What Homes at 26 Pleasant St Add — Coolidge Corner, Brookline

See what changes when a transit-rich parcel is used for homes instead of underused asphalt and car storage.

Made with love by a Coolidge Corner dad and Precinct 8 Town Meeting Member who wants to let other people live here too. This calculator is backed by data wherever possible, and whenever assumptions are made, they are called out.

Warrant Article 16, May 2026 Town Meeting →

How to use this page: This is a data-driven tool for exploring the tradeoffs and impacts of the proposed 103-home development at 26 Pleasant Street, which Town Meeting will vote on in May 2026. The sliders below are set to the developer's current proposal, but you can adjust them to see what happens if the town insists on more parking, a different unit mix, or higher affordability requirements. Start with the defaults, play with each slider, and scroll down for deeper dives into traffic, schools, taxes, and local business impact.

Map showing 26 Pleasant St within Census Tract 4002.01, Coolidge Corner, Brookline

26 Pleasant St sits within Census Tract 4002.01, steps from the Coolidge Corner T stop, Brookline Booksmith, and the Public Library. The site is currently a private surface parking lot.

Space for People vs. Space for Cars

The developer has maximized the buildable footprint of this site. Every square foot devoted to parking is a square foot that can't be used for homes. This is a zero-sum tradeoff: which do you choose, people or cars?

103

Homes for People

Spaces for Cars

~520

Trees Saved by Building Here

At 0.35 spaces/home, parking uses ~12,600 sq ft of building area.

Why "trees saved"? If these 103 households were instead built as single-family homes on typical suburban 1/4-acre lots, the development footprint would be ~26 acres, clearing roughly 520 mature trees. Building vertically on a confirmed 0.58-acre infill lot avoids that land conversion entirely. ASSUMPTION 20 mature trees per acre for mixed suburban development (USFS Urban Tree Canopy estimates); 0.25-acre lot per single-family home.

More Parking = Fewer Homes: The Tradeoff

The building's footprint is maxed out. If you want more parking spaces, you sacrifice homes. If you want more homes, you reduce parking. The vertical line shows where the current sliders are set. VAI / Fougere

Estimated Parking Construction Cost

$1.8M

60 spaces x $30,000/space

ASSUMPTION $30K/structured space. National median ~$29,900. WGI 2024

Foregone Annual Tax Revenue

$157K/yr

27 fewer homes vs. 0-parking scenario

In a hypothetical scenario with zero on-site parking, the building could fit ~27 more homes. This gives a sense of the tradeoff: dedicating space to parking has a real cost in foregone tax revenue and housing.

Fiscal & Economic Impact

What does this project mean for Brookline's bottom line? The Fougere Fiscal Impact Analysis (prepared for the developer, but based on comparable Brookline buildings and consistent with third-party data) projects a net positive annual fiscal impact of over $334,000. Below we break down the revenue, costs, and broader economic effects.

Net Fiscal Impact: Revenue vs. Town Costs

Revenue = property tax + motor vehicle excise. Costs = school ($20,713/student net of Ch. 70 aid, discounted 25%), police (28 calls/yr from comparable buildings), fire (10 calls/yr), other departments ($125/unit). Fougere Fiscal Analysis

Note on the Fougere study: This analysis was commissioned by the developer (Nordblom), but its methodology uses publicly verifiable inputs: police and fire call estimates come from actual call logs at 45 Marion St and 77 Marion St (comparable apartment buildings in the same neighborhood), school costs use MA DESE per-pupil figures net of Chapter 70 aid, and the assessed value is averaged from three existing Brookline apartment community assessments. The school enrollment estimate (0.145 students/unit) is consistent with ULI's national benchmark of 0.19 for mid/high-rise apartments.

Property Tax Revenue

Under Proposition 2½, new construction qualifies as "new growth" and grows Brookline's property tax levy. This benefits the town by expanding its capacity to fund services and lessening the relative burden on existing taxpayers. The chart below shows how that revenue declines as higher parking requirements are imposed.

Total Annual Property Tax Revenue vs. Parking Ratio

As parking increases and homes decrease, total annual tax revenue from the project falls. Vertical line = current ratio.

Tax estimate: Each home assessed at $566,188 (average of three comparable Brookline apartment communities: Marion Square at $749K/unit, 45 Marion at $379K, The Calvin at $674K). FY2026 rate: $10.24/$1,000. The site currently generates $30,727/yr as a parking lot; the net new tax revenue is ~$566K/yr. Fougere Fiscal Analysis Assessor
Formula: Total annual tax = (homes x $566,188) x $10.24 / $1,000

Impact on Local Coolidge Corner Businesses

New residents living steps from local shops and restaurants are likely to become recurring customers and unlikely to drive a car given they would live within the commercial district.

~168

New Residents Within Walking Distance

~840

Weekly Trips to CC Businesses

~$1.1M

Annual New Spending in CC ⓘ

Net New Commercial Parking Needed

How we get these numbers: NHTS data shows Americans average ~4.1 person-trips/day, with 72% for shopping, errands, and social purposes (~20 local-service trips/person/week). For residents living 90 seconds from Brookline Booksmith and 2 minutes from Beacon & Harvard, we estimate 25% of those trips land in Coolidge Corner = 5 trips/person/week to CC. At ~$25/trip (derived from BLS Consumer Expenditure data, excluding housing, transport, and insurance), that yields ~$21K/week or ~$1.1M/year in new spending for CC businesses. NHTS BLS CEX 2024

This calculation assumes residents will walk to local businesses rather than driving to them, given the site's location within the commercial district. The developer plans 60 on-site spaces, the same as the existing surface lot.

Estimated Annual Spending in Coolidge Corner vs. Homes Built

Three scenarios: Conservative (15% of trips to CC, $20/trip), mid-point (25%, $25), optimistic (35%, $30). All use NHTS baseline of ~20 local-service trips/person/week. The band shows the range of plausible outcomes. NHTS BLS CEX

School Impact

Multifamily housing tends to bring fewer students per unit than single-family homes. Both local Brookline data and national ULI research support this pattern.

Estimated School-Age Children by Scenario

ULI: 19 per 100 mid/high-rise apt units vs. 64 per 100 owner-occ SF homes. ULI

Under the selected scenario, this project is estimated to add ~15 school-aged children to Florida Ruffin Ridley. The default rate (0.145/unit) comes from the Fougere Fiscal Impact Analysis, which examined 131 comparable apartment units currently in Brookline and found 19 school-age children among them. This is consistent with the ULI national benchmark of 0.19/unit for mid/high-rise apartments, which represents the upper bound. If the same 103 households lived in single-family homes: ~66 children, roughly 4x more. Fougere ULI

Common Concerns

We've heard these questions from neighbors. Here are fact-based responses grounded in local data, the developer's own studies, and national research.

Businesses Worried about Parking Loss ▼

These residents live inside the commercial district, 0.1 mi from Beacon & Harvard. They walk out their front door. Adding 100+ households within walking distance creates a steady base of recurring customers. The developer plans 60 on-site parking spaces (the same number as the existing surface lot), so there is no net change in neighborhood parking supply. Net impact on commercial-area parking: approximately zero.

Impact on the Schools ▼

ULI data: 19 school-age children per 100 mid/high-rise units vs. 64 per 100 owner-occ SF homes. Under the moderate scenario, ~12 school-age children from 103 homes.

Traffic and Emergency Response Issues ▼

Traffic management and emergency access are real design and operations questions that deserve serious engineering review during site plan approval. They are not blanket reasons to prohibit transit-oriented multifamily housing.

The developer's own traffic engineer (Vanasse & Associates) concluded this project will generate no more than 26 vehicle trips during peak hours, or one additional vehicle every 2 to 3 minutes on Pleasant Street. This uses conservative (high) assumptions from ITE trip generation data. ACS commuting data for this census tract shows only 31% of workers drive alone; 32% work from home, 17% use transit, and 15% walk or bike. Beacon Street carries 13,800 to 21,300 vehicles per day. Even the full 300 daily auto trips represent roughly 1-2% of existing corridor volume.

The developer has also committed to Transportation Demand Management measures including unbundled parking (sold separately from leases), transit passes for new residents, secure bike storage, and a real-time transit display in the lobby.

The relevant design issues are driveway placement, loading zones, turning geometry, curb design, and intersection operations. These are addressable through standard site plan review. Emergency access should be treated as a design question, not an anti-housing veto. VAI Traffic Study USDOT Bridle Path Traffic

Extent to which People will Still Drive ▼

Correct. The question is whether this location supports fewer cars per household than less transit-rich sites. Among renters here, 59% have zero vehicles. ACS commuting data shows only 31% of tract workers drive alone; 32% work from home, 17% use transit, 15% walk or bike. The developer plans 60 on-site spaces for 103 units (0.58 ratio), and their traffic engineer projects a maximum of 26 peak-hour vehicle trips. VAI / ACS

Impact of Requiring 1 Parking Space per Unit ▼

Requiring 1:1 parking means choosing more housing for cars at the expense of housing for people. Under a fixed envelope, going from the developer's planned 0.58 to 1.0 reduces homes from 103 to roughly 73 and adds ~$1.3M in additional construction cost. The developer is already providing 60 spaces (the same as the existing lot). Mandating more just increases cost and replaces space for people with space for cars, in a neighborhood where 59% of renter households have zero vehicles.

Methodology, Assumptions & Sources ▼

Core Data Sources

Data Point	Source	Value
Proposed overlay	Draft Art. 16	FAR 4.0, 85ft, 103 units, 60 parking spaces
Parcel size	Developer (Nordblom) / VAI Traffic Study	0.58 acres (25,265 sq ft) confirmed
Unit mix (confirmed)	Fougere Fiscal Analysis, Jan 2026	18 studio, 63 1BR, 17 2BR, 5 3BR (16 affordable)
Assessed value	Fougere Fiscal Analysis (3 Brookline comps)	$566,188/unit avg ($58.3M total). Comps: Marion Sq $749K, 45 Marion $379K, The Calvin $674K
Parking spaces (planned)	VAI Traffic Study / Fougere	60 spaces (0.58/unit). Existing lot also has 60 spaces.
IZ requirement	IZ By-Law	15% at ≤70% AMI
FY2026 res. tax rate	Assessor	$10.24/1,000
Existing site assessment	Fougere Fiscal Analysis	$3,000,700 (generates $30,727/yr as parking lot)
Gross property tax (projected)	Fougere Fiscal Analysis	$597,170/yr (net new: $566,443)
Motor vehicle excise tax	Fougere Fiscal Analysis	$21,700/yr (62 cars x $14K avg value)
School-age children (Brookline)	Fougere (131 comparable units)	0.145 per unit = 15 SAC from 103 units
School cost per pupil (net)	MA DESE / Fougere	$20,713 (after Chapter 70 aid)
Police impact	Fougere (45 Marion + 77 Marion comps)	28 calls/yr, $20,000 cost
Fire impact	Fougere (same comps)	10 calls/yr, $19,290 cost
Net fiscal impact	Fougere Fiscal Analysis	+$334,205/yr (revenue $618,870 minus costs $284,665)
One-time building permits	Fougere Fiscal Analysis	~$700,000
Traffic (peak hour)	VAI Transportation Impact Evaluation, Nov 2025	26 vehicles max, 1 every 2-3 min. 300 auto trips/day.
ACS commuting modes (Tract 4002.01)	ACS 2019-2023, S0801 / VAI	31% SOV, 5% carpool, 17% transit, 15% walk/bike, 32% WFH
K-8 enrollment trend	Brookline School Dept / Fougere	Down 16.7% since 2018 (5,486 to 4,568)
CC renter vehicles	ACS 2024 5-yr, B25044, Tr. 4002.01	59.1% zero, 37.4% one, 3.5% 2+
CC owner vehicles	Same	14.7% zero, 64.1% one, 21.2% 2+
Beacon Street ADT	Bridle Path Design Review	13,800 to 21,300 vehicles/day
Daily person trips	NHTS 2017	4.09 trips/person/day; 72% shopping/errands/social
Consumer expenditure	BLS CEX 2024	$78,535/yr; ~$25/local-service trip
Parking cost (structured)	WGI 2024	~$29,900/space national median
Walk to Beacon & Harvard	Google Maps	~0.1 mi / 2 min
Walk to Booksmith	Google Maps	~0.2 mi / 4 min

Assumptions

Parameter	Default	Rationale
Assessed value/unit	$566,188	Average of 3 Brookline apartment comps (Fougere). Not an assumption.
Parking ratio	0.58 (60 spaces)	Developer plan (Nordblom/VAI). Same count as existing surface lot.
Parking cost/space	$30,000	WGI 2024 national median.
Area/space	350 sq ft	Industry standard w/ circulation.
Avg unit area	~777 sq ft net	Calibrated so 103 units + 60 spaces fits 101,060 sq ft envelope.
Max envelope	~101,060 sq ft	25,265 sq ft (0.58 ac) x FAR 4.0. Tradeoff model only.
Occupancy	S:1.1, 1BR:1.4, 2BR:2.2, 3BR+:3.2	Standard MF estimates.
School cost discount	75% of avg cost	Fougere: declining enrollment means many seats are empty. Conservative.
Local trips/person/wk to CC	5	NHTS: ~20 local-service trips/wk. 25% CC share = 5.
CC share of local trips	25%	Residents live inside CC (90 sec to Booksmith).
Spend per local trip	$25	BLS CEX 2024, excl. housing/transport/insurance.
Trees/acre (sprawl)	20	USFS Urban Tree Canopy est.
SF lot size (sprawl)	0.25 acres	Typical suburban 1/4-acre lot.

Formulas

Residents = Σ(units by type x occupancy)

Vehicles = Σ(HH x vehicle-count probability)

Total tax = homes x $566,188 x $10.24/1,000

Net fiscal impact = (property tax + excise tax) - (school + police + fire + other costs)

Homes (fixed envelope) = (101,060 - spaces x 350) / 777

Sprawl trees = homes x 0.25 acres x 20 trees/acre

Annual CC spending = residents x 5 trips/week x $25/trip x 52 weeks

Developer-Submitted Studies

Fougere Planning & Development, Fiscal Impact Analysis, 26 Pleasant Street (Jan 21, 2026): assessed value comps, property tax projections, school/police/fire cost analysis, net fiscal impact of +$334,205/yr. Prepared for Nordblom Company. PDF

Vanasse & Associates (VAI), Transportation Impact Evaluation, 26 Pleasant Street (Nov 10, 2025): trip generation (ITE LUC 221), ACS commuting mode data, peak-hour traffic (26 vehicles max), sight distance evaluation, TDM recommendations. Prepared for Nordblom Company. PDF

Additional References

USDOT, Land Use as a Strategy (Jan 2025): land-use and transportation choices are interconnected; supports TOD as infrastructure policy. USDOT PDF

CTPS, Transportation Access Studies of Central Business Districts: customer behavior data for Coolidge Corner. CTPS

Donald Shoup, The High Cost of Free Parking: parking economics and induced driving. Preface PDF

City of Cambridge, Cycling Safety Ordinance Economic Impact Study: no evidence of predicted business collapse. Cambridge

ITE, Trip Generation Manual, 12th Ed (2021): LUC 221, Multifamily Housing (Mid-Rise). Used by VAI for trip generation calculations.

What 103 Homes at 26 Pleasant St Add in Coolidge Corner

Implied Headline Project Impacts & Stats

Scenario Explorer

Coolidge Corner Renters Are Already Car-Light

Vehicle Availability: Coolidge Corner, Census Tract 4002.01