Needham assessors hear valuation dispute for 1215 Highland Ave after flood damage and measurement discrepancies

The Town of Needham Board of Assessors on May 22 heard an appeal from representatives for the owners of 1215 Highland Ave about a 2025 reassessment, focusing on measurement differences, recent flood damage and repairs, and the assessor’s valuation method.

The issue matters because the property mixes nonprofit space and commercial tenants, the owner-provided income figures differ from the assessor’s file, and the 2025 valuation method changed from the income approach used in 2024 to a cost approach in 2025, producing a substantial increase that the owners say should be revisited.

Danielle Gesto, who identified herself as counsel for the owners, and Paul Ingram, a consultant and former appraiser, told the board they had worked with the property president, Joe McCadney, to update filings and exemptions for the nonprofit portion of the building. Gesto said the building had significant flood damage in a prior year; she and Ingram provided photographs and said four feet of water entered the rear of the building and that the owners…