Planning Board Cautiously Encourages New Development

September 22, 2025
• While a new zoning bylaw appears custom-made to encourage the revitalization of 100-110 West Street, there are still some outstanding concerns about the proposed design.

After lying vacant for an extended period of time, the property owners, the neighbors and Planning Board members all express eagerness to start the next chapter of development for the former Avery Manor/Avery Crossings site. When the town approved a new zoning bylaw as part of the MBTA Communities Act, it was worded to allow a certain type and scale of development that they hoped would be attractive to all parties. However, as the public hearing opened on Sept. 16, concerns were expressed about whether their vision contains some practical flaws.

Greystar Development East, LLC, put forth a proposal asking to demolish the existing building in favor of constructing a three-story, multi-family housing complex consisting of 189 units. The property would include a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units, and meet most of the zoning requirements outlined by the new overlay district adopted by Town Meeting. However, they would need relief from the parking requirements, as their plan would fall three spaces short in favor of enhancing the open space around the new building.

That expected shortfall of parking was a sticking-point, as neighbors and board members questioned whether being close to the Commuter Rail and bus lines was enough to mitigate that need. Even with public transportation so close at hand, some doubted whether culturally it was practical to have less than one parking spot per unit and no plan for visitor or employee parking, leading tenants to try parking on the street or in neighboring lots.

“I think the parking needs to be increased,” said Jane Volden of Brookside Road.”The other thing I think people fail to realize in Needham is that, yes, you can take the Commuter Rail into Boston to go to work and come back on a daily basis, but there is no local transportation within the town. So if your child needs to get to DeFazio Field, you almost need a car…”

The developers argued that similar properties in their portfolio have been successful with limited parking, and that the building’s employees can manage guest parking. Additionally, by leasing their parking spots separately from their units, it encourages tenants without cars.

“It can’t be bundled in your rent,” said Director of Development Tim Beinert. “Your fee for the parking is separate, so anyone can lease more than one if they want to, but you will have the opportunity to lease them as they are available.”

Greystar associate Will Harned later added that “the broader concept that we were leaning on here is transit-oriented, within two miles to a T station or Commuter Rail station, we are seeing about .75 to .85 utilization ratios, so we feel we still have some comfortability, by terms of that.”

Planning Board member Justin McCullen also challenged whether the scope of Greystar’s traffic study was expansive enough to effectively capture the impact 189 units would have on an already congested stretch of road. Graystar cited their willingness to work with the neighborhood on crosswalks and other control methods in an ongoing basis as the property develops.

“We’re happy to work with the town and discuss potential options and opportunities to help,” Beinart said.

Other concerns raised were additional traffic caused by plans to have deliveries made on Highland Avenue, the health impacts of dust and rodents when developing the property in two phases, wastewater capacity and the measures taken place to protect potential tenants from the noise and pollution generated by the adjacent commuter rail line.

Tom Lassy, a project manager at Cube 3 Development, stated that the firm studied the sound and vibration effect, which will be minimal, as the building exterior will be insulated, and sufficiently filtered as a Passive House certified structure.

Chair Artie Crocker asked the proponents to report back on parking, deliveries and landscaping. The public hearing was continued to the Planning Board’s next meeting, which will be held on Oct. 7.