Vertical construction is underway at the Northland development on Needham Street, Northland Founder and Chairman Larry Gottesdiener said in a January 12 statement. The real estate firm recently secured $220 million in financing from JPMorganChase for this next step in the construction process.
The first phase of vertical construction will include 315 apartment units in the historic Saco Pettee Mill building and in two new buildings, Gottesdiener said. It will also create what he called “an unprecedented gathering space for the residents of Newton” in the form of a one-acre village green.
“Northland has been a patient and thoughtful steward of the Northland Newton Development (NND) site for nearly 50 years,” Gottesdiener said. “Through dramatic shifts in the marketplace, rising construction costs and a global pandemic, we invested over $100 million in site and infrastructure improvements, as our commitment to this landmark development never wavered.”
Housing
When finished, the Northland development will include a total of 822 residential units, 145 of which will be affordable. The project will also include 96,000 square feet of retail space, a bike path to the Upper Falls Greenway, and over 1,000 parking spaces.
Northland initially received Special Permit approval for the Upper Falls development in March 2020. In May 2025, the City Council approved an amended version of the permit — which removed five buildings as well as commercial office space — after Northland leaders expressed concerns over the declining demand for office space following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, Northland has completed demolition of buildings and removal of foundations, installed over 26 miles of utility infrastructure, and finished construction of the Upper Falls Splash Park and Community Park.
Greg Reibman, President and CEO of the Charles River Chamber of Commerce, told Fig City News that he is excited about the future of the development as vertical construction begins.
“It’s really exciting to know that after all these years of watching them prepare the site, they’re ready to start building up,” he said. “This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, as those of us who’ve been excited about this project: excited about what it means for the families that can live there, and for the businesses that can be there, and for all of us who can shop and dine there.”
Ward 5 City Councilor Julie Irish, whose ward is home to the development, said that she, too, is happy to see progress being made.
“While I was knocking on doors during the campaign, residents often asked why there wasn’t more visible progress at the site. Even though significant work was happening underground, many people worried the project might not move forward after the amended Special Permit was approved,” she said. “It will be great to see real movement at the Needham Street site following Northland’s financing approval.”
Improvements to the neighborhood
Gottesdiener also said that his real estate firm has contributed a first installment of $4.43 million to the City as part of its $8.35 million total obligation toward roadway and sewer improvements, as well as construction of the new Countryside Elementary School.
Irish also said that as Northland continues to make payments to the City, she is particularly excited about traffic-mitigation funds that recent payments have made newly available.
“[It’s] an excellent opportunity to look ahead and ensure those dollars deliver real benefits for Upper Falls,” she said.
Theo Younkin is a Fig City News student reporter, a senior at Newton South High School, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the NSHS Lion’s Roar.
