Teardowns on the rise in some communities inside Route 128 Teardowns on the rise - West

Teardowns are on the rise again in Lexington, Newton, Needham and Wellesley, with numbers heading back towards pre-recession levels. A strengthening economy, and a hiring boom by life science and high-tech companies that is drawing more high-paid talent to the area in search of housing, are two big factors driving the resurgence, say town officials, builders and brokers.