Brookline approves rezoning for major City Realty mixed-use project

Brookline Town Meeting has approved rezoning for City Realty’s five-acre Route 9 site, clearing a key hurdle for a large mixed-use development in one of the town’s biggest redevelopment efforts in decades. The project pairs housing, hotel, retail and medical space with millions in promised community benefits and could start construction in 2028 after state and local reviews.

Why it matters: - Brookline’s approval opens the door to one of the town’s largest redevelopment projects in decades. - The project is designed to add housing, commercial space and public benefits at a major Route 9 corridor site. - City Realty says the development will support Brookline’s long-term economic stability and local investment.

What happened: - Brookline Town Meeting approved a major rezoning for City Realty’s proposed redevelopment at 1280-1330 Boylston Street. - The vote was 217-20. - The site covers five acres along Route 9 in Brookline, Massachusetts. - The rezoning advances a mixed-use project that City Realty has been planning for the property.

The details: - The plan calls for three buildings. - The development would include a full-service hotel with event space, a spa and multiple restaurant outlets. - The project also includes residential units, medical offices and retail space. - City Realty projects more than $6.3 million in annual net new tax revenue from the development. - The company has committed $11 million to Brookline’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. - City Realty has also committed $12 million for transportation and public safety improvements. - The rezoning supports Brookline’s goals of expanding its commercial tax base and increasing housing opportunities. - The approval followed extensive planning, community input and property owner negotiations.

Between the lines: - The rezoning suggests Brookline is willing to trade higher density and new commercial activity for large public-benefit commitments. - The mix of hotel, housing, medical and retail uses points to a project built to generate traffic and tax revenue while broadening the site’s economic role. - City Realty is positioning the project as both a neighborhood investment and a long-term business play.

What’s next: - The project now moves into Massachusetts environmental review and local permitting. - Construction could begin in 2028 if the remaining approvals are secured. - City Realty says the development will continue to reflect its focus on responsible development and long-term partnerships.

The bottom line: - Brookline has cleared a major zoning hurdle for a large mixed-use project that could reshape a key corridor while delivering housing, tax revenue and community funding.