Lexington’s zoning took a hard turn this year. Back in 2023, the town rezoned under the MBTA Communities law, and developers jumped on it. More than 1,097 housing units were proposed in under two years. That was way more than anyone expected.
So in March, Town Meeting voted 164 to 9 to pull it back. By-right capacity dropped from roughly 13,500 units to 2,411, and eight districts came out of the multifamily overlay, Lexington Center included. Most of the pushback came down to one worry: can the roads, schools and town services keep up with that much growth?
Projects already in the pipeline still get to move forward under the old rules. That includes 312 units at 17 Hartwell Ave and 319 units on Militia Drive.
And the pipeline is still making news. This September, Dinosaur Capital Partners closed on a $45.75 million construction loan for 7 Hartwell Ave. That’s the old office building that used to be home to the Russian School of Mathematics. The plan is 130 apartments (110 market-rate, 20 affordable), with completion targeted for June 2028.
So what does this mean for you? New housing is still coming to Lexington. It’s just coming from fewer sites than the original zoning allowed. If you’re buying or selling near the Route 128 corridor, keep that in mind when you think about long-term value.
Ready to talk?**
Nouné Karapetian, REALTOR®, Compass — 617.256.7097
Allen Babroudi, REALTOR®, Compass — 617.388.9601
📧 [email protected] | 🌐 nounek.com
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