Office parks · Massachusetts
Former Polaroid campus
Proposed housing redevelopment; zoning approved (2026), but no construction or developer confirmed. Strong local housing market data; 7 nearby projects within 10km. · summary, model-written
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Site profile11 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence
Retrofit in the pipeline
This site: …proposed newtypes-extraction · all sites with this3+ other atlas sites within 10 km
This site: 7 within 10 km computed · all sites with this30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent road
This site: 165,758 on YANKEE DIVISION HIGHWAY fhwa-hpms · all sites with thisCounty lost 10%+ of retail establishments since 2012
This site: -10% census-cbp · all sites with thisCounty permitting 2,000+ apartment units a year
This site: 2,440 units, Middlesex County census-bps · all sites with thisCounty typical rent $2,000+
This site: $3,069/mo zillow · all sites with thisInterstate or freeway within 600 m
This site: YANKEE DIVISION HIGHWAY fhwa-hpms · all sites with thisRezoning
This site: RCI overlay district newtypes-extraction · all sites with thisRedeveloped
This site: record · all sites with thisHousing
This site: …new_use field record · all sites with thisMixed use
This site: …new_use field record · all sites with thisNow
| Status | Retrofit proposednewtypes-extraction |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Redevelopment, proposedWikipedia |
| New uses | housing, mixedWikipedia |
Planning
| Zoning change | RCI overlay districtnewtypes-extraction |
|---|---|
| Entitlement year | 2026Wikipedia |
| Planning notes | Approved by Waltham's City Council.Wikipedia |
Site context
| Housing permits, Middlesex County (MA), 2024 | 2,440 units in 5+ unit buildings, 166 in 2–4, 889 single-family; 2023: 2,902 in 5+Census BPS |
|---|---|
| Other atlas sites nearby | 7 within 10 km, 28 within 25 km: Bay Colony office complex (2.2 km); Bay Colony (2.2 km); Jones Road (2.2 km); Arsenal Mall (8.6 km); Atrium Mall (9.3 km)computed |
| Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 2023 | 4,650 establishments (-10%); 79,115 jobs (-5%)Census CBP |
| Housing market in the county | typical home value $804,837 (+2% 1 yr, +22% 5 yr); typical rent $3,069/mo (+2% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research |
| Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024) | 165,758 vehicles a day on YANKEE DIVISION HIGHWAY (Interstate, 8 lanes); 1,685 trucks; 20 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS |
Summary, model-written
Waltham's City Council approved rezoning (2026 entitlement) for the Polaroid campus office park to housing/mixed use. Status remains proposed. No construction or sale details in record.
Why. Zoning change (RCI overlay) approved; housing market data shows strong demand (ZHVI $804k, ZORI $3,069/month). 7 nearby developments within 10km (all proposed), including 3 in Waltham (Bay Colony, Jones Road) 2km away.
Where it stands. Proposed redevelopment. No active construction or developer named. Permits show high residential activity in Middlesex County (2023-2024), but no link to this site.
For a planner
- Zoning approved for housing; requires 2026 implementation.
- Nearby projects (Bay Colony, Jones Road) may create competition or cluster effects.
For a developer
- Market data supports housing demand.
- No active deals or construction yet; entitlement pending 2026 rollout.
- Unknown if developer is secured or timeline beyond 2026.
What we do not know yet
- Status: Proposed (not built/sold).
- No current construction evidence despite 'already in play' note.
- No developer name, project timeline, or cost data provided.
Generated by qwen3-30b-a3b-64k:latest on Dell 5820 RTX 3090 (Ollama, qwen3-30b-a3b) from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.
Similar sites
- Bay Colony office complex, Waltham, MA · Office parks · same strategy: redevelop; also in MA; 2 km away
- City Realty development on Route 9, Chestnut Hill, MA · Office parks · same strategy: redevelop; also in MA; 10 km away
- Elmwood Park, Hopkinton, MA · Office parks · same strategy: redevelop; also in MA; 27 km away
- Wells Avenue Park, Newton, MA · Office parks · same strategy: redevelop; also in MA; 11 km away
Elsewhere on the web
Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar
Multifamily screen
- already in play: under construction, approved, or sold to a developer with housing plans
- median rent $2,126
- housing in the record
Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.
History and original facts
| County | Middlesex County |
|---|---|
| Census division | 1 · New England |
| Notes | Draft from thephrg.com, model-extracted, unreviewed: The former Polaroid campus at 1265 Main Street in Waltham is proposed for redevelopment into housing and mixed-use as part of a citywide rezoning effort. |
Not yet recorded: acres, GLA, year opened, original developer, what is there now, retrofit year. Know it? Tell us.
Timeline
- 2026 Waltham's City Council voted 12 to 1 to override Mayor Jeannette McCarthy's veto, and the rezoning of Waltham's three biggest office park properties for…
Sources
- Waltham Office Park Housing - Bay Colony Rezoning 2026
2 quoted sentences
former Polaroid campus
On the night of August 3, 2026, Waltham's City Council voted 12 to 1 to override Mayor Jeannette McCarthy's veto, and the rezoning of Waltham's three biggest office park properties for housing became law.
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