• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Douglas Elliman, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Subscribe
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School news
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Public Schools, sponsored by Sexton
  • Camp
  • Kids—swim tryouts Oct. 1
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Business news
  • Embracing diversity
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Fire & police scanner
  • Worship
  • Live gov’t meetings
  • Events
  • About us
  • Wellesley snow plowing services
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Linden Square makeover, Wellesley Square worrying continue

May 10, 2011 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Linden Square courtyard

Although Linden Square in Wellesley is still just a few years old, developer Federal Realty has gradually been sprucing up the shopping area to give it more of a village feel. The latest changes include new signs, flowers and a courtyard area, complete with fire pit, that will serve as a gathering spot for events targeted at kids, adults and in-between (imagine these pictures with people in them having fun and holding shopping bags…I took these at 6am-ish).

Linden Square fire pit

new linden square sign

Events this weekend include kids’ activities on Saturday, such as face painting, a musical performance and S’mores at the fire pit, and “tween” activities on Sunday, including a 3pm concert by The Varsity Girls. A sidewalk sale and more are scheduled next week.

(By the way, one reader was asking about why the flowers in the new Linden Square islands got yanked. The town says the medians were made wider than they were authorized to be, so the contractor is reworking them. The flowers should return after that.)

While Linden Square has won some (Bonsoir, Staccato) and lost some (Isabel Harvey) of late, the merchants there seem pretty upbeat compared to some in Wellesley Square, which continues to struggle to fill empty storefronts, including the recently vacated Rosie’s Bakery space and the soon-to-be vacated Neena’s space (also see a recent Townsman report on the state of the Square). One local realtor and longtime Wellesleyite, Bill FitzPatrick of Wellesley Real Estate, has also taken to the blogosphere to rant against the changing nature of Wellesley Square, which he dreads will get a Panera Bread shop. (Not to say the Square hasn’t had some new life breathed into it via the openings of Old School Pizzeria and J.P. Licks.)

Neena's Wellesley Square

Monday night’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting addressed the issue of forming a study committee to figure out what to do about the square, and included much discussion of whether the town should move to  a split tax rate, according to a Wellesley Patch report. Businesses and realtors, naturally, don’t want any part of increased business taxes.

One Swellesley Report reader who attended the meeting said no one seemed to have any answers regarding the future of Wellesley Square and that town Executive Director Hans Larsen even alluded to Linden Square’s rise as contributing to Wellesley Square’s issues.

A  spokeswoman for Linden Square said businesses there have spoken of metaphorically building a bridge between Linden Square and Wellesley Square. Another physical bridge might not be on the way between the two squares, though one Swellesley Report reader has emailed us from time to time pushing for a literal pedestrian/bicycle underpass at the extension of Everett street (north of railroad tracks at Jimmy’s restaurant) that would come under the tracks  at the Town Hall park.  “Think about the benefits: Park your car once at Linden St for dinner at Jimmy’s…walk over to listen to a summer concert or get some ice cream at White Mountain or JP Licks.”



Your Ad Here

 

Filed Under: Business

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisements:

Linden Square, Wellesley
Wonderful Wellesley, students

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Advertisements

Wellesley Square
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep, Wellesley
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Wellesley Scouts
Volvo
Prepped and Polished Boston Tutoring and Test Prep
Tutoring, Ann-Marie MacDonnell
Cheesy Street Grill
Admit Fit, Wellesley
Mature Caregivers
charles river chamber
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Subscribe to our email newsletter

Fill out simple subscription form.

Our newsletter is free, though we appreciate any financial support for our independent journalism venture.

Follow Swellesley on Google News Showcase

The Swellesley Report has been selected to be highlighted on Google News Showcase. Please follow us there.

Most Read Posts

  • Where is Swellesley? We asked 3 AI tools
  • Don't miss the Wellesley fun—Sidewalk Sale; Crafts for Kids; Car Wash fundraiser; and more
  • But wait, what about pickleball?
  • Wellesley residents ready for Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk
  • Wellesley school community tops off new Hardy Elementary building

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Upcoming Events

Sep 7
September 7 @ 10:00 am - September 10 @ 6:00 pm

Linden Square Sidewalk Sale

Sep 11
9:45 am - 10:30 am

Sept. 11 observances in Wellesley

Sep 11
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Author visit: Caren Simpson McVicker discuses her novel, “Henderson House”

Sep 12
8:15 am - 11:00 am

Fall real estate forum

Sep 13
8:30 am - 12:15 pm

Opening day—Schofield School Shoppers Corner

View Calendar

Recent Comments

  • Jim Roberti on At chaotic meeting, Wellesley Planning Board votes to put Sisters of Charity article on Special Town Meeting warrant
  • Bruce on A rare peek inside Hunnewell Estate in Wellesley
  • Julia on Where is Swellesley? We asked 3 AI tools
  • Steven Sims on But wait, what about pickleball?
  • Bob Brown on Karma restaurant sneak peek: We visit Burlington version of eatery coming to Wellesley

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group
Call and Haul, Wellesley
Refined Renovations, Wellesley
Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login