Fresh City in the Marshalls Shopping Plaza closed its doors on Monday.
Meanwhile, Jenna Fisher has other happier restaurant news on Newton Patch.
Fresh City on Needham Street is fresh out of business
by Village 14 | May 3, 2017 | Needham Street | 24 comments
That reminds me – is there any news on what’s happening with New England Mobile Book Fair? Have they found a new location?
Too bad, I liked being able to make a salad to my own desired specs. But I haven’t been there for over a year. I figured that since my 5 -year old Granddaughter will graduate from High School one day and since I’d like to be there I don’t have that time available to drive on Needham Street.
Inna’s had a wonderful goodbye party on Sunday, complete with all the tasty items that Inna and Alex are famous for. The new owners were training with Inna’s staff for about 2 weeks, as they plan to keep about 50% of Inna’s recipes. Also, two familiar faces, staff who worked for Inna, are staying on, Kareem and I’m so sorry I forgot the other gentleman’s name.
Fresh City replied to my query on Twitter with this: “Sadly we reached the end of our lease in #Newton and the owner is planning to redevelop the site. Visit us in #Natick for your FC fix!” I know Radio Shack is also gone; perhaps CVS and Marshall’s are next?
Eventually CVS, Marshall’s, and the entire building where AAA is housed will all be demolished to make way for the Northland Project. As each store’s lease ends, I doubt any new retail business will be going into that space. If you haven’t been paying attention, you can visit the empty storefront in the plaza where Northland now hosts a permanent display of boards with all of the sketches. Don’t let Northland succeed with its plan to build 950 units of housing there. Many in the village of Upper Falls welcome new office space, new retail, new restaurants, new green community space, but do not want to see 950 units of housing included. Here is one of the original links to the proposal: http://newton.wickedlocal.com/news/20161104/everything-we-know-about-northlands-plans-for-newton-upper-falls
and here is a Boston Globe article: https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/11/01/new-multi-use-complex-would-newton-biggest-development-years/XdwIE7IkscTbgsS3HBGOAJ/story.html
As Jo-Louise Allen said above this is the Northland project killing off the businesses that are there so they can build their MASSIVE housing development that will double the population of Upper Falls and significantly effect the schools Andy community in general. I think everyone is ok with increased business and commercial but 950 apartments is insane.
Let’s stay in reality folks. Northland is not “killing off” business. Radio Shack is closing stores across the nation and, as I understand it, still has a long time left on that lease.
Meanwhile, the commercial market on Needham Street has never been hotter, with the building next door doubling in value in a decade.
And don’t forget all the new Needham Street restaurants — Anthony’s Coal Fire Pizza, Jimmy Johns, the Bagel Place and, soon, Grand Kitchen + Bar — plus other stores coming to Newton Nexus including Sierra Trading Post.
And do those of you who are sad about businesses allegedly being squeezed out know what the overwhelming number of businesses owners along Needham Street see when they think of the Northland project?
“Customers.”
@Jo-Louise Allen – I sincerely hope your village is organizing itself, to oppose this mega development. Some of your politicians – specifically Crossley, will be cheering the development on.
Rest of Newton – Please do not sit on sidelines. Join and support Upper Falls in this fight. There is probably a mega development coming down your street as well. Without your support, Upper Falls dont stand a chance against the big money developer-politician nexus.
This monster project is more than 3 times bigger than Avalon down the street. It will overwhelm our already crowded schools which are strapped for budgets and busting at seams even when the new Zervas will be ready.
Northland will build their project – it’s just a matter of time. They own the entire property from Fresh City on Needham Street all the way down to the intersection of Oak and Needham Street, and all the way down Oak Street to the Greenway. They also own the TJ Maxx property. TJ Maxx will be vacating that site to become an anchor store of the Newton Nexus project. Nexus is the large property where Trip Advisor used to be. If you drive down Needham Street, you can view the Nexus under construction, scheduled to open this summer, 2017. My biggest concern is the number of units proposed by Northland. As I mentioned in an earlier comment, I am all in favor of new office space, new retail, new restaurants, etc. I would be willing accept a reasonable number of housing units. Everyone has their idea of reasonable. I would like to see that number decrease from 950 to 350 or 400. I have heard that the 950 recently was decreased to 850. A step in the right direction, but just a baby step. I want to see that decreased by another 400+. The developers have designed a tower of apartment units. Avalon may be large, but it’s 3 or 4 stories high and spread out over a “campus” – the pyramid design for Northland is vertical, not horizontal. I would also like to see any apartments developed be restricted to studios and one bedrooms. Northland has spoken of this being a live where you work development.
Hi Greg, I’m all for business, and you are right Radioshack is shutting down nation wide and is a dinosaur in the retail space. I’m all for cool new shops and restaurants, and office space! I hope that happens, and as you said that area is very hot right now.. What I do not want, and what I disagree with is the need for 950 apartments to be built. That could crush the school system, one of the most important reasons people (especially young couples) move to Newton, myself included. If the area is so hot, then the 950 apartments are not essential to the success of the retail and office space. What would be a great asset to them would be improved traffic flow and greater public transit, not trying to flood more and more people into an already growing and congested area.
@Ryan: We absolutely need to be concerned about school population and traffic. Those issues will require thoughtful planning and solutions. I guess I have more faith than some here that they can be thoughtfully addressed.
That said, the reason Needham Street is hot is, in fact I’d venture the reason 233 Needham Street sold for $23M, is because business are excited about the prospect of more housing as well as the rest of the Northland and Crosspoint projects as well as the upcoming Needham Street/Highland Ave. redesign that aims to improve traffic, cycling and pedestrian use.
Greg, nobody said “Northland is killing off businesses” except for you. Northland is not going to renew leases in the Marshall’s Plaza as they come up. It’s not due to any homicidal tendencies – it just makes perfect business sense that they are planning to use that entire site and as businesses leave, they are not going to be making it a priority to replace them. Any business that takes a lease on space there has to know that within 5 years, they are going to be out of a spot. Any business that can afford the rent and wants to move in for 5 or less years is more than welcome.
Ryan,
Are there no zoning laws in Newton that specify “number of schools or capacity of schools” within a certain density area?
If not, what has the Mayor and council been doing all these years? choking the building of new units so they don’t have to deal this school overcrowding?
Jo-Louise Allen
restricting to studio/1 br is not good for longer term growth. If ppl live there to be close to work, its simply saying.. “once you have kids, you are not welcome anymore”. There is no way business can attract long term employees with that kind of attitude, the turn over of employees would kill a company.
I thought the whole point was for long term growth
I can’t image I’d ever go near Needham Street once these developments are done. You can’t get through there now at rush hour or on weekends. The only customers these developments will have will be the residents of the 950 units, cuz nobody else will be able to get within a mile of these stores.
I think even the most ardent advocates for increased housing in this city knew from the onset that 950 apartments was not realistic. I don’t think 850 is either. That said, housing is greatly needed to support retail/commercial, whether in Upper Falls or Newtonville. I don’t know the appropriate number of units for the Northland property; that will be decided by public input, the Land Use Committee, negotiations etc. Perhaps 500 to 600 units? We shall see. Traffic on Needham Street and school enrollment are certainly huge factors to consider. (Countryside is already the #1 candidate in the city for an expansion and…might we see the return of a school to Upper Falls?)
The status quo, however, can’t continue on that property. It looks like a Dystopian setting from a sci-fi movie back there and is a terrible waste of space. It is the most developable piece of land in Newton.
@Greg – I am glad at least you have faith. The reason I do not have faith, is because of past performance. Did Washington Place (Orr Block) application have school impact? Did Austin St have one at onset (It was put together much later in the lifecycle.).
Past performance is a poor predictor of the city’s faith.
The city needs to get real about financial priorities and focus laserlike on the OPEB burden coming down the pike. It is real and it is enormous. We need to be building our tax base. Spending enormous amounts of time on debating new residential properties, which spin our wheels or put us backward from a tax/financial perspective, is simply a waste of time. Set an annual standard for housing build and stick to it.
We need to be focusing on getting as much commercial space built out and established as a tax base. (As well as negotiating for meaningful PILOTs with our non-taxpaying educational institutions.)
“Set an annual standard for housing build and stick to it.” I suspect you haven’t been to too many city council hearings in the last 3 years.
@Jane Frantz – ha! I have not. 🙂 But I do follow the goings-on of the city council closely. (Hence my frustration!) I just worry that we as a city are ignoring a very large elephant in the room. Even more frustratingly, I haven’t heard a single mayoral or city council contender even speak to this issue.
ANP – You simply must attend the next public hearing for the Washington Place project and sit chambers for hours in order to understand the full scope of the problem. Come early, stay late! 🙂
With Fresh City gone, where will the Starbucks customers go to use the restroom?
You’d think the Splash should be an option, they have more toilets and sinks per square foot than Fenway Park!
Perhaps the “Welcoming City” of Newton can house all of the illegal immigrants and refugees that they want living in their city in these new apartments! I’m sure all the Newtonians would love that!