A developer wants to tear down a century-old home on Garden Street and replace it with 10 condominiums, and the Needham Select Board will hear the pitch Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m.

Michael and Robert Tedoldi's Fuller Brook Ltd. is proposing the "Gardeners Nest" project at 193 Garden St., a 30,000-square-foot lot across from the Needham Bank building near the corner of May Street. The plan calls for five duplex buildings with four-bedroom units ranging from 3,000 to 3,500 square feet. Three of the 10 units would be designated affordable, available at 80% of area median income, the Needham Observer reported when the project was first introduced in March.

The project is being pursued through the state's Local Initiative Program, a "friendly" version of Chapter 40B that allows multi-family construction in a single-residence zoning district in exchange for affordable units and local financial oversight. Unlike a standard 40B comprehensive permit, LIP requires demonstrated local support, including a formal letter from Town Manager Katie King in coordination with the Select Board. The project's final destination is the Zoning Board of Appeals.

This is not the board's first look. The proposal appeared on the March 10 agenda, and all four members present reacted favorably, though no formal action was taken. Select Board Vice Chair Cathy Dowd said at that March meeting, "We really need different types of housing. We have a lot of one type, but we're looking for different types. I think this fits in Needham."

Michael Tedoldi, who has been building for nearly 50 years, previously developed the Miller Green Condominiums at 90-98 Dedham Ave. in 2008. Attorney George Giunta Jr. told the board in March that the Gardeners Nest design draws on that earlier project's inward-facing layout with a common walkway and vegetated garden area. Giunta also noted that several multi-family residences and commercial operations already exist in the immediate neighborhood, despite its Single Residence B zoning.

Needham already exceeds the state's 10% affordable housing threshold, with 1,404 units (11.85%) on the Subsidized Housing Inventory, according to the town's Chapter 40B page. That means the town retains full discretion over 40B proposals and can reject applications without facing a state appeal. The LIP route, however, signals cooperation rather than confrontation between developer and municipality.

Wetlands consultant Mary Trudeau is listed among the presenters on the Aug. 11 agenda, indicating environmental review remains part of the process even under the streamlined LIP framework.

The property was listed at $2 million when it came on the market in January 2026. Whether Fuller Brook Ltd. has completed the purchase could not be confirmed from available records.

Residents who want to comment can notify the Office of the Town Manager by email at [email protected] or by phone at (781) 455-7500, ext. 71204, by end of business Monday, Aug. 10. The meeting takes place in the Select Board Chambers at Town Hall, 1471 Highland Ave., and is accessible via Zoom (Webinar ID: 826 0101 3229, Passcode: 652800).