voted 5-0 to accept a disposition agreement with the Portuguese Recreation Club at 67 South Street, imposing a 14-day all-alcohol license suspension, permanent hour rollbacks, and a $300 investigation reimbursement after investigators found the club served non-members at events in October, November, and December 2016 in violation of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 138, Section 12. Selectman Jason Smith warned the club on the record: "This can never, ever come back in front of this board."