Yihe of China, the owners of the former Forbes Lithograph property situated on Chelsea Creek, recently held an initial session with the Conservation Commission, marking the start of a fresh approach to the site.
According to City Planner John DePriest, the owners appeared before the Con Com in late last month to address a highly technical matter regarding the property. “It is the beginning of a process there,” he said.
The Conservation Commission’s hearing focused on identifying environmental zones on the property, including areas prone to coastal flooding, tidal flats, and salt marshes. Understanding these designations, DePriest explained, will help determine where construction is feasible and what mitigation measures might be necessary.
Notably absent from the submission to the Con Com were any actual development plans, which observers are eager to review.
Years earlier, Yihe had proposed an ambitious development scheme featuring high-rise buildings, hundreds of residential units, hotels, restaurants, retail space, and public open areas—all accessed through a single entrance and exit point into the Mill Hill neighborhood.
Despite involvement from prominent architects, engineers, and legal experts, the proposal was rejected swiftly.
The property has remained quiet since then, though current activity suggests the planning process is underway once more.
City Manager Tom Ambrosino has indicated he anticipates Yihe will submit a residential proposal significantly more modest than the previous iteration, with an expected filing in the summer.