State legislators representing Wellesley have shared a brief update on the Commonwealth’s developing housing plans for “surplus” MassBay Community College property that abuts Centennial Reservation. The state is well aware of concerns in town about protecting the forested land that makes up about 90% of the 45 acres in question, and is open to protecting much of it, per the update.
The state has deemed the MassBay property as surplus and ripe for redevelopment under its Affordable Homes Act. Whether such development in Wellesley would actually be affordable remains to be seen, though the town will attempt to share a preferred concept for development with the state in an attempt to support both housing, conservation, and neighborhood goals. MassBay stands to benefit from the sale of the property, which could partially fund campus upgrades, such as new cybersecurity and recreation facilities.
According to the update issued by Rep. Alice Hanlon Peisch and Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem:
We have heard your concerns, and it was clear to us that residents’ highest priority is preserving the forested area that abuts Centennial Park and the MassBay campus parking lot.
We have had multiple meetings with Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Augustus, DCAMM Commissioner Baacke, their staff, and other relevant parties. In those conversations, Secretary Augustus agreed that if the Town is interested in entering into an agreement to conserve much of the land on the parcel, that the vast majority of the forested land would not be developed, and that no more than 180 units could be developed on the remaining acreage.
It is our understanding that DCAMM will continue to hold on the release of an RFP for the parcel to allow time for the Town to conduct its visioning process and will consider the results in drafting the RFP.
UPDATE 11/26/25: The workshop has been postponed. The town of Wellesley has scheduled a public visioning workshop for Dec. 8 to be held at Wellesley High.
“This remains a fluid matter, but we are advocating to the best of our ability with Secretary Augustus to ensure that you are being heard, and believe these commitments show that HLC and DCAMM are listening,” the legislators wrote.
Some of those closely watching the development, including the Friends of Brookside group, remain concerned that forested land is even allowed to be considered as surplus property considering the state’s biodiversity goals.
Related:
- State and MassBay land sale forum in Wellesley draws another standing-room only crowd (10/13/25)
- Sen. Creem, Rep. Peisch update Wellesley Select Board on MassBay Plans (10/9/25)
- Wellesley boards debrief and debrief on MassBay redevelopment plans (10/3/25)
- MassBay forum in Wellesley sparks calls to balance housing, environmental needs (9/28/25)
- Emotions run high at Wellesley board meeting over future housing on MassBay land (9/17/25)
I would be incredibly disappointed if this project were only 180 units. I thought the whole point of the state’s lack of commitment to preserving the forest earlier was to have a bargaining chip to use to get the town to do more than the bare minimum. And now they’re just caving? This is a foreboding sign for our ability to solve our housing challenges in Massachusetts in the long run.