Instead of building an office and laboratory facility on the site of Needham’s former Muzi Ford dealership, development firm Bulfinch is considering a change to a mixed-use project with hundreds of dwelling units.
Bulfinch’s plan to construct a 475,000-square-foot, two-building complex on the 10-acre property on Highland Avenue, located off Route 128—which formerly housed a sizable Ford and Chevrolet dealership—was approved by the Needham Planning Board in 2022.
However, the once-intense demand for lab space in the biological sciences has decreased considerably since then, both in Greater Boston and nationwide. According to Robert A. Schlager, president of Bulfinch, the organization petitioned the Planning Board last week to start looking into alternative development options rather than abandoning the land as a cemetery for years to come.
During the meeting on June 3, Schlager stated, “We are looking to you to help us develop this so-called vision as the gateway to Needham and allow this property to be developed as a flagship entry to the town, something that we can all be proud of.” I am aware that things have changed since we first started a few years ago, but we must regrettably adjust to the new reality.
Two five-story office and lab buildings joined by an atrium, a five-story parking garage, and a retail plaza at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Gould Street are permitted per the special zoning permit granted for the site in 2022.
A conceptual plan including four buildings encircling a central parking area was presented to the Planning Board by the Muzi Ford development team last week. Bulfinch plans to maintain its allowed 10,000 square feet of retail space, and the possible uses include market-rate apartments, hotels, senior homes, and medical offices.
According to Schlager, Bulfinch was looking at about 150 senior housing units in several configurations, such as independent living, assisted living, and memory care. He noted that there is always a need for housing and that people who work in medical offices are actively looking for space right now.
Although he welcomed housing with open arms, Greg Reibman, CEO of the Charles River Regional Chamber, stated that it is regrettable that Needham’s business sector has not expanded.
“Our employers have been telling us for years that in order to attract the workforce they want, they need more housing closer to their places of employment,” Reibman said.
At this point, the Muzi site has a lengthy history.
A proposal to rezone the land to make room for an e-commerce warehouse was vetoed by Needham voters in 2019 out of fear of an expanding Amazon. Two years later, Bulfinch purchased the property for $57.5 million with a plan for life sciences, which was popular at the time.
However, Schlager told the Planning Board last week that in order to make the numbers work, it will need to hold more housing at that price—more like 500 units, as opposed to 150 to 200.
According to Schlager, having only 150 or 200 dwelling units would be extremely challenging given the site’s acquisition price, the infrastructure needed, and the project’s success. There is no financial rationale for such.
Schlager promised to carry out the Planning Board’s recommendation that Bulfinch resume the community outreach process. In order for a project to be ready for development to begin in late 2026 or early 2027, the developer would like to see a vote on the rezoning at a Town Meeting in May of next year.
