A Burlington developer is looking to turn a Coolidge Corner surface parking lot into a seven-story building with 103 apartments, and the neighborhood is already gearing up for a fight. The target is a private lot at 26 Pleasant Street, a short walk from the Coolidge Library and the MBTA Green Line. To make it happen, the project would need a rezoning vote at Brookline’s Annual Town Meeting, and some neighbors and Town Meeting members are already organizing around concerns about height, parking, and the cumulative impact of multiple big projects in the area.
What the developer is proposing
Nordblom Company is pitching a seven-story, 103-unit residential complex on the Pleasant Street lot, according to reporting from the Boston Business Journal. Industry coverage, including Banker & Tradesman, notes that the plan would replace the existing surface parking and that the owner is preparing a zoning amendment to allow the proposed height and density. Design specifics, the mix of unit types, and any parking commitments are expected to be laid out in formal applications later this spring.
Approvals and timeline
Nordblom is expected to file a zoning amendment for consideration at Town Meeting, according to reporting from The Bushari Team. The town’s calendar shows that Annual Town Meeting is scheduled to begin on May 26, which is the window when voters could act on any rezoning proposal. Town notices indicate that the Select Board is slated to sign the meeting warrant in March. Even if Town Meeting signs off on a rezoning, the project would still head to the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals for additional review before any building permits could be issued.
Neighbors push back
Opposition formed quickly. A petition launched in mid February urges the town to reject a developer-led rezoning for the Pleasant and John Street area, warning that the change would allow an 85-foot, seven-story building and worsen parking and traffic. The petition is posted on Change.org. Organizers point to Town Meeting members listed among the early signers and argue that major parcels should be guided by the town’s Comprehensive Plan instead of one-off zoning changes. They say they want officials to look at cumulative impacts in Coolidge Corner rather than treating each rezoning request in isolation.
Where this fits in the pipeline
The Pleasant Street proposal lands at a time when Coolidge Corner is already juggling several large developments, including the Waldo-Durgin redevelopment and other long-running hotel and apartment projects that have sharpened debates about density and parking. Local reporting has grouped the 26 Pleasant Street concept with that broader slate of projects and highlighted how together they have intensified conversations about infrastructure capacity and municipal services in the neighborhood. At the same time, the town has been studying options for its Centre Street municipal parking lots, a process that has raised familiar questions about whether surface parking is still the best use of prime central parcels. That work has been documented in town materials and covered by local outlets.
Nordblom's Brookline footprint
Nordblom is already a known player in Brookline. The company’s portfolio includes Marion Square and other multifamily properties in and around Coolidge Corner, according to its own property listings. That local experience suggests the developer is likely to lean on its Brookline track record as the Pleasant Street proposal moves into public review and design refinement.
What’s next
The next move is a formal filing and the start of the public process. If a rezoning article is submitted before the warrant closes, it could land on the May Town Meeting agenda, followed by public hearings and detailed scrutiny from the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Residents opposed to the zoning change are already organizing for spring meetings, while supporters argue that new housing should be added in transit-rich neighborhoods like Coolidge Corner. Town Meeting’s decision on the rezoning will ultimately dictate how quickly, or whether, the project can move from concept to construction.
