A summary of multi-family housing developments in the works in Wellesley, Mass. Some may be very much on the drawing board…
The planned sale of numerous office properties in town could pave the way for new residential or mixed-use developments.
Wellesley in 2024 complied with the state’s MBTA Communities Act, designed to encourage more residential development near public transportation.
A Strategic Housing Plan is in the works in 2025 to guide Wellesley’s efforts to support development of a range of housing types.
As of 2023 (latest state figures available), 10.68% of Wellesley’s housing stock was deemed affordable. Communities below the state’s 10% threshold are subject to unsolicited 40B projects that give developers great leeway from zoning rules.
16 Laurel Ave. (The Laurel)
Plan by Babson House LLC is to convert 39,000 sq. ft. office building into a 4-story, 28-unit condominiuml complex. Underground parking is planned for 56 vehicles, with another 20 spaces above ground. Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing planned for April 16, 2026. The building was originally in 1919 by Roger Babson.
MassBay property
MassBay Community College looking to sell land to a developer for multi-family housing across from Oakland Street campus.
- September & October 2025 meetings
- Resident shares info on MassBay plans at Select Board meeting in August 2025
- Info starts to trickle on possible MassBay plans at government meetings (June 2025)
49 Walnut St. along Charles River in Lower Falls
Developer seeks to build multifamily housing along Charles River on Walnut Street. An earlier effort to build multi-family housing here by the same developer based on the residential incentive overlay (RIO) zoning here was rejected by Special Town Meeting in 2024.
The Albion at 16 Stearns Rd.
This 24-unit condo complex at the end of a dead end street, is located between Rte. 9 and the Sprague Elementary School/fields. A lottery for affordable units was held in September, 2025. Occupancy expected late 2025/early 2026.
Wellesley Park (40R district)
Location of 350-unit apartment complex called The Nines at the intersection of Rte. 9 and 95 at the west end of Wellesley. The Wellesley Park property on William Street is zoned for 850 units. No plans have been announced for further development as of late summer 2025.
The Bellwether at 192-194 Worcester St. and 150 Cedar St.
This Encore Properties plan is for 34 condos, 7 of them affordable, under residential incentive overlay zoning. Demolition was planned for late 2025, with construction on The Bellwether to begin in early 2026.
Separately, by the way, Encore is also building two large single-family homes at 169-171 Washington St., at the former location of the DiBona dental office site.
592 Washington St
Plans have been submitted to the town at the start of 2026 for a 19-unit high-end condo complex in the former location of a funeral home and adjacent property.
What are we missing? Let us know: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com
