New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is backing a proposal by Pine Manor College to subdivide a piece of its Brookline property so it can be sold and developed as a home.
The would-be owner of the home has remained a mystery, amid speculation that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, are interested in building a house on the 5.2-acre piece of property owned by Pine Manor.
Lawyer Robert Allen told the Brookline Planning Board Thursday night that the house that would go on the lot would have a separate structure for domestic employees and that the buyers are also seeking to build a separate 1,300 square-foot, glass yoga studio for their personal use.
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But Allen, who is representing the buyer interested in the property, has declined to identify his client.
Robyn Glaser, a representative for Kraft and his son, Jonathan, Patriots president, spoke on their behalf in support of the proposal at the Planning Board meeting Thursday night.
Robert Kraft lives a few doors down from the property on Heath Street, and Jonathan Kraft lives on Woodland Road, which is where the proposed house would have vehicle access.
Glaser said the Krafts were in an airplane Thursday night and were unable to attend the meeting, but both support the college's plan. The Boston Herald has reported speculation that Brady would be the occupant.
Allen said there will be 100 trees planted around the property to screen in the studio.
"This will be probably the most amount of trees ever planted on one particular project," Allen said.
Some other neighbors voiced concerns about the project, including how construction could affect traffic in the area.
Stephen Wald, a lawyer representing 16 neighbors in the area, said his clients have a number of concerns, but are working to address them with the college before the proposal goes before Brookline's Zoning Board of Appeals later this month.
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Louis Miller, a lawyer representing Pine Manor College, said he is cautiously optimistic that the school will be able to address neighborhood concerns.
"We're doing the very best we can to try and work things out," Miller said.
The Planning Board voted to recommend to the Zoning Board of Appeals that previous rulings about the Pine Manor College property be modified so the college's proposal can go forward. The Planning Board also voted to recommend approval of the yoga studio if the college's subdivision plan is approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals, which will hear the matter on Thursday, Feb. 21.
Brock Parker can be reached at brock.globe@gmail.com.