Good morning friends,

The first substantial housing project to be created under the MBTA Communities Act zoning in any of our four chamber municipalities appears to be headed to Needham.

Greystar, the nation’s largest multi-family housing operator, has plans to acquire the long vacant Carter property (across from Trader Joe’s, adjacent to the Needham Heights train station) and build a new 189-unit apartment complex, reports Peter O’Neil at the Needham Observer.

And here’s the good news: Because the project is allowed by right under the town’s recently-passed MBTA Communities compliance plan, it’s not subject to the exhaustive approval processes and shenanigans that handcuffs so many efforts.

Greystar hopes to break ground as soon as January.

Here’s why all of this matters

A remarkable, years-long, nationwide study confirms one of the main reasons why it’s so difficult — and expensive — to build multifamily housing across Massachusetts (and in our four-chamber communities) which is why the MBTA Communities, Starter Home Districts, and similar efforts are so important.

The main culprit? It is against the law to build  apartments on the vast majority of land in the state,  reports the Globe’s Andrew Brinker.

For example, apartment buildings — defined as those with four or more units — can only be built by right on 4% of Massachusetts’ 7,800 square miles of land, according to the nonprofit National Zoning Atlas, which has been analyzing zoning rules across the U.S.

Three-family buildings are only allowed on 7% of Massachusetts land.

But single-family homes can be built on 96% of the state’s land.

The Zoning Atlas website even breaks down the data for our chamber communities:

• Newton:  Apartment buildings (four-plus units) are allowed by-right on 6% of Newton’s land, while single-family homes are allowed across 96%.
  
  
• Needham :  Apartment buildings are allowed by-right on 3% of Needham’s land, while single-family homes are allowed across 99%.
  
  
• Wellesley Apartment buildings are allowed by-right on 12% of Welllesley’s land, while single-family homes are allowed across more than 99%.
  
  
• Watertown Apartment buildings are allowed by-right on 3% of Watertown’ land, while single-family homes are allowed across 75%.

“The only way we can build more reasonably sized and reasonably affordable housing and make a dent in our massive shortage of homes is to allow more housing to be built.” Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing, tells Brinker.

Amen to that!

There’s a lot more data at the links above and I’ve only reviewed it quickly.  Take a look and let me know what else stands out.

Appreciating our long time members

This month, we kicked off our celebration of 110 years of providing leadership, connections, and community, starting with a sold-out event at the historic Nathaniel Allen House in West Newton, with more special events to follow.

As part of our 110th Anniversary Celebration, we're proud to recognize longtime members who have helped shape our community and supported our mission throughout the years. From decade-long commitments to half-century partnerships, these businesses and organizations exemplify the enduring spirit of connection, collaboration, and local impact.

We’ve published a long time members list here.

Laredo will have an opponent after all

Turns out Newton City Council President Marc Laredo won’t be putting his feet up on the desk in the mayor’s office on Jan. 1 without first facing an opponent in November.

Perennial candidate Al Cecchinelli has reportedly obtained the required signatures this week to be on the ballot again, thanks to a last-minute push following a health scare.

I’ll be moderating virtual conversations with both candidates right after Labor Day: Laredo on Sept. 3, at 9 a.m. and Cecchinelli on Sept. 4, at 9 a.m.

Both events will focus on economic development, supporting and attracting businesses and nonprofits and whether or not they will continue Mayor Fuller’s tradition of having a basket of Fig Newtons on her conference table.

Members of the business community and nonprofits are invited to submit questions.

Yes, both conversations will be recorded.

New faces coming to Newton City Council, too

Newton could also have as many as 10 new members sitting on the 24-person city council.

We know there will be at least five new faces, due to decisions by four incumbents not to seek reelection and Laredo’s run for mayor.

That includes Brittany Hume Charm (Ward 5 at Large) and Brian Golden (Ward 7 at Large) who will claim seats without a contested race. That’s hardy ideal since campaigns provide opportunities for voters to get to know their representatives, and vice versa.

Six of the eight Newton School Committee members will also be new.

Fig City News and Newton Beacon have details.

Friday grab bag

• It’s not super-size, it’s super-duper size: Sandwich Works in Newton Centre is selling a 52-ounce iced coffee for $8. Owner Jeffery Dabonee conceded to BZ Radio that the bucket-size drink won’t fit in your car’s cupholder. But it's great for building sandcastles on the beach. Plus, you may not sleep for weeks.
• RIP  Steven Brown, the former John Hancock exec who grew up in Newton.
• Days after his pleading guilty to OUI charges, State Rep. John Lawn appeared onstage with colleague Rep. Amy Sangiolo  at the at St. Mary of Carmen Society festival in Nonantum. “I’m going to run again,” Lawn told Julie Cohen at Fig City News.
• Eligibility to participate in CORE, a state-run 401K retirement savings program for small nonprofits, has been expanded from organizations with 20 or fewer employees to nonprofits with up to 100 employees. Details
• The Rotary Club of Needham’s annual carnival runs tonight (Friday) though Sunday on the Highland Avenue side of Needham High School.
• Rick Roche, co-owner of Roche Bros., has donated $1 million to a Norwell-based home care and hospice nonprofit. (BBJ)
• Noodles and Doodles ramen restaurant is opening in Needham Center today (Friday). (Needham Observer)
• Congressman Jake Auchincloss will host a Congressional Update and Q&A on Wednesday (July 30), 7:30–9:00 p.m. in Newton. RSVP to receive the event location. A livestream will also be available.
• Newton-based Spindrift has signed Derrick White, Kevin Durant and other basketball stars  as endorsement and equity partners. (BBJ)
• Staying informed is essential for our democracy but bad, it seems, for our teeth.(Globe)

The (Needham Night) envelope please

Following a public nomination process, our judges have selected Volante Farms, the Rotary Club of Needham, Cook Craft Kitchen & Bar and Needham Garden Center and Hardware as recipients of 2025 Needham Business Awards.

We’ll be saluting them at our annual Needham Night BBQ on the patio at BPX, overlooking Kendrick Pond at Cutler Park on Aug.6.

Tickets are selling fast.

The Business Front Door is open

Finally today, is your business looking to expand? Or are you looking to start a new venture or know someone out of state thinking of moving their company here?

The Healey-Driscoll Administration launched two major initiatives this week aimed at attracting businesses to the state and supporting existing employers' growth.

• Business Front Door is a digital platform designed to connect businesses with personalized guidance to business owners and entrepreneurs looking to start, expand or relocate to Massachusetts and to seek out state funding opportunities and incentives.
• Why Massachusetts is a new website designed to promote the state’s leadership in innovation, talent and quality of life while showcasing the key industry sectors where Massachusetts leads, including life sciences, artificial intelligence, climate tech and advanced manufacturing.

“We have heard from businesses across Massachusetts that they need a simpler way to learn about and access state resources, and these new tools address that by streamlining our efforts to support businesses into one user-friendly online platform,” said Economic Development Interim Secretary Ashley Stolba.

Newton and Watertown have dedicated pages aimed at business attraction.  Wellesley, less so. They could all be better and Needham doesn’t seem to have one at all, as far as I can tell.   They all could benefit from reviewing, emulating and complementing this new effort.

And that’s what you need to know for today, unless you want to draw a fish and then watch it swim around with other people’s fish.  (I recommend it.)

My colleague Max Woolf will be producing next week’s newsletters so send your deepest secrets and grab bag suggestions to him.

See you in August.

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

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