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Waltham Housing Plan Crushed: Office Park Conversion Faces Surprise Veto
Waltham’s Housing Showdown: Mayor Vetoes Plan to Turn Empty Offices Into 1,200 New Homes
The Big Picture: A City at a Crossroads
Imagine a city with lots of empty office buildings but not enough homes for people to live in. That’s Waltham, Massachusetts — a city of about 65,000 people right outside Boston.
Important Point: Waltham has a housing crisis but plenty of unused office space. The city wants to convert empty offices into homes, but the mayor just said "no" to the biggest project.
What Happened? The Short Version
- Developers proposed turning three empty office parks into 2,100 new homes
- City Council unanimously approved the plan in June
- Mayor McCarthy approved two sites but vetoed the biggest one (Bay Colony — 1,200 homes) on July 1
- Council meets Monday, August 3 to decide whether to override the veto
- If they don’t override, the whole plan could fall apart — along with millions in transportation funding
Why Does Waltham Want to Build Housing Here?
The Office Park Problem
- Route 128 corridor was once a booming tech/life sciences hub (AstraZeneca, Boston Dynamics)
- Nearly half of Waltham’s tax money comes from commercial buildings
- Post-COVID: Everyone works from home → offices sit empty → building values drop
- Result: City raised residential taxes by 5% to make up for lost business revenue
The Housing Crisis
- Greater Boston desperately needs 222,000 new homes (per recent reports)
- During Mayor McCarthy’s 22 years in office, Waltham added very little housing
- City Councilors say: "We don’t get many chances to build whole new neighborhoods"
The Three Sites: What Could Be Built
| Site | Location | Potential Homes | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Colony | Winter Street (155 acres, BXP-owned) | 1,200 units | VETOED BY MAYOR |
| Jones Road | 20 acres off Jones Road | 300–400 units | Near planned bus hub & commuter rail |
| Polaroid Campus | Main Street (former Polaroid, now Market Basket) | 600 units | Regular bus service |
Total possible: 2,100 new homes — all mixed-use (housing + retail), designed to be less car-dependent than current offices.
What the Developers Promised (To Fix Traffic Worries)
Neighbors worried: "More homes = more cars = worse traffic!" So developers agreed to:
- Set aside land for a new fire & EMS station
- Upgrade roads through nearby neighborhoods
- Help pay for a new connector road between busy state highways
- State chips in ~$15 million for transportation improvements
Important Point: These projects are near transit (bus hub, commuter rail, bus routes) — meant to be walkable neighborhoods, not car-dependent suburbs.
Why Did the Mayor Veto? Her Two Main Objections
In her July 1 letter to City Council, Mayor McCarthy wrote the Bay Colony zoning would:
- "Dramatically decrease parking requirements" — setting a "dangerous precedent"
- "Redefine height limits" — treating this site differently from everywhere else in the city
The Controversy: "Came Out of Nowhere"
Many people are surprised because:
- Mayor attended planning meetings for months
- She approved the other two sites without objection
- She never raised these concerns during the public process
- Councilors say issues like parking/height can be fixed in the next step (special permits)
Important Point: Tom Benavides (Waltham Inclusive Neighborhoods): "She facilitated this project behind the scenes… then vetoed it without warning. It’s in bad form."
What Happens Next? The Vote
Monday, August 3 — Special Council Meeting
- 15 council members vote on overriding the veto
- Need 10 votes (2/3 majority) to override
- Councilors Bradley-MacArthur & Harris say they’ll vote YES
- Several others haven’t said (including Council President Robert Logan)
If Override Succeeds
- Bay Colony zoning stands
- Developers still need special permits (could take years)
- Transportation funding stays secured
- Up to 1,200 homes can eventually be built
If Override Fails
- Planning goes back to square one
- State & developer transportation money at risk
- Years of delay for desperately needed housing
- Waltham misses a "once-in-a-generation opportunity"
Summary: Why This Matters
| What’s at Stake | Details |
|---|---|
| Homes | 1,200 units at Bay Colony + 900 at other sites = 2,100 total |
| Money | $15M+ in state transport funds + developer contributions |
| Tax Base | Empty offices → lower tax revenue → higher residential taxes |
| Traffic | Plan includes major road upgrades & transit access |
| Precedent | Will Waltham embrace growth or stay stuck? |
Councilor Cathyann Harris: "We are at a crossroads… To waste the opportunity would be a shame."
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Why not just build housing downtown instead of office parks?
A: Downtown has seen some new apartments, but not nearly enough. These office parks are huge empty spaces (155+ acres) right near highways and transit — perfect for large-scale neighborhoods without disrupting existing residential areas.
Won’t 1,200 new apartments make traffic terrible?
A: That’s the #1 concern! But the plan includes: new connector roads, upgraded neighborhood streets, a fire station, AND transit access (bus hub, commuter rail). The goal: fewer car trips per person than the current office workers generate.
What’s a "special permit" and why does it matter?
A: Think of zoning as the rulebook (what’s allowed) and special permits as case-by-case approvals (exact design, traffic plan, affordable housing %). Even if veto is overridden, developers still need permits for each building — so details can still be adjusted.
Who is BXP and why do they matter?
A: BXP (formerly Boston Properties) is Waltham’s biggest taxpayer. They own two of the three sites. They want to build housing because offices aren’t profitable anymore — so this is a rare case where developer profits align with city needs.
Can the mayor veto again if the council overrides?
A: No. If Council overrides with 10+ votes, the zoning becomes law. The mayor’s only power was this one veto. After that, the process moves to special permits (where the mayor has no veto power).
The Bottom Line
Waltham has a golden opportunity: turn empty offices into thousands of homes + better roads + transit connections — all mostly paid for by developers and the state.
Monday’s vote decides: Does Waltham seize the moment or let it slip away?
Follow this story: The Boston Globe’s Andrew Brinker (@andrewnbrinker) covers Waltham development.
