Source: BRET
NEWTON, Mass.— An Atlanta-based developer is pitching a new 234-unit apartment project near a Whole Foods Market in Newton, adding to a growing pipeline of large-scale residential developments along Crafts Street, according to the Boston Business Journal (BBJ).
According to BBJ, Wood Partners has proposed developing the apartments at 38 Crafts St., a site of less than three acres currently occupied by two small office buildings and a school bus parking lot. The proposal was presented to Newton’s Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 28 but has not yet received approval.
The project, planned under Massachusetts Chapter 40B, would allow denser residential development in exchange for the inclusion of affordable rental units. If approved, the development would be known as Alta Newton, reflecting Wood Partners’ nationally recognized Alta apartment brand.
Wood Partners, headquartered in Atlanta, has an extensive Massachusetts portfolio that includes Alta properties in Abington, Bolton, Framingham, Marlborough, Somerville, Stoneham, Walpole, Wayland, and Worcester, BBJ reported.
Growing Residential Corridor on Crafts Street
The proposed development at 38 Crafts St. would join a neighboring 307-unit apartment project at 78 Crafts St., also a Chapter 40B development. That project, led by Boylston Properties, received permitting approval in 2024 but has not yet begun construction.
Boylston Properties is well known for major mixed-use and life sciences developments in the region, including Arsenal Yards and the 100 Forge and 500 Forge buildings in Watertown.
Together, the two Crafts Street projects would add more than 500 new apartments to the immediate area, significantly reshaping a corridor historically dominated by commercial and automotive uses.
Broader Housing Activity in West Newton
BBJ also noted that the Crafts Street proposals are located about a mile east of several other residential projects currently underway or approved in West Newton. These include 234 units under construction at 1149–1185 Washington St., a 50-unit approved addition at a former bank branch at 1314 Washington St., and 43 apartments under construction at the West Newton Armory at 1135 Washington St.
Taken together, the developments reflect sustained momentum in Newton’s multifamily housing market as developers pursue higher-density projects to address regional housing demand.
If approved, the Alta Newton project would further cement Crafts Street as one of the city’s most active residential development corridors.