Mass. School of Professional Psychology Planning a Move to Newton

The Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (MSPP) is looking to consolidate its campus and shift operations to One Wells Ave. in Newton. 

The graduate school, which is currently located on Rivermoor Street in West Roxbury, has applied to renovate 85,000 square feet of office space on Wells Avenue. 

"MSPP is looking forward to consolidating its campus in Newton and is working through the local permit and approval process to do so," the school said in an emailed statement to Newton Patch.

According to a Feb. 29 memo from MSPP attorney John Twohig, the school is proposing renovations on the inside of the building only. Twohig also notes that the school will be used for both office space and the non-profit MSPP graduate school.

The school will not make any site alterations, the memo said, and the area does not need any additional parking. 

To view the memo and more details on the move, click the .pdfs to the right.

In order to make the move, MSPP has requested the Board of Aldermen amend the deed for the Wells Avenue property to allow the non-profit school in the space.

The current deed for the land, which was purchased by the city in 1968, has a restriction that only allows certain uses for One Wells Ave. This restriction currently does not allow a non-profit educational use of the property.

Earlier this week, the Land Use Committee agreed to amend the deed and allow MSPP to move to the facility, according to Ward 3 Alderman-at-Large and Land Use Chairman Ted Hess-Mahan. The Land Use Committee voted 7-0 in favor of the amendment.

The full Board of Aldermen will take up the item at its meeting on March 19. 

Although its main campus is currently located in West Roxbury, MSPP is affiliated with The Freedman Center for Child and Family Development (formerly WarmLines) at the . Information on whether that program will move to Wells Avenue was not immediately available.