A look at Norwood's 2025, and a preview of 2026

It’s 2026. Or, depending on when you’re reading this (delivery goes out Dec. 30) it’s still 2025. But in any case, 2025 was a big year for Norwood, and we’re recapping the most impactful stories for the Town.

The biggest continuing story for Norwood is that of Norwood Hospital. If you maybe celebrated New Year’s Eve a little too hard and don’t recall, the Norwood Hospital closed down in 2020 after a huge flood that rendering the building unusable.

Since then, the former Hospital operator, Steward Health Care, essentially imploded. Once one of the largest hospital operators in the country, let alone New England, the company has completely moved out of New England and left the hollowed-out husks of several hospitals in its wake.

Norwood Hospital is one of the outliers. Steward had started rebuilding it, with planning approvals and shovels in the ground back in 2021, but work stalled as Steward’s financial troubles mounted. Contractors reportedly weren’t getting paid, while at “operating” hospitals, workers and contractors were also being ripped off.

And in 2024, Steward’s landlord, Medical Properties Trust, took over the construction project as the company’s assets were auctioned off to the highest bidder. Steward still technically exists, but seemingly only as a holding company to deal with all the lawsuits from its creditors.

But this year saw some good news for Norwood Hospital. The major work of the building is now complete – much of the first-floor medical infrastructure needs to be done still, but that’s for an operator to figure out once they purchase the site – and now the garage construction is underway.

The Norwood Hospital Task Force, along with local politicians and construction workers, hosted a tour of the facility back in April – https://tinyurl.com/jhdst27w – and Town Manager Tony Mazzucco said then that talks were happening about finding an operator.

But fast forward to October, Mazzucco said those talks were continuing. Though, he sounded more confident at the time – https://tinyurl.com/2bvxbckt

In any case, the Town and the Norwood Hospital Task Force is still asking residents to send letters to elected officials advocating for them to work harder to find an operator for the hospital. Go to FinishTheJobNorwood.com to fill out an online letter and send it.

And the hospital’s closure has had far-reaching implications. Though it is a significant part of the Town’s current budget woes, much and more has been discussed about the structural budget deficit that has been looming for the past few years.

Norwood has been lucky enough to have free cash available to plug the gaps, but the specter of another operational override is looming for the next fiscal year – https://tinyurl.com/yc7cahjc

The Town is about $7 million in the hole each year, and while the Schools have proposed a smaller budget increase than in past years at about 3 percent, as opposed to 6 percent or at one point even 11 percent in past years – https://tinyurl.com/yvm5vy6f – it’s still a big problem that the Town is going to have to face.

The Town set up a deficit committee in the summer to try to come up with ways to reduce the deficit and/or show what those cuts would mean, but work stalled. The reasoning given was that departments don’t want to scare employees into other jobs prematurely, as hiring is a tedious and labor-intensive process that could upend any potential savings if done wrongly.

But the big issue remains: staffing is the largest budget demand the Town has, and if cuts are going to come, that will mean a large reduction in services from needed employees like teachers, fire and police.

But 2025 had some high points, too. Guild Pond is getting some TLC from Town Meeting through the Community Preservation Committee – https://tinyurl.com/2ekfmn2m – and will hopefully allow residents more access to fishing and boating.

Mustang Sally, the Norwood Police Department’s K-9 Therapy Officer, got her own book, with reportedly more on the way – https://tinyurl.com/495t2m5f

Hundreds took to the streets in a display of protest – https://tinyurl.com/sx9hvty8 – in the colonial traditions of the Town. And hundreds came out to remember the original raised alarm of “The regulars are coming!” when the Town sent militia to fight in the Battle of Lexington and Concord – https://tinyurl.com/jhdst27w

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Norwood dedicated the playground at the Norwood Memorial Airport for resident Tyler Lawrence, who tragically lost his life in 2023 – https://tinyurl.com/yc2z2h2s

Beavers may have also gotten a reprieve, as the airport has seen a couple of unplanned constructions around its waterways. The Town is looking into water regulation devices that would deter them from building. Currently, the only recourse for such buildings is euthanasia, as moving populations doesn’t work – https://tinyurl.com/3yyu9tw8

Gov. Allen’s Mansion on Walpole Street was approved for a renovation as well, though many were not happy with the plans to use stucco for said face lift – https://tinyurl.com/5azzx43h – however the historic house will remain intact.

Norwood Central Station is looking at a remodel too, and Norwood’s 10thDistrict Studios released its hotly anticipated “Welcome to Norwood: The Movie!” this fall after three years of tireless work from former Selectman Jerry Kelleher and his partner Brendan King – 10thDistrictStudios.com

Looking to the future, Norwood’s school buildings and Town Hall need some face lifts, and the Town will likely face its override discussions this spring or next. The hospital will also likely find an operator in the next couple of years – though expectations should be tempered, as it’s probably another 18 months of construction once that happens.

Norwood has purchased Cofsky Farm at the Fall Town Meeting, and it will be looking to do something with the huge property in the coming years.

If you’re looking for more stories of 2025, just go to https://tinyurl.com/yybhfeua for a full list of our back issues.

The Norwood Record hopes you had a good year and a good holiday season. Here’s looking at 2026.