[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6253914,"mediaKeyId","3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850","parentId",3177552,"title","Design board approves façade updates and signage package for Highland Avenue shopping center; Mathnasium sign must use nonreflective off-white","audioSeconds",2134,"startMs",2886000,"endMs",5020000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850&start=2886&end=5020","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850/thumbnail_2886000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6253914/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Design-board-approves-façade-updates-and-signage-package-for-Highland-Avenue-shopping-center-Mathnasium-sign-must-use-nonreflective-off-white","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253914-12db1b4a3687691ec058a64484d9384c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442945&Signature=Ye~1WH4r5L74WuTElND84X0FBINh7454HZi4d-qGLNNtDEwMraPV5t-~56pmF0LqSo67zBboKTbF8jsPHKnaYcYdd6P5BrDOsUeuSnswaARwi8pIGQClfo2wMgy1Azv9M~noyiMMUASmg~S6CzJtN7filu4VhEzanRZbcmqNJ7Qlb0iYmO~B6YDhlbECbOLf2uZGwkBaB-mWiUOl8GSsCOIdTDTJPD-egZgmndw5Tm-qEOm~q2kGGqf6BavGd9T4xSZCKtPKQqj127ks--01OPznS8Dqcj77Rdu4y2jXCN4gCAX2-iIPJ0mBdlLP-KTfsEVqvGQMok50e~ABsB-Kmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Needham, MA","date","2025-05-02T07:11:44.563Z","article","The Needham Design Review Board on April 28 approved façade improvements and a coordinated signage package for the Highland Avenue shopping center that includes 1299 Highland Avenue and adjacent bays (including tenants such as Conrad’s, Cookie Monster and Needham Wine & Spirits). The board also approved the related signage set for the adjoining building, with a condition for the Mathnasium sign’s background color.

Avi Schaus, director of development for Grossman Companies, explained the façade program: repainting in a muted white (Sherwin Williams “Snowbound”), painting railings and downspouts in a dark accent (iron ore), repairing the canopy, and aligning tenant signs with a new, uniform frame system on one building while mounting individual letters on the other. The applicant presented lighting fixtures for the piers and a coordinated approach to the sign band to replace a mix of older, internally lit cabinets.

Sign vendor Gary described the construction: a metal frame and panel system for three tenant signs on one building (dimensional letters ~2 inches deep over a painted background with LED downlights), and individual directly mounted letters for wall-mounted signs such as Needham Wine & Spirits. Board members responded favorably to the simplified, consistent approach but raised concerns about the Mathnasium panel’s highly reflective white background. Felix asked for a more muted, matte or off-white finish to reduce glare on Highland Avenue and suggested the board could review painted samples.

The board voted in parts. It approved façade changes to 1299 Highland Avenue. It approved Needham Wine & Spirits, Pure Hockey and other tenant signs as submitted. For Mathnasium, the board approved the sign conditionally: the background must be an off-white, nonreflective color (the applicant agreed to submit painted samples for DRB file and final staff review). Votes were recorded as Yes by all members present on each vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Design Review Board 04/28/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Needham’s Design Review Board approved a coordinated façade and signage update for a Highland Avenue shopping center and approved tenant signs with one conditional approval requiring Mathnasium’s background be a nonreflective off-white.","taxTitle","Town of Needham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",54445,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6253918,"Design board approves revised sign color for Berne Boot Camp at 77 Charles Street",405,2445000,2850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850&start=2445&end=2850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850/thumbnail_2445000.jpg","/articles/6253918/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Design-board-approves-revised-sign-color-for-Berne-Boot-Camp-at-77-Charles-Street","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253918-abcb012166e6472f0f4f167cdb04a862/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442945&Signature=jE4s313s~2~GlWRv4T0qYGaNA9dTrBKb8L~4C75RZMc9mgHn6pW2G2V0SYYT7RTBAI940wWtiXZFrI4nUlwhnLU-RsOsJ-mggHUklSQ0b9SiZ7Tr8hdcbVr6gIhkREMkJpxAnCOE6cDjz2gFsObYwfNsGH7CoSRW1wP3ZxiLUF3xGXyIOFkvGn3uSJGqumDOuDqXsFAPt4aYmZukvpIesF6reHbrARiLeiw3DQ7ZaEvMvSPtZFe9WK9uNROq6rf3wzsfRwkdQJ5cSmpFcLOOSpsWU4I5A9aiWf2uRakNnsTbJ25OQWYLYN8wqE9Se9ahqmja0ITrP6UMgZv~SfMUGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Needham Design Review Board approved a revised sign for Berne Boot Camp at 77 Charles Street on April 28 after the applicant submitted an inverted color scheme that reduced the sign’s white area.

The applicant (Mike, substituting for Dave) explained the tenant is reusing an existing sign cabinet; the earlier proposal used a blue-on-white graphic that the board said had too much white. The applicant worked with corporate to invert the graphic to white-on-blue within the existing cabinet. Board members said the inversion reduced the sign’s visual dominance and respected the existing cabinet while supporting the new tenant’s branding.

The board voted to approve the revised sign as submitted; roll-call votes were recorded as Yes by Susan Ogden, Felix and Mark Glusing. Members noted that if the storefront were being entirely rebuilt, different proportions might be appropriate, but reusing the existing cabinet was acceptable under the circumstances.

The applicant said the new sign will be installed in the existing cabinet and the board thanked the applicant for returning with a revised design.","After revising its graphic to a blue-on-white inversion, the applicant for 77 Charles Street (Berne Boot Camp) gained approval from the Design Review Board to reuse the existing cabinet with the new color scheme.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6253921,"Design board clears channel-letter sign at 250 First Avenue",336,2104000,2440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850&start=2104&end=2440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850/thumbnail_2104000.jpg","/articles/6253921/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Design-board-clears-channel-letter-sign-at-250-First-Avenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253921-c326d5e902da578de54a884db903fee0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442945&Signature=EbG5XkQpSNosBu0ftx~qIBckrvNrwrYXpunMwBT9RBR-Xr2V7AvNO3N1SNiVGth3L6A83bk6Y2qGOmd6Xk67EXtvGMMqPLS3Jyc8OmCLmrvjenC5GTLyRZUmZpffBVTVjE6SQoRwyh9ia~G8HK3JgV6xN57aTIb98UF~2x3Jsb7nwUfDtIe9akoYOfbi2-GX~aNHS5VNMB1k8JcEw-rYjwzCM0T1A7yWZNLn~vTWZC~nmsdAz76Mur96NNKZWp6dbOb4D6iZ3fqu92IQsKeOzzMTjzL9Oku~nhKShKCDpqvfuZ-n06JvGogLSFQT8GGOh-pH6m37Za7nk5ts-BVqoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Needham Design Review Board approved a tenant sign application for 250 First Avenue on April 28, allowing a face-lit channel-letter sign consistent with existing building signage.

The applicant presented channel letters sized within the building’s established sign band; the lettering would be back-mounted into the building joints with a low-profile raceway and face illumination. Board members said the proposed sign was consistent in scale and lighting with neighboring tenant signs and raised no new issues.

The board took a roll-call vote and approved the sign as submitted; members requested the sign match the lighting pattern and brightness of the building’s existing signs. The vote was recorded as Yes from all members present.","The Design Review Board approved a tenant sign at 250 First Avenue: internally face-lit channel letters sized to match existing signage on the building.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6253928,"Design board approves addition for Needham DPW fleet maintenance building",1155,911000,2066000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850&start=911&end=2066","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850/thumbnail_911000.jpg","/articles/6253928/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Design-board-approves-addition-for-Needham-DPW-fleet-maintenance-building","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253928-438873a9f456d67a747eddb2d9d8bd2b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442945&Signature=ZuJlO47eI2qDx8DHI9rVCqiCJMdkypib3G3Lc8Imckqa1MDh97sl6v3GF5sgpYfZvcCWs-v7E1Gs9VneTeywx8i7y94pt-6gf5m~5mHRn2OKf0eW-C3ETVGJKQiPqcRBqNIVRIzAiBEDLgmIBMUfLTEidzmmWqaI0jJ~CKS0Njj0V8Q1ccuWXReIyR~eezk6i6AUF1JHjmh5ug5aDi3bUeMA5UEhwZrjKIedfej-9-gRlvPLVLkmcqOcIGCs9WdPnZZ~cngzKxFQgJWuey8Azd7rhagLLtP30ApZhs~Wk8XOByRDjSEI1crBynEuS21HDI~AimzT7h~Hv5bs4WFN~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Needham Design Review Board on April 28 approved the site and building design for Phase 1 of the Department of Public Works master plan: a 12,000-square-foot pre-engineered maintenance bay addition to the Jack Cogswell facility at 1407 Central Avenue.

Weston & Sampson project manager Tyler Koflice presented the proposal, which renovates an eastern bay of the existing garage for a tire maintenance bay and adds a new 12,000-square-foot maintenance garage with an exterior wash pad. Key site features include a substantial ledge wall cut — approximately 25 to 30 feet at its maximum — to lower grade and accommodate the building; the front edge of the new building would be about 34 feet tall. The applicant described erosion-control plans during construction (compost-filter tubes and silt fence) and said steep exposed ledge will limit soil slopes after construction.

Project sustainability elements cited in the presentation include ground-source heat pump wells (a test well planned for the summer), rooftop photovoltaic arrays and a proposed sewer-line extension tying into the existing garage. The project team said 11 trees within jurisdictional wetlands would be removed and replaced at a 2:1 ratio (22 trees) to meet the town’s tree-replacement requirements.

Board members asked about the ledge wall and screening for neighbors, whether the two-story height was functional for vehicle lifts and cranes, erosion control and proposed lighting; the applicant said there will be no new site pole lighting beyond wall-mounted fixtures on the building. Board members generally favored the proposal’s material choices and screening strategy and suggested visiting the existing facility at 470 Dedham Avenue for context.

The board voted to approve site and building design by roll call: Susan Ogden — Yes; Felix — Yes; Mark Glusing — Yes. The motion passed with a second. The project team said it will appear on the Planning Board agenda after May town meeting.","The Needham Design Review Board approved site and building design for a roughly 12,000-square-foot pre-engineered maintenance addition to the Jack Cogswell building at 1407 Central Avenue, part of the DPW master-plan Phase 1; the project includes a deep ledge wall cut, geothermal wells and rooftop solar.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6253933,"Needham design board approves temporary Wingate banners, limits contractor sign size",743,163000,906000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850&start=163&end=906","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3177552-13b784a15ed5601f659889388a0c9850/thumbnail_163000.jpg","/articles/6253933/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Needham-design-board-approves-temporary-Wingate-banners-limits-contractor-sign-size","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6253933-0ace9fe32abfa13d901574969985c5aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442945&Signature=EIHgBXfkCarIq-30qOgtxkuj1QYM71YpAZlF-jxqTGzRWPch82My3VcxSltWn~o3UAvruxlE6SbtgvSEwuGTZHa6onmAkz0raXaTA7bq72isxFqyoTvPyndKSRgsRAL8jt2hy4BQ~CCqQomNuq18CA8HaLT8QIlmJn73J5hLJj3yuokdV0fnJAzpPXFUPAprY9z4uAK7MyzuE7KNJ9cjkFebC0DIKZ6OXg4gHHUauTp1Hzf6UE~ssqeqds3yqvxNFLiSwQN5bBGzlqSFx~E68-SrOdVRJpUbpSLwrkEr2Q-ZLlp7A4xNVtZYyDanJC1Dtn89jBzJK~DWpGn4MmCD-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Needham Design Review Board on April 28 approved a special-permit request allowing Wingate to place temporary promotional banners on construction fencing for a proposed senior housing project at 589 Highland Avenue.

Wingate representatives asked the board for four mesh banners — two on Gould Street and two on Highland Avenue — sized 25 by 6 feet, plus a contractor identification sign. The applicant said the banners are intended to promote Wingate Gateway East and to help people find the project's entrance; one banner will note the project's anticipated opening in spring 2026. Board members said promotional banners are unusually large for the town's signage rules but acknowledged the banners are temporary and recommended limits on the contractor sign.

Board members discussed wayfinding needs for contractors and the visual scale of the proposed construction sign. Felix said a small, directional “construction entrance” sign would be more standard for wayfinding; the applicant and development VP David Feldman said two entrance signs help contractors locate separate access points from Highland and Gould Streets. Board members agreed the larger contractor panel should be reduced.

After discussion, the board approved the special permit and signage package subject to one condition: the general-contractor sign be reduced to 20 square feet at both entrance locations. The motion passed by roll call vote: Susan Ogden — Yes; Felix — Yes; Mark Glusing — Yes.

The board and applicant noted the banners are temporary and the applicant said the signs would be removed after the construction period; the applicant earlier told members the banners would be installed for approximately eight to ten months. The board also noted the applicants had removed earlier temporary signage while applying for the special permit and that the building-permit process requires an electronic submission containing the DRB decision and stamp.","The Needham Design Review Board approved a special permit to allow temporary promotional banners for Wingate Gateway East at 589 Highland Ave, with a condition that contractor wayfinding signs be reduced to 20 square feet at both locations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Design board approves façade updates and signage package for Highland Avenue shopping center; Mathnasium sign must use nonreflective off-white

Design board approves revised sign color for Berne Boot Camp at 77 Charles Street

Design board clears channel-letter sign at 250 First Avenue

Design board approves addition for Needham DPW fleet maintenance building

Needham design board approves temporary Wingate banners, limits contractor sign size