Housing plan presented in Shrewsbury
By Melissa Muntz Contributing Writer

Shrewsbury - The area between Harrington and Lakeview avenues along Route 9 that currently houses the former Spag's complex would be transformed into a mixed use housing development incorporating residential, retail and commercial space if one group of developers has its way.

Representatives from Hinghambased SREV LLC, owner of Building 19 that is operating at the former Spag's property, Vermont-based I.J. Barkan Inc. and New York-based Kimco Realty Corp. presented their building proposal July 2 to the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen and a roomful of concerned residents.

The site would include 160,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and 420 apartments and townhouses. The buildings would vary from two to four stories, and would consist mostly of one- and two-bedroom units with a small number of threebedroom units.

The proposed plan may be scaled back to about 300 apartments if the developers fail to secure property abutting the Spag's complex.

Most importantly, the project would include the number of affordable housing units needed to meet the town's Chapter 40B requirement.

Chapter 40B dictates that at least 10 percent of housing in a town be deemed aff ordable in order to prevent new developments. Shrewsbury was given a moratorium on new projects after the construction of Avalon Shrewsbury; that reprieve expires in October.

The proposed mixed-use development at the Spag's site was presented following the town's request for new Chapter 40B project proposals.

The selectmen expressed concern about the proposed project, saying they were worried about the impact such a large project would have on the neighborhood and town services, and that the group of developers does not include a Chapter 40B specific developer.

As for town services, the developers said they believe the project would generate roughly 75,000 gallons of wastewater per day, and are considering incorporating a small treatment facility. A representative said the group could not supply any definite number of children expected to live there, but the limit on three-bedroom units would reduce the number of families with school-aged children.

Group representatives said they are currently in talks with several national Chapter 40B developers to sign on to the project.

Two other projects will be presented to the Board of Selectmen Monday July 16. One project, similar to the first proposal, would also transform the former Spag's site into a mix of commercial, retail and residential space. The other would construct an apartment building off CenTech Boulevard within walking distance to the Grafton MBTA station. The board plans to choose which project will move forward by the middle of August.