Planning Board closes First Avenue retail hearing
The Planning Board closed the One First Avenue retail hearing and heard a senior housing concept for the former Muzzy site. Attorney George Junta Jr. presented a 9,000-square-foot, four-tenant building with 36 parking spaces against 30 required, and the hearing closed by voice vote.
Planning Board · Meeting of November 4, 2026
NEEDHAM — The Planning Board closed the One First Avenue retail hearing and heard a senior housing concept for the former Muzzy site. Attorney George Junta Jr. presented a 9,000-square-foot, four-tenant building with 36 parking spaces against 30 required, and the hearing closed by voice vote. Bullfinch Companies principal Robert Schlegger outlined a 630,000-square-foot community of about 480 independent and assisted living units and 80 memory care beds at 557 Highland Avenue, with a draft zoning amendment due by the end of November.
Member Oscar Mertz urged the developer to consider mixing market-rate, multigenerational housing with the senior units. The board also sent the Zoning Board of Appeals comments on a Chestnut Street parking waiver and acknowledged "no comment" on two other cases.
In the full story:
- Call to order and roll call
- One First Avenue: major project site plan hearing
- Minutes and Zoning Board of Appeals referrals
- 557 Highland Avenue: senior housing concept
- Large house review: floor area ratio
- Historic District study report and staff reports
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report: 1,750 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of November 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.
Members read the rest of this story and every Norfolk County meeting we cover, in full.
Become a memberAlready a member? Sign inA 30-day free trial needs a payment method. After it, your membership renews at the price shown at checkout until you cancel, which you can do anytime from your account. Subscription terms
Share this story
Know someone in Norfolk County who follows town government? Share Townbrief Norfolk County: they can sign up free.