May 1, 2026

Good morning and happy Small Business Month,

Max Woolf of the Charles River Regional Chamber here.

Boston College President Rev. William P. Leahy is stepping down this summer after a 30-year tenure that saw the university nearly double its land holdings.

Geo Elasmar and Anna Lauinger of BC Heights detail how BC vastly expanded – acquiring new campuses in Brighton and Brookline, 79 acres of land in Dover, a retreat house in Cohasset, multiple extensions to the Newton campus and even a property in Ireland.

Their interactive article maps the parcels and discusses the legacy of the longest presidential tenure in the school’s history.

Independent restaurants find their voice 

What started as a group text among restaurant owners during COVID has quickly evolved into an effective new advocacy voice with the creation of Massachusetts Restaurant United (MRU).

That evolution was clear at the MRU’s annual meeting in Cambridge this week, where the organization’s rapid growth — and growing influence — were on full display.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Jen Ziskin, co-owner of Brookline’s La Morra and Punchbowl, MRU has nearly tripled its membership in the past year. Along the way, it has stepped up its advocacy on some of the industry’s most pressing issues, including engagement in D.C. on immigration policy.

While there was plenty to celebrate, there was also a clear-eyed conversation about the industry’s challenges.

Seth Garber, partner at Newton’s MIDA, painted a tough picture for independent operators, noting that 42% of independent restaurants are unprofitable. That reality is reflected across our communities, where our meals tax revenues have not kept pace with inflation since the pandemic.

MRU is working to change that — and inviting more restaurant owners to be part of the effort.

On Wednesday (May 6) at noon at the State House, MRU (along with Mass Restaurant Association, Retailers Association of Massachusetts and other groups) aims to pack a hearing room in a push to reform credit card fees, which currently cost restaurants tens of thousands of dollars each year.

If you’re a restaurant owner, let me know if you plan to attend.  The MRU’s work and this upcoming hearing deserve your attention

Watertown finally skips the stuff

After seven long months, the Watertown City Council has finally adopted “skip the stuff.”

The ordinance requires restaurants to provide single-use takeout items — utensils, condiments and the like — only when customers ask for them. 

Newton, Needham, Wellesley and Brookline have already taken common-sense steps to reduce plastic waste, although Brookline’s ordinance is not yet in effect.

We have long seen Skip the Stuff as a win-win. Unlike ordinances that outright ban certain products, Skip-the-Stuff cuts unnecessary waste and helps businesses lower costs. The ordinance will take effect six months after the city conducts education campaigns for the businesses and customers.

Watertown News has more.

Boylston Properties scoops up Wellesley portfolio

Boylston Properties has purchased a collection of mixed-use properties in Wellesley’s Lower Falls.

The portfolio was purchased from Haynes Properties, which has been gradually unloading its extensive holdings in the area over the past several years. The 11-acre site at 30-44 Washington St is currently home to a mix of office and retail buildings, as well as a series of large surface parking lots.

These properties also happen to fall squarely within the Planning Board’s upcoming Lower Falls Area Study, where board members have expressed interest in bringing landowners together to help shape a long-term vision for the neighborhood.

For now, Boylston is signaling a light touch. The firm says it plans to focus on updating building exteriors, interiors, and landscaping rather than pursuing major redevelopment.

Still, Boylston’s track record, including its transformative role in Watertown’s Arsenal Yards, suggests it knows how to bring economic and commercial vitality to a neighborhood.

Newton’s looking for planners

Five months into the new Laredo administration – and many more months after former Newton Planning Director Barney Heath announced that he was stepping down – the mayor has launched a search for Heath’s replacement.

This search will also include a new deputy chief planner. In the meantime, the department’s deputy Katie Whewell has stepped in to lead.

These positions play an outsized role in the city’s success. When filled with experienced and capable leaders, development moves predictably, thoughtfully and efficiently. When they’re not, delays, uncertainty and friction follow.

We hope Laredo finalizes both hires soon, but only after a wide-ranging search. We encourage anyone with relevant experience—or who knows strong candidates—to help spread the word.

In good news, the city’s longtime CFO Maureen Lemieux, now plans to stay on for the foreseeable future, a departure from her original plan to leave a few months into the transition.

Friday Grab Bag

• Tuesday, May 5, is Town Election Day in Brookline. Read our statement on why we support a YES vote on the property tax override, and watch our Select Board debate to hear where the candidates stand.
• Alexandria Real Estate Equities, which owns lab buildings at Arsenal on the Charles in Watertown, is pivoting away from lab space at the property. The company is now targeting non-life science tenants, including advanced technology firms, to fill 311 Arsenal St. amidst our region’s lab space glut. (Banker & Tradesman)
  
• The rezoning of the Pleasant Street parking lot in Coolidge Corner to allow a 7-story multifamily development will not go forward at the Brookline Town Meeting in May. The Norblum Company has withdrawn its request and plans to return with an updated proposal this fall.
  
• MassBay Community College will host the 2026 Cybersecurity Summit on June 11, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. at their Wellesley campus. The event’s proceeds will support MassBay's cybersecurity students.
  
• Newton Taiwan Day returns to Hyde Playground in Newton Highlands on May 2, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., with cultural performances, food, and drinks. It’s the largest outdoor Taiwan festival in Massachusetts. And it’s free.
  
  
• The Needham Housing Coalition hosts a free panel on how to build and finance an ADU in Needham — covering bylaws, financing, and real homeowner experience — at the Needham Public Library on May 20, 7 p.m. For more information, reach out.
  
  
• The Village Bank's Auburndale office is moving to 319 Auburn Street, right next door to its current location, effective Monday (May 4).
  
  
• Wellesley in Bloom returns tomorrow (Saturday), bringing a town-wide spring celebration to local shopping districts with floral displays, art, and 50+ pop-up experiences alongside seasonal promotions and business collaborations.
  
  
• The Brookline Village Arts Festival is also tomorrow  (Saturday) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Station St. The outdoor marketplace connects artists, craftspeople, and the public.
  
  
• One Can Help marks its 20th Anniversary Benefit on Monday (May 4), 6:30 p.m. at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham.

Brookline Select Board backs full Chestnut Hill rezoning 

Map of proposed Chestnut Hill rezoning, with the leftmost yellow parcel the site of City Realty’s proposed development

After weeks of uncertainty over whether Brookline would scale back its ambitious Chestnut Hill rezoning, the Select Board unanimously voted to recommend the full package to Town Meeting.

The town is currently pursuing a contentious rezoning of the western edge of its Chestnut Hill corridor along Route 9— a move that would enable a large mixed-use development by City Realty. 

But just as important as that anchor project are the additional parcels included in the broader plan. On Monday, an advisory subcommittee failed to reach consensus on whether to include all parcels, leaving the Select Board with a consequential choice.

They made the right call.

As we outlined in our letter to town leadership, clear, consistent zoning across the district is essential to attracting redevelopment and driving much-needed growth. Piecemeal rezoning would only create uncertainty and delay, ultimately derailing the town’s plans for the area. 

Town Meeting will have the final say on May 26.

Thinking of Barney Frank

Former Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank has entered hospice care.

Frank, a former Newton resident, served 32 years in Congress, representing many of our Charles River Regional Chamber communities.

Famously funny and unfiltered, his legacy is hard to overstate.

He was the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay and the first to marry a same-sex partner while in office. Frank spent his career as a tireless advocate for marginalized communities, affordable housing and fiscal policy. He was the architect and namesake of the “Dodd-Frank Act”, the 2010 overhaul of Wall Street oversight.

We’re thinking of Barney Frank and his decades of contributions to our communities and our nation.

That’s what you need to know for today,—May Day—unless you need to know why it has nothing to do with the popular distress call.

Max Woolf (he, him)

Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager

Charles River Regional Chamber

617-431-6101

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