Needham Planning Board closes hearing on data center's conversion to self-storage

NEEDHAM -- April 7, 2026, Needham Planning Board signals approval for converting a vacant 128,750-square-foot data center at 105 Cabot Street to self-storage, closing a public hearing unanimously on April 7. Attorney George Hunter Jr. represented applicant RJ Kelly Company, which holds a December 2025 ZBA use variance and is seeking a 111-space parking waiver under the town's warehouse parking standard, which would nominally require 156 spaces against the 45 spaces on site. Traffic engineer Lisa Wong of Kimley Horn testified that ITE manual data predicts a weekday peak demand of just 13 parking spaces. The board's sharpest discussion centered on a shuttle service condition embedded in the original 2011 permit: member Adam Block noted the Needham route of the 128 Business Council shuttle grew 75 percent in the past year and said any amended permit must retain some form of shuttle participation, a position Shaw Smith of RJ Kelly accepted on behalf of the company. The board also voted unanimously to recommend two residential setback and height articles for the May 5 Annual Town Meeting, and heard an informal pitch from developer Robert Schlager of Bowfinch, who said he now plans to seek a Special Town Meeting zoning amendment in October 2026 to allow approximately 500 age-restricted multifamily units at the former Muzzy property at 557 Highland Avenue.