Design Review Board defers Islamic Center mortuary, advances two other projects

WAYLAND — September 4, 2024 — Wayland's Design Review Advisory Board continued the Islamic Center mortuary review and conditionally approved two other projects. Chair Bill Sterling, with members Robin Reisert and Tanya Persson, sent engineer Bruce Ringwald back to revise plans for a ritual washing facility at 129 Boston Post Road, citing missing materials, signage and landscape screening — "trees don't really screen off car bumpers and lights," Sterling said. The board endorsed Tappé Architects' "Veritas Village" master plan for up to 380 students at 162-172 Cochituate Road, though Reisert called the all-white board-and-batten palette "really harsh"; architect Chris Blessen said more than 200 trees would come down and roughly 300 be replanted. Members also greenlit Eric Rumpf's rebuild of the fire-destroyed 116-120 Main Street block, pending a roughly one-foot reduction in the sign band, added EIFS reveals and finish samples.