Needham Say More Aaron Pressman

Doug and Aaron discuss Needham’s plans for renovating the Pollard Middle School, rebuilding the Mitchell Elementary School, and renovating the High Rock School to convert it back to an elementary school. The projects could take more than a decade and cost more than $400 million. Some related links to learn more:



State green-lights funding support for Pollard renovations (Needham Observer, December 13, 2023)



MSBA Invites Pollard Middle School into Eligibility Period (MSBA press release, December 13, 2023)



Needham Public Schools Master Plan PDF (August 31, 2023)



Episode S2/3: Which school to renovate next and when? (Needham Say More, January 31, 2021)

Doug and Aaron discuss plans from the Needham Housing Authority to add more units of deeply affordable apartments and homes. The plans will also be discussed at a public meeting on December 6 (details below). Some related links:



Needham Housing Authority's Preservation & Redevelopment Initiative



Housing Authority marks 75 years, looks to future (Needham Observer, October 11, 2023)



From Vision to Reality: Unpacking Needham’s Housing Plan (Needham Channel, April 2023)



Needham Planning Board and Housing Authority Joint Community Meeting, December 6, 2023, 7 p.m. at the Broadmeadow School Performance Center.

Doug and Aaron discuss how Needham must change its zoning laws to meet the MBTA Communities Act by allowing for hundreds of new multi-family units and apartments. Needham plans to have a public workshop to gather input on the zoning effort on November 9, 20223, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Some related links:



Housing Needham (HONE) Advisory Group



Needham MBTA law page and community meeting notice



A Boston Globe Spotlight Report Into the Massachusetts Housing Crisis



Massachusetts Section 3A guidelines for determining compliance

Doug and Aaron discuss a proposal for the town of Needham to spend $2.5 million to buy 34 acres of undeveloped land known as Castle Farm, which is adjacent to the current Ridge Hill Reservation in west Needham. The multi-part deal also involves a developer buying part of Castle Farm to build 70 townhouses. Some related links:

Needham Town Meeting will decide on $2.5 million land purchase along Charles River next month (Boston Globe, Sept. 23, 2022)

Presentation from Northland Residential to Needham Select Board–PDF (Oct. 11, 2022)

Town of Needham web site on Castle Farm purchase

Needham Castle Farm FAQ–PDF

Doug and Aaron discuss how the developer of a senior living project in the old Carter Mill building in Needham Heights has changed the plan since they sought and obtained a zoning change for the area. The old plan included independent living apartments. The new plan has only assisted care and memory care units. (At one point in the podcast, Aaron misstates the number of affordable independent living units proposed in the original plan. It's nine, as Doug points out.)

Needham Say More, Episode S2/1: New zoning for Avery Square in the Heights (September 27, 2020)

Needham Planning Board meeting (February 1, 2022) 

Needham Select Board, discussed starting at 2:42 (August 9, 2022)

Needham Planning Board public hearing, discussed starting at 1:28 (September 20, 2022)

Doug and Aaron discuss a proposed development of almost 500,000 square feet of lab, office, and retail space at the old Muzi Ford site on Highland Ave near 128. The proposal is before the Needham Planning Board, which must decide whether to grant a special permit to allow the development. Some links related to today's discussion:

Muzi property sells for $57.5 million (Needham Times, December 27, 2021)

Needham’s old Muzi dealership could make way for lab or office ‘headquarters location’ (Boston Globe, April 12, 2022)

Greater Boston’s biotech industry has spilled out all over the region, leading some to ask: How much is too much? (Boston Globe, June 4, 2022)

Town of Needham information site about 557 Highland Ave. (includes traffic study, financial impact report)

Developer Bulfinch Companies website for the project (with mock up pictures)