Nordblom Co. is pursuing a multifamily redevelopment of a long-held surface parking lot in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner neighborhood, proposing a seven-story building with 103 apartments. According to reporting from the Boston Business Journal, the building would be constructed on a 0.6-acre parcel at 26 Pleasant St., a site that has been used exclusively for parking for many years despite its proximity to the area’s main commercial corridors.
The proposal envisions a mix of residential unit types ranging from studio layouts to three-bedroom apartments. Specific floor plans, square footage, or amenity details were not disclosed, but the unit mix indicates an intent to accommodate a variety of household sizes and living arrangements within the same building. The plan does not reference any nonresidential components or ground-floor commercial space.
The property sits one block off Beacon Street and two blocks from Harvard Street, both key thoroughfares through Coolidge Corner. This location positions the proposed building close to neighborhood retail and services while replacing an auto-oriented land use with housing. Nordblom has owned the 26 Pleasant St. parcel for decades, according to the Business Journal, yet has maintained it solely as a surface parking facility up to this point.
For the project to advance, a series of local approvals will be required. The Boston Business Journal and Brookline News report that voters at an upcoming Town Meeting on May 26 will consider a zoning article that would establish a new residential overlay zoning district along Pleasant Street. The proposed Nordblom apartment building is contingent on the adoption of this overlay, which would adjust current zoning to allow for the type and scale of residential development the company is seeking.
Even if Town Meeting approves the new overlay district, the development would still be subject to additional municipal review. Brookline News notes that the project would need formal approvals from both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals before construction could begin. These discretionary reviews will address how the proposed building aligns with local planning objectives, zoning requirements, and community considerations.
Collectively, the zoning article and subsequent board reviews underscore that the Nordblom proposal is at an early stage in the entitlement process. Timelines for permitting, construction start, completion, and lease-up have not been specified in the available reports.
