New Buildings On The Marathon Route, Part 3: Natick
Modera Natick Center
You can't wait for the Boston Marathon: to test your fortitude, to feed off the energy, and most importantly, to check out the new developments along the route. We told you what to look out for in Ashland and Framingham, so here's what to expect in Natick.
82 North Main St
Developer: Mill Creek Residential
Size: 138 units
Completion Date: 2015
This new apartment complex at the former site of the Natick Paperboard plant, is next to the train station and town common. It features one- and two-bedroom apartments with patios, lofts or dens, and two-story townhomes. Finishings include white shaker cabinets, quartz countertops, movable chef's islands, and large windows. There's also a two-story clubhouse with flat-screen TVs and a café, a gaming room, a 24-hour fitness center, a separate yoga center, an outdoor fireplace lounge, a swimming pool and sundeck, and a BBQ area.
Hometown Paint & Hardware Redevelopment
23-31 South Main St
Developer: Carr family
Size: 39 residential units and 4k SF commercial
Completion Date: TBD
The Town Paint store was purchased by the Carr family this past year. They were initially going to convert the space into 32 two-bedroom units and seven one-bedrooms, with 4k SF of commercial space on the first floor. The scaled-back design has just 32 apartments with retail. No word on the breakdown of the apartments. As for the building's appearance, Brendan Carr is still working with the design review board. The development has already received interest from potential tenants like butcher shops and restaurants (for anybody looking to down a ham hock between miles 12 and 13).
St. Patrick's School Redevelopment
45 E Central St
Developer: Stonegate Group
Size: 66 residential units and 13k SF retail
Completion Date: TBD
It's still unclear whether this development will get off the ground, but it seems that most of the city is behind it. NIMBYers worry the condominium complex will bring too much congestion, especially since plans call for an underground parking garage with 130 or more spaces, along with a ton of retail and restaurant space. The developers have already scaled down the residential portion from 74 units and are seeking zoning changes this spring. They're also studying traffic flow to try to avoid adding to it as much as possible.
iFly Skydiving Facility
19 Flutie Pass
Developer: BRE DDR Shoppers World
Size: 7.5k SF
Completion Date: TBD
This development is actually over by Route 9, so it's a bit of a trek from the rest, and the majority of it is actually in Framingham. That said, who doesn't want to go indoor skydiving? The entire project includes a 21k SF Kings Bowling Alley, a 9.5k SF restaurant, and the iFly indoor skydiving facility, on a 12.8-acre site straddling the border of Framingham and Natick. The $1.1M plan is still in the beginning stages, and it will need special permits, but if all goes according to plan, BRE DDR has proposed to create 20 permanent and 230 part-time jobs in the process. The $612k skydiving facility is expected to create 25 full-time and five part-time jobs in Natick.
Walnut Hill Studio 5
12 Highland St
Developer: Walnut Hill School for the Arts
Size: 18.5k SF
Completion Date: May 2016
This $6.2M project will replace the art school's current one-story dance center with a new building that will have a studio theater on the lower level and a dance studio on the upper level. Each space will include dressing rooms, storage rooms and equipment/control rooms. Meanwhile the spaces will share a lobby, restrooms, offices, elevators, stairs and a mechanical room. The LEED Silver Certified building will be attached to the existing Dance Barn, although they'll function as completely separate buildings.
TCAN Renovation and Expansion
14 Summer St
Developer: TCAN
Size: 150-170 seats
Completion Date: TBD
When the Center for the Arts opened in 2003, they didn't have enough money to finish the second floor of the former fire station. Now they are revamping the entire space with a better box office, theater and gallery downstairs, along with a second multi-purpose facility on the upper level. The second floor will have a state-of-the-art digital screening room for art house films and documentaries, and a concession stand. The space will also serve as a meeting space for public and private events, and an intimate space for classical music concerts, since the high cathedral ceilings and rustic brick create a perfect acoustic environment. They're looking to raise $1.5M. It's unclear how close they are to starting construction, but they're aiming for 2016.
