Linden Square in Wellesley has announced plans to welcome the Van Leeuwen ice cream shop and Framebridge custom framing business by year end. Separately, reps from Federal Realty appeared before the Wellesley Select Board last week with a request to extend the lease for the VW dealership from 2028 to 2033, with preliminary talk of what that space could eventually be used for.
Van Leeuwen got its start in 2008 in a yellow truck on the streets of New York, and now has shops around the country, including in Chestnut Hill. More local shops are planned for the Seaport, Back Bay, and Harvard Square, in addition to Wellesley’s Linden Square. Buttermilk berry cornbread, marionberry cheesecake, and honeycomb are just some of the many flavors listed on their website.
Framebridge has shops across the country, including in Boston’s Seaport.
Both new stores will be located at Linden Square’s 180 Building between Atelier Wellesley and Custom Ink/Roosters Men’s Grooming Center.
Oh, and Linden Square is still hanging in there with the Karma Asian-fusion restaurant, now expected to open by early next year. Earlier this year, Karma told us they were aiming to open this summer, but as many in town have noticed, the insides of that building have a ways to go.
Linden Square says it has also extended its leases with Citgo, Kenzie & Hope, The Linden Store, and Tiny Hanger.
VW lease could be extended
In meeting with the Select Board on Aug. 20 (see Wellesley Media recording about 95 minutes in), Federal Realty reps said allowing a possible 5-year lease extension for the VW dealership on Linden Street would give Federal more time to consider further development options for that space. During discussion with the board, the possibility of multi-family residential development was discussed, while the idea of office/lab space was dismissed based on current market conditions.
Federal Realty was looking for the Board’s blessing, and an opportunity to put a request for modification of its development agreement before Special Town Meeting this fall. The Board urged Federal to reach out to neighbors to give them a heads up and get feedback on the request for a possible lease extension, even though any redevelopment of the area would be years away.
Sarah Forde Rogers, senior director of development at Federal Realty, said “We really have barely begun to look at it,” in terms of true redevelopment ideas. The intention would be to let the town’s strategic housing plan process play out, and then engage with the town on what might make sense in that space, she said.
The Board approved putting a placeholder item on the Special Town Meeting warrant on this topic and discussed having a public hearing in September.
Know of businesses coming or going? Don’t keep it to yourself: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com
