Malden Development Projects: 213 Main Street Housing, Lead Pipe Removal and Broadway Redesign

Featured image: Malden Center station, seen from the Mountain Avenue overpass in April 2019. Photo: Karlunun via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Malden, Massachusetts is moving ahead with several development projects this fall. Construction has started on 20 income-restricted apartments at 213 Main St., the city won $425,000 for the Linden Park playground, and lead water line removal has sped up. Work also continues on redesign plans for Broadway and Salem Street. Here is where each project stands, based on City of Malden announcements through Oct. 22, 2026.

213 Main Street: 20 affordable apartments under construction

The Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) has begun preliminary sitework at 213 Main St., the former Salvation Army site, the city announced Oct. 20. Construction is expected to take 18 months, with completion scheduled for spring 2028. ACDC bought the site in 2022 using federal ARPA funds provided by the city.

The three-story, income-restricted building will have:

• 5 one-bedroom units
• 13 two-bedroom units
• 2 three-bedroom units

That totals 37 bedrooms. ICON Architecture designed the building, which will be all-electric, solar-ready and built to Enterprise Green Communities and Energy Star multifamily standards. ACDC Executive Director Angie Liou said it will be the organization’s first affordable building in Malden. Ward 1 Councillor Peg Crowe said, “Affordable housing is greatly needed in Malden.”

Lead service line replacement: target of a lead-free system by 2032

On Oct. 15 the city reported that it has replaced more than 265 lead service lines this year and is on pace to pass its 2026 goal of 330. The headline of that announcement gives a figure of 257. The work uses the MWRA loan and grant program and a federal grant. In June, the city said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded it $9.9 million, and that Malden was one of two cities in the country to receive that grant in 2026. The city’s long-term goal is to remove every lead line by 2032.

Service lines are the small pipes that connect a property to the water main. The city says its and the MWRA’s main pipes do not contain lead, but older properties may still have lead or galvanized service lines. Residents can check the city’s lead service line map or call the Engineering Department at 781-397-7040 to ask about an inspection.

Linden Park playground: $425,000 state grant

A $425,000 grant from the state’s Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) program will pay to renovate the Linden Park playground, the city announced Oct. 21. Plans call for new play features, fencing, rubberized surfacing in place of mulch, new trees, a shade shelter and picnic tables. The design drew on three public meetings and two surveys, including input from Linden STEAM Academy students. Construction is expected to start in summer 2027.

Broadway and Salem Street redesigns

In July the city won a $1.98 million award to bring the Broadway (Route 99) reconstruction design to “shovel-ready” status. It combines $1.584 million in federal BUILD grant funding with a $396,000 MassDOT match. The proposed design for the stretch from the Everett line to the Melrose line includes six new turn lanes, a new traffic signal at Taylor and Grover streets, 19 new crosswalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, more stormwater capacity and new street trees. The city says it is still seeking construction funding.

Separately, Malden received $852,846 from MassDOT’s Shared Streets and Spaces program for Salem Street between Main Street and Broadway. The plan adds and repaints crosswalks, installs curb extensions and bus stop markings, and adds transit signal priority where feasible. The city says it does not include bus lanes or remove parking. Salem Street is served by MBTA bus routes 106, 108, 411 and 430.

More Malden coverage

• Malden trash pickup, yard waste and street sweeping guide
• Malden snow emergency and winter parking guide
• Malden Halloween 2026 trick-or-treat hours and events
• Other affordable housing coverage: Dorchester Bay City project update and Marian Manor’s 204 apartments in South Boston

Additional details

• The city says its Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development has brought in nearly $45.9 million in grants since July 2021, including $13.7 million for transportation, as of July 2026.
• The EPA lead line grant effort was started by City Engineer Yem Lip, with technical support from consulting engineers Fuss & O’Neill.
• ACDC runs a youth leadership program in Malden and offers HUD-approved homebuying classes in Chinese and English.
• Questions about Broadway and Salem Street go to Transportation Planner Jim Tarr. Linden Park questions go to the city’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, which manages the project.

Sources

• City of Malden: Construction Begins on 20 Affordable Units at 213 Main Street
• City of Malden: Malden Accelerates Lead Pipe Removal
• City of Malden: Malden Receives Major EPA Grant for City-Wide Lead Line Removal
• City of Malden: Malden Awarded $425,000 for Linden Park Playground
• City of Malden: Malden Wins Nearly $2 Million Grant for Broadway Improvements
• City of Malden: City Wins $850K Grant for Salem Street Improvements