Littleton just took a big swing at remaking its old IBM campus, formally signing off on the first batch of housing at the long-planned King Street redevelopment. Phase One clears the way for two five-story buildings with 318 apartments wrapped around a structured parking garage, a key early move in turning the corporate holdover into a mixed-use neighborhood.
Planning Board Signs Off On Phase One
The town's combined site plan and stormwater decision was filed with the town clerk on April 13, 2026 and authorizes the JLB King Street Residences as Residential Phase One of the King Street Common master plan. The ruling covers roughly 640,000 square feet of gross floor area, the 318 units and the central parking structure, and it sets peer-review conditions for stormwater, traffic and final Town Counsel language, according to the Littleton Planning Board.
Site History And The Master Plan
The property covers roughly 50 acres of former IBM office space that Lupoli Companies picked up as the tech giant shifted out and the developer moved in with a suburban-reinvention play: swap out a sleepy office park for a walkable, mixed-use district. Banker & Tradesman reported that Lupoli paid about $21 million for the campus in 2021, and outside coverage indicates the broader master plan, marketed as King Street Common or King Street Crossing, could eventually bring more than 1,000 homes plus a hotel, retail space and lab facilities, according to reporting by ConnectCRE.
Neighbors Pressed On Traffic And Affordability
Public hearings on the project surfaced familiar suburban flashpoints. Residents zeroed in on traffic, potential noise from nearby I-495 and stormwater controls, and planning board members repeatedly reminded the development team that Littleton's zoning requires 10 percent of units to be affordable. Lupoli's representatives told the board they plan to meet much of that inclusionary requirement by concentrating affordable units at 410 Great Road while delivering market-rate housing at 550 King Street. Town documents show the project's traffic consultant estimates Phase One will add roughly 115 morning-peak vehicle trips. Those exchanges and technical figures are detailed in Littleton Planning Board records.
Infrastructure And Timing
Even with the board's sign-off, no one is moving in until the infrastructure catches up. Off-site mitigation work and sewer extensions are spelled out as key hurdles before residents can occupy the buildings, and peer reviewers flagged stormwater and traffic conditions that must be addressed. The Registry Review reported that local officials have chased federal ARPA dollars and state Clean Water Trust funding to help extend sewer service to the King Street area. Lupoli's team has told town leaders it expects the first building to be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2028, after mitigation and infrastructure work are in place.
Tenants, Jobs And Next Steps
While the apartments move through approvals, the commercial side of the old campus is not exactly sitting idle. Developers and brokers have been marketing office and lab space on-site, and regional coverage notes that technology and manufacturing tenants have already signed leases for parts of the property. Reporting by CityBiz/BusinessWire has highlighted HIPER Global and other firms taking space at King Street. On the municipal checklist, Lupoli still needs final permits, building permits and phased infrastructure work before construction crews can fully ramp up.
For Littleton, the planning board's vote, combined with the sewer and road investments tied to it, signals a major pivot from an isolated suburban office park to a denser, mixed-use center. Town leaders are talking up new housing options, future retail and a stronger tax base, while neighbors are making it clear they will keep a close eye on the tradeoffs around traffic and affordability as the project rolls forward.
