Hotel sector economics tank plans for boutique hotel at 1265 Main St. 

Plans to build a hotel at 1265 Main St., the site of the former Polaroid factory, have fallen through, according to parcel owner and developer 1265 Main Street LLC. 

The city’s Zoning Board of Appeals in July 2024 had approved a proposal to build a six-story boutique hotel on the lot between Prospect Hill Park and Border Road. 

Representatives from 1265 Main Street sent the City Council a letter requesting that councilors approve a two-year extension on the special permit previously granted to 1265 Main St. The letter said the hotel plans had fallen through “due to the economics affecting the hotel sector” but that the company still intends to develop the land. 

The council’s Ordinances and Rules Committee will discuss the hotel in more detail at its meeting next week. 

Additionally, the City Council:

• Approved a resolution thanking Boston Dynamics for its longtime presence as a large business in Waltham and thanking former CEO Robert Playter, who announced in February he was stepping down. 
• Forwarded a number of requests by Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy to its committee meetings next week. It sent a request for $50,458.50 to help fund body armor and weapons utility vests for the Police Department, a request by the Disability Services Commission to donate $2,500 to the A Special Day in Waltham event and two requests to accept state grants to the Finance Committee. It sent requests to name two benches after Waltham residents to the Licenses and Franchises Committee.
• In honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, recognized the historic Boston Post Road — now Main and Weston streets, where George Washington once passed — as a historically significant place and resolved to better maintain Revolutionary War monuments and support other parts of the city in doing so. This matter was sent to the Veterans Services Committee for further discussion.
• Preliminarily approved a request from McCarthy to seek a $8,640,291 loan to buy the building at 600 Main St. The council took an initial vote on it before further discussion and then sent the matter to the Long-Term Debt and Capital Planning Committee to examine further.
• Sent requests for six outdoor dining permits and one secondhand shop license renewal to the Licenses and Franchises Committee.
• Voted to confirm committee decisions from last week, including the approval of additional Department of Public Works funding for the winter’s snow removal, assorted donations from the Finance Committee, two secondhand dealers license renewals and one outdoor dining permit from the Licenses and Franchises Committee, and two development-related resolutions from the Ordinances and Rules Committee.