Waltham’s Housing Showdown: Mayor Vetoes Plan to Turn Empty Offices into 1,200 Homes

The Big Picture: What’s Happening in Waltham?

Imagine a city with lots of big, shiny office buildings that are now mostly empty. The city needs housing badly, and developers want to turn those empty offices into thousands of new homes. The City Council says "Yes, let’s do this!" But the Mayor says "No, not so fast." Now the Council has one chance to overrule the Mayor.

This is the story of Waltham, Massachusetts — a city at a crossroads.

The Plan: Turning Empty Offices into Homes

Three Sites, One Big Vision

Developers (mainly a company called BXP, formerly Boston Properties) proposed rezoning three large areas along Route 128:

Total potential: ~2,100 new homes — a massive number for a city of 65,000 people.

What "Rezoning" Means (ELI5)

Zoning = The city’s rulebook for what can be built where.
Rezoning = Changing those rules to allow something new — like housing instead of just offices.

The Council created three special zoning districts — think of them as "neighborhood blueprints" — that would allow mixed-use development (homes + shops + offices together) instead of just lonely office parks.

Developers Promised to Help Fix Traffic

Opponents worried: "Won’t 2,100 new homes make traffic worse?"
Developers agreed to pay for major improvements:

1. Land for a new fire/EMS station
2. Upgrading a road through a nearby neighborhood
3. Helping fund a new connector road between busy state highways (after the state chips in ~$15 million)

Key Point: These new neighborhoods would be less car-dependent than the current office parks — near transit (bus hub, commuter rail) and designed so people can walk to shops and transit.

Why This Matters: Housing Crisis and Empty Buildings

Waltham’s Office Boom Went Bust

• Route 128 was once "America’s Technology Highway" — home to AstraZeneca, Boston Dynamics, and more.
• Nearly half of Waltham’s tax base comes from commercial real estate (only Cambridge and Boston rely more on it).
• Post-COVID: Office vacancy skyrocketed. Building owners are asking for tax breaks.
• Result: The city raised residential property taxes by 5% to make up for lost revenue.

Waltham Hasn’t Built Enough Housing

• During Mayor McCarthy’s 22-year tenure, the city added very little housing outside downtown.
• Greater Boston is desperate for homes — this was a rare chance to build at scale with minimal impact on existing neighborhoods.

City Councilor Cathyann Harris:
"We are at a crossroads — our growth is stagnant. We have underutilized office space to transform the city. To waste the opportunity would be a shame."

City Councilor Colleen Bradley-MacArthur:
"It is incumbent upon Waltham to grow. You don’t get many opportunities to build new neighborhoods."

The Mayor’s Veto: A Surprise Move

Timeline of Events

1. January 2025 — Council begins workshopping three new zoning districts.
2. June 2025 — Council unanimously approves all three districts.
3. July 1, 2025 — Mayor McCarthy approves two sites (Jones Road + Polaroid) but vetoes Bay Colony — the biggest one (1,200 homes).
4. August 3, 2025 — Special Council meeting to vote on overriding the veto.

Why Did the Mayor Veto?

In her letter, Mayor McCarthy wrote that the Bay Colony zoning would:

• "Dramatically decrease parking requirements" for homes and businesses — setting a "dangerous precedent."
• "Redefine building height" just for these sites — treating them differently from everywhere else in the city.

Reaction: "Came Out of Nowhere"

• Tom Benavides (Waltham Inclusive Neighborhoods): "She attended meetings, had chances to give input… then vetoed without warning. It’s in bad form."
• Councilors Bradley-MacArthur & Harris: Both say they’ll vote to override.
• Council President Robert Logan and others: No comment yet.

Important Callout: What’s at Stake if the Veto Stands

• 1,200 homes at Bay Colony delayed indefinitely ("back to square one").
• $15 million in state transportation funds + developer contributions at risk.
• Years of planning wasted.
• Waltham’s housing shortage continues unchecked.

What Happens Next: The Council’s Override Vote

How a Veto Override Works (ELI5)

1. Mayor says "No" (veto).
2. Council gets one chance to say "We disagree — we’re doing it anyway."
3. Need a supermajority (usually 2/3 or more) to override.
4. Waltham has a 15-member Council — so they likely need 10+ votes.

The August 3 Meeting Is Do-or-Die

• Only chance to override.
• If they succeed: Bay Colony zoning stands → developers can apply for special permits → building could start (over ~10 years).
• If they fail: Bay Colony plan dies → back to empty offices → lost funding → more waiting.

Councilor Bradley-MacArthur:
"Parking and height concerns can still be addressed in the special permit process each project must go through."

The Bigger Picture: Waltham at a Crossroads

Two Futures for Waltham

A Pattern Seen Across America

Waltham isn’t alone. Suburbs everywhere face this:

• Office parks empty out post-COVID.
• Housing shortage drives up costs.
• Rezoning for housing = smart growth.
• Local politics often block it.

Summary

• Waltham needs housing — badly. Greater Boston has a massive shortage.
• Developers want to convert 3 empty office sites into ~2,100 homes (1,200 at Bay Colony alone).
• City Council unanimously approved the rezoning in June after months of work.
• Mayor McCarthy vetoed the biggest site (Bay Colony) on July 1, citing parking and height rules.
• Critics say the veto came "out of nowhere" after she participated in the process.
• August 3 vote is the only chance to override.
• If override fails: 1,200 homes delayed, $15M+ in state/developer funds at risk, planning restarts from zero.
• If override succeeds: Long process begins (special permits, ~10-year buildout), but Waltham takes a huge step toward solving its housing crisis.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

1. What exactly is a "zoning district"?

Think of it like a recipe card for a neighborhood. It tells developers: "Here’s what you can build, how tall, how much parking, what mix of uses." The Council wrote three new "recipe cards" for these office parks.

2. Why does the Mayor have veto power?

In many cities (including Waltham), the Mayor is like the CEO — they can say "no" to Council decisions. But the Council (like a board of directors) can overrule with enough votes.

3. Will these be affordable homes?

The article doesn’t specify affordability levels. Typically, mixed-use zoning includes some affordable units (often 10–20%), but details get worked out in the special permit process later.

4. Why not build housing downtown instead?

Downtown Waltham has seen some new apartments — but not nearly enough. These office parks offer huge land (155+ acres) near highways and transit — a rare chance for large-scale, master-planned neighborhoods.

5. What happens to the existing office tenants?

Most buildings are already vacant or near-vacant. Boston Dynamics is actually expanding nearby. The plan targets underused properties, not thriving ones.

Andrew Brinker can be reached at andrew.brinker@globe.com. Follow him @andrewnbrinker.