After two Main Street sales, Hudson Catholic building also under agreement
Two Main Street properties in downtown Hudson were recently sold and a third is under agreement, according to Concord commercial real estate firm O’Brien Commercial Properties, giving the area an apparent edge in downtown revitalization.
With a doughnut shop slated for the former Salvation Army thrift store on Main Street, and a portion of the former Larkin Lumber site on Main Street sold for potential redevelopment, plus a couple of new bars in the works, economic development officials have reason to celebrate.
Rite Aid planned for former Hudson Catholic site
But there may be more to come. Joel Aho, vice president of investment sales at O’Brien, said the former Hudson Catholic High School building at 198 Main St. is also under agreement to be sold and is slated to be redeveloped as a Rite Aid pharmacy. The high school closed in 2009.
St. Michael School, which served students from kindergarten through eighth grade before it too closed in 2011, is also located on site. Aho said St. Michael’s will likely be razed to make room for a parking lot for St. Michael’s Church next door.
Michelle Ciccolo, Hudson’s community development director, said the project is going through the permitting process and she expects a permit will be issued. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Rite Aid said pharmacy chain is “exploring options in the area,” but did not confirm plans for a Hudson store.
Because there is a mixed-use residential development located next to the Hudson Catholic property, Ciccolo said she expects a retail pharmacy will be “hugely successful” there. It’s the kind of development town leaders have envisioned for downtown, which they view as being dependent on residential foot traffic for survival, while major retail shopping centers abound in areas away from downtowns and closer to major highways.
Aho, a broker throughout MetroWest, said Hudson has been an outlier lately in downtown real estate transactions. He views the two recent Main Street sales, and the pending sale of the Hudson Catholic property, as largely coincidental. Still, downtown has experienced an undeniable shift in recent years.
“When you look at the downtown in general, you can start to see it transform,” Aho said.
Official: Millions spent on downtown Hudson
According to Ciccolo, that’s no accident. She said two decades of work, both by town government and private business owners, preceded recent sales activity and new business development. That work included façade improvements, streetscape upgrades and lighting improvements. In addition, a parking study is underway to help the town increase parking options for people who would like to visit downtown businesses.
“There’s a slew of things we have done over many years, to the tune of millions of dollars,” Ciccolo said.
In addition, the developing restaurant scene acts a magnet for downtown visitors. The Rail Trail Flatbread Co., a popular wood-fired pizza shop, seems to have led the way in creating a sense of place, according to Aho. And a new microbrewery, Medusa Brewing, is set to open on Main Street.
As for the recent sales, Ciccolo said she’s paying particular attention to the former Larkin Lumber site. So far, no plans have been filed, but Ciccolo said the pond-front property has lots of potential.
“We’re very hopeful that something very creative will come forward there,” Ciccolo said.
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