The Medford Community Development Board approved Tufts’ proposed new dorm at 401 Boston Ave. on Feb. 5, allowing construction to begin this spring.
The dorm will be a two-building complex with 299 units, and will house almost 700 upperclassmen when it is scheduled to open in 2027. The board expressed their reluctance to make the decision, recognizing the project’s strong public opposition, but focused the decision on whether existing legal restrictions were enough to deny the proposal.
Emily Hedeman, community development board chair, recognized the need for more student housing, but sternly addressed Tufts administration after the project was passed with five affirming votes and one abstention.
“I hope to never see a project like this in front of us ever again, with this horrible community engagement. Be a better neighbor,” she said.
Ari Gofman Fishman, a board member, called on Tufts to improve communication with the public.
“You are members of a community. … Being a good partner may not pay immediate dividends in dollars and cents, but it absolutely pays dividends in the short, medium and long term,” Fishman said. “We are a community and I urge you to take the community’s concerns much more seriously than I have seen you do in this particular process.”
The board was asked to determine if the buildings qualified for use of the Dover Amendment, a Massachusetts statute that grants non-profit educational organizations the right to seek relief from certain zoning restrictions, and whether reasonable restrictions could be applied.
Tufts’ partnership with Capstone Development Partners, a privately-held development company, and inclusion of a retail space on the building’s ground floor raised questions about whether the project qualifies for Dover protections.
Despite members’ reservations, opinions were mixed on whether a legal justification existed to strike down the plan. On Jan. 15, the board denied the proposal before acknowledging that they would need to cite a reason for denying the proposal and unanimously voting to reconsider the decision moments later.
On Wednesday, board members generally agreed that Dover protections should apply but expressed disappointment over how the buildings would impact the public.
“Separate from my feelings about the design of the project, it is clear that this is a Dover Amendment use, and that has been confirmed by legal counsel to my satisfaction,” Fishman said.
“The public is making their feelings very well known, and I do appreciate that. And while we may not be able to act fully per your hopes, we still need to do what’s right by our board,” Hedeman said.
Residents have criticized a lack of community engagement in the development process and the buildings’ proposed bulk and height. Many members of the public appeared on Zoom with virtual backgrounds that read “BUILD A BRIDGE / NOT A WALL.”
Adrienne Rae Landau, a Medford resident with a direct view of the now-approved site, said she believes the decision was influenced by the city’s fear of a legal dispute with Tufts. She also expressed frustration over what she feels is an unbalanced power dynamic at play.
“Those with greater power insist they can do what they want simply because they have more power and are entitled to use it regardless of the negative impact on others,” she said.
Landau and her fellow neighbors remain united but are “also in the process of considering our options for next steps.”
“We gathered, we planned, we used our voices. … We really united around the same basic issues: Build a building, house your students,” she said. “But if you build it that tall, it’s going to hurt people in the neighborhood.”
Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations at Tufts, expressed the university’s contentment with the plan’s approval.
“We’re pleased that the Community Development Board has approved the project, which will enable the university to house more students on campus, free up housing for working families, and deliver a host of benefits to the community,” he wrote in an email to the Daily. “We appreciate the backing of many of our neighbors, government officials, and others in the community who have supported the project.”
Tufts made several concessions throughout the process, including agreeing to build new tree-linings on Boston Avenue, donating to an affordable housing trust and a neighborhood improvement fund and implementing a shuttle between campus and Medford Square.
Board members determined they will require Tufts to submit frequent reports as a check on their concessions. The board will review the reports and can refer them to the Medford Building Department for enforcement.
