Whitman Economic Development Committee rules out data centers, eyes Pond Street housing project

WHITMAN -- March 19, 2026, Whitman's Economic Development Committee declared data centers essentially unviable in town and focused instead on a proposed 157-unit residential complex on Pond Street. Meeting March 19 with four of six members present, the committee under Chair Justin Evans concluded that Whitman lacks the power capacity, water supply, and available acreage to attract a data center, with member Richard Bloss calling it "just a no go." The group heard an informal update on a Pond Street proposal for 157 units across four four-story modular buildings, the same site where a roughly 215-unit project was blocked under prior zoning, noting the MBTA Communities Act has since cleared a path for the development. Members estimated the project could generate roughly $500,000 per year in new property tax revenue but flagged unresolved questions about parking and whether the town would be responsible for extending water and sewer service down Pond Street, potentially exceeding $1 million before a state grant capped at roughly $1 million per project. The committee also noted the state has not yet released its model battery energy storage bylaw, pushing that zoning effort to next year's town meeting, and set its next meeting for May 14.