Needham Planning Board closes hearing on revisions to 63 Kendrick Street project; decision due in two weeks

The Needham Planning Board closed a public hearing Jan. 21 on proposed revisions to the major project site plan special permit for 63 Kendrick Street, and directed staff to prepare a draft decision for the board to vote on at its next meeting two weeks later.

The proposal, presented by attorney George Shinta Jr. for Edgewater Development, would alter the 105,900-square-foot commercial building on parcel 6 (assessor's map 300) in the New England Business Center zoning district. The applicant described two small additions to create vestibules, enclosure of a central courtyard to make interior space, removal of part of a second floor to create double‑height space, and reconfiguration of rear loading and trash areas. The plan keeps the building footprint and primary parking locations but alters internal layouts, landscaping and some front‑lot parking striping.

Board Chair Natasha Espada read into the record technical comments submitted for the file. Building Commissioner Joe Prondack told the board he had reviewed the applicant’s analysis and “agrees with Attorney Giunta’s analysis and determination of required special permits,” and had “no additional comments or concerns.” Town Engineer Thomas Bridal (DPW) recommended the applicant review pending EPA/NPDES stormwater requirements; the applicant agreed to provide an operations and maintenance plan and future inspection reports. The Health Department filed standard comments about pest control, lighting and retail food permits.

The project team — led by Edgewater principal Mitch Casler and including architect David Silverman and landscape architect Bill Madden — presented renderings and walk‑throughs of proposed changes to the Kendrick Street entrance and the rear loading area at Fourth Avenue. Madden described landscape work including replacement of declining Bradford pear trees with narrow‑canopy red maples intended to limit conflict with truck movements, new planting medians, board‑formed concrete walls and hex concrete pavers for a small plaza and accessible route at the front entry.

Board members focused questions on nonconformities that trigger special-permit relief: the front parking lot’s distance to the intersection (existing and nonconforming to the revised New England Business Center setback), a preexisting side‑yard setback of about 19.6 feet where 20 feet is now required, and landscaped open space currently at roughly 19.8% (the bylaw standard is 25%). George Shinta said the applicant is increasing landscaped area slightly (to roughly 19.9%) through distributed plantings and removal of impervious sidewalk on the site; the board pressed for clarity on how the courtyard enclosure affects the open‑space calculation and the applicant answered that much of the existing courtyard is stamped concrete, not planted area.

During discussion, board members raised operational questions about potential tenants: Edgewater said it plans to market one‑third to 45% of the building for light manufacturing or prototyping tenants (clean technology, robotics, automation) who prefer single‑story space with higher clear heights; the applicant said existing parking calculations assume 100% office use and that actual demand could vary by tenant mix and hours of operation. Board members asked about pest control during renovation and the applicant confirmed a pest‑management contract would continue during construction and after occupancy.

No members of the public requested the floor during the hearing. A motion to close the hearing carried unanimously; Planning Board members asked staff to prepare a draft decision for consideration at the board’s next meeting in two weeks.

Next steps: staff will circulate a draft decision incorporating the engineering and health comments and any conditions the board requires; the Planning Board will vote on a final decision at its next scheduled meeting.