Needham Say More

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)

Doug and Aaron discuss articles that will be considered at Needham's upcoming Spring Town Meeting, which starts May 2, 2022. Issues of interest range from a study of parking problems to paying for renovating the Emery Grover school administration building plus approving budgets and lots of other goodies. Will Doug finally get curb side trash pick up? We discuss. Some links related to today's discussion:

Prior episode S2/6: Trash pickup and the RTS in Needham

Prior episode S1/9: The police funding debate in Needham

May 2022 Annual Town Meeting Articles

May 2022 Special Town Meeting Articles

Q&A from TM members and article proponents

In a longer-than-usual episode, Doug and Aaron discuss the upcoming Needham town election on April 13. Four candidates are running for two seats on the Select Board and three people are running for two open seats on the School Committee. Doug also wanted to draw attention to some of the competitive Town Meeting races. Some links related to today's discussion:

Needham League of Women Voters: Candidates Night March 24: Featuring Candidates for School Committee and Select Board

LWV's Gateway to the April 13, 2021 Needham Election

Candidate web sites:

http://www.moehandel.com/

https://www.lakshmiforneedham.org/

http://www.votemarcusnelson.com/

(No web site listed for Serge Zdanovich)

https://www.votelizlee.com/

https://www.rebeccawaber.com/

https://www.mikeforneedham.com/

Doug and Aaron discuss the new bank going into the old laundromat space and the 2009 zoning changes that didn't end up changing much in Needham center. Also, follow up to Season 2: Episode 6 on trash pick up and the RTS.

Some links discussed in this episode:

Needham residents embrace revised “Theater Block” plan, with some questions (Needham Times, May 25, 2011)

Theater Block Update: Alternative Plan Would Reduce Number of Apartments (Needham Patch, February 22, 2012)

Filling storefronts a work in progress (Needham Times, March 20, 2014)

May 2009 Annual Town Meeting items

Needham Center Development Plan, Executive Summary (March 30, 2009)

Strategic Plan for Needham Center: Small Town New England, not Anytown USA

Doug and Aaron discuss plans to renovate or replace the Emery Grover building in Needham center, which currently houses the Needham Public Schools administration. Some linesk related to this episode:

Most recent 2020 Emery Grover feasibility study (starting on page 100 of this PDF)

Report on the 2010 Emery Grover study