What’s New in Shrewsbury? Lakeway Commons and More…

by Maribeth Lynch, Owner/Broker of Thrive Real Estate Specialists

If you drove through Shrewsbury on Route 9 this year, chances are you saw the demolition of Shrewsbury’s longstanding Spag’s storefront and warehouses. Demolition has not been limited to the Spag’s buildings; tailor shop the Golden Needle has also been town down and various other structures have been razed to create space for the exciting new complex. And while beloved Shrewsbury institutions may now exist only in memory, there is much promise and excitement to be found surrounding the development that is taking their place.

A few months ago, I wrote about the new Lakeway Commons development and the commercial and residential opportunities that the Grossman Development Group property will offer to Shrewsbury. On June 7th, town business leaders joined local and state officials at the official groundbreaking for the project on the former site of the Spag’s complex. Since then, construction has been virtually nonstop.

Lakeway Commons will serve as a mixed-use development with 250 apartments, 14 townhomes, and various dining and retail outlets, with a 50,000 square foot Whole Foods store serving as its commercial anchor. The complex will also feature plenty of parking and pedestrian access, a small monument serving as a tribute the Borgatti family who owned and operated Spag’s for years, and a fresh new aesthetic that is sure to revitalize the area.

Early in the year, Shrewsbury applied for and obtained a liquor license for Whole Foods, granting the store authorization to sell alcoholic beverages in addition to its complement of high-quality and organic foods and products. Several other restaurants and businesses that are new to Shrewsbury will join Whole Foods at the site. Tavern in the Square, Sweet Pizza, and Burton’s Grill will offer the community new dining options, while Starbucks will open an additional Shrewsbury location. Jenny Boston will be opening a storefront in the complex, as will Visionworks and UniBank. Lakeway Commons is set to open this summer with the grand opening of Whole Foods.

The town homes at Lakeway Commons will offer various floor plans and square footage, and will include such features as main floor master suites, granite bathrooms and kitchens, stainless appliances, hardwood flooring and wall-to-wall carpeting, crown molding, and other gracious amenities. A new bus stop at Lakeway Commons will offer service to UMass Medical.

The development is sure to have a positive impact on Shrewsbury’s economy, particularly when coupled with the Lakeway District’s recent improvements to the nearby White City shopping complex and the beautiful new bridge spanning Lake Quinsigamond as a link between Shrewsbury and Worcester.

In addition to the development at Lakeway Commons, Maryland-based Total Wine and More is opening a store at former site of Petco near Trader Joe’s. Demolition of the Petco building and construction of a new storefront has been ongoing this year, and the liquor store expects to bring 50 jobs to town.

With the beautiful library renovation and the advent of several new developments in Shrewsbury, I’m very excited about our town’s bright future. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. What would you like to see in Shrewsbury to continue to grow our vibrant town?