Walker Center Predevelopment Feasibility Analysis

Weston & Sampson partnered with Urban Focus, CICADA, and Karl F. Seidman Consulting to assess the feasibility of converting the Walker Center into affordable housing.

The City of Newton purchased the site, made up of three historic buildings formerly home to the Walker Center for Ecumenical Exchange, with ARPA funds to help address a shortage of affordable, family-sized housing in the city.

Our team conducted a structural evaluation of all three buildings, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, a hazardous building materials survey, a NEPA compliance review, and a detailed zoning and historic preservation analysis. Working closely with the Joint Planning Advisory Group, the team developed six redevelopment scenarios ranging from minimal renovation to new additions to partial or full demolition. Each scenario was evaluated for regulatory feasibility, historic compatibility, infrastructure needs, and financial viability. Detailed pro formas modeled funding strategies using historic tax credits, local subsidies, and project-based vouchers. The analysis identified moderate-density options (modest additions to the existing historic structures) as the most viable path for delivering family-oriented affordable units while preserving the site’s character.