A private parking garage in West Newton is now open to the public as part of a two-month pilot aimed at easing parking pressure in the village center and supporting nearby businesses.
The parking pilot at 24 Chestnut Street, across from the Police Annex, began in late July 2026 and is expected to run for approximately two months, wrapping up around late September. The garage, previously reserved for tenants of the adjacent office building that is home to Commodore Builders, is now open to the public on weekdays from 5:30PM to midnight and weekends from 8AM to midnight.
The garage is owned by 1230 West Newton LLC, which also owns the Commodore Builders building. It has 55 spaces available to the public, according to the Charles River Regional Chamber. Parking costs $3 per hour, with a $20 daily maximum. LAZ Parking was hired by the property owner to manage the facility.
The pilot comes as City officials and local businesses have raised concerns about the availability of convenient parking in West Newton, particularly near restaurants, shops, and the West Newton Cinema.
Lauren Berman, Newton’s director of economic development, said the City began exploring additional parking options after hearing from business owners and other stakeholders about the need for more spaces.
“There’s a need for parking in West Newton,” Berman said, noting that the West Newton Cinema was among the businesses that particularly emphasized the issue.
Berman said the City’s economic development team began meeting with West Newton businesses and stakeholders after Mayor Marc Laredo took office and found that parking was a recurring concern.
The City then connected with 1230 West Newton LLC, which Berman said “went out of their way” to make its garage available to the public.
“They made the needed investments to make it happen,” Berman said. “To me, it was just a shining example of a business going above and beyond, and generously giving back to and supporting the local community.”
Berman said the garage is, to her knowledge, the only private garage in Newton currently being opened to the public in this way.
From tenant parking to public parking
The garage has historically served tenants of the building, which contains nearly 90,000 square feet of office space for several hundred workers, according to Joe Albanese, CEO of Commodore Builders and one of the owners of 1230 West Newton LLC.
Albanese said he was aware of the parking challenges in West Newton even before the company acquired the building.
“I was aware of a few things: all the development that was happening in the West Newton area, the fact that there was a lack of parking,” Albanese said. He also said people within the city had expressed interest in exploring whether the garage could be used for public parking.
Opening the garage to the public required more than simply making existing spaces available.
The garage’s previous access-control system was designed for people who had already been granted access to the building, Albanese said. Making it available commercially required new access, tracking, and security systems, as well as changes related to insurance.
The company brought in a parking consultant to help determine what would be needed to make the garage suitable for public use.
1230 West Newton LLC initially worked with LAZ Parking as a consultant before ultimately bringing the company on to manage the garage.
Albanese said LAZ’s expertise was useful not only for establishing operating procedures, but also for providing around-the-clock support if problems arise when building staff are not present.
A test of demand
For now, the arrangement is temporary – a two-month pilot during which 1230 West Newton LLC and LAZ will evaluate demand and determine whether operating the garage as a public parking facility is sustainable.
“We’re hoping to learn what the demand really is going to be and how to optimize that,” Albanese said.
The property owner expects to make an investment of several hundred thousand dollars in the garage to accommodate public parking, he said. The goal is not to generate a significant profit, but to cover the costs and risks associated with operating the facility.
“We’re not looking to make any big profit here,” Albanese said. “We’re just looking to cover our costs and the risk of insurance and all that, for the space.”
The current rates were based on a parking study conducted by LAZ that considered the garage’s location and competing parking rates, Albanese said. The company then discounted the recommended rate.
“We wanted to make it accessible, but we certainly didn’t want to overcharge,” he said. “At the same time, we needed to at least charge a minimum so that we could understand, based upon the demand, whether it covers our costs.”
Berman emphasized that the City will not determine whether the garage remains open permanently.
“That’s really up to 1230 [West Newton LLC],” Berman said. “They’re the ones that are making the investment in this, and they’re the ones who have contracted with LAZ.”
The City’s role, she said, was to identify the need and help make sure residents and businesses know that the additional parking option is available.
Businesses see potential benefit
For businesses in West Newton, the garage could provide an additional option for customers who might otherwise struggle to find parking close to their destination.
Berman said the West Newton Cinema had expressed concerns that a lack of nearby parking could cause potential customers to go elsewhere.
“There are different days of the week, times of the day, months of the year when parking in West Newton can be challenging, especially if you’re looking for parking right next to your destination,” she said.
Albanese said the cinema was among several local businesses and organizations that had contacted him about the garage, along with The Allen House and other local stakeholders.
City Councilor Pam Wright said she has also heard concerns about the availability of nearby parking from residents and businesses.
Wright said she knows of two businesses that either moved or closed, at least in part because of a lack of nearby parking. She said residents have told her they are excited about the new garage.
“I think this is welcome news for businesses and visitors, especially for the theater,” Wright said.
She also cautioned that pricing will be an important factor in determining whether people use the garage.
“I hope enough people use it so we have additional parking year round,” Wright said. “But some may not park there at night when there’s free parking at the meters. Also, if the price is too high, I expect visitors won’t use it. Pricing is critical.”
The Charles River Regional Chamber has also promoted the garage as a new parking option for West Newton businesses and visitors, noting that parking can be paid for on-site or reserved in advance.
LAZ has reached out separately to local businesses about partnering to promote the garage, including through parking information on business websites and outreach to its Boston-area email subscribers.
Looking beyond the pilot
Even if the 24 Chestnut Street garage does not become a permanent public parking facility, Berman said the City will continue to look for ways to address parking needs in West Newton.
“We recognize that there’s a need for more parking in West Newton, and the City has a whole team looking at possible opportunities for additional parking there,” she said.
For Albanese, opening the garage is ultimately about being part of the neighborhood where his company operates.
“I grew up in Newton, and we want to be good neighbors,” he said. “I’m really excited about what’s going on in West Newton.”
As development and activity in the village continue, Albanese said he expects demand for parking to increase.
“To the extent that we can have a positive impact on the throughput of people and commerce in West Newton, we’re happy to be part of that,” he said.