Shops look forward to redevelopment of Meredith Shopping Center

Four small businesses — the Village Greenery, Lakes Region Nutrition Center, The Sundial Shop and The Cleaners — are looking forward to the redevelopment of the Meredith Shopping Center on Route 25. The four share a 10,040 square foot, one-story building adjacent to the shopping center that will remain while a section of the plaza is expanded and converted to make space for a supermarket.

In November Crosspoint Associates, Inc. of Natick, Massachusetts acquired the entire 3.67-acre site and with it the building housing the four businesses, which was formerly owned by the Village Greenery. Tom Hueber of Crosspoint told the Planning Board in February that along with the four shops, the cinema and pharmacy, would continue to operate on the site while the space once occupied by Ben Franklin would be expanded for the supermarket. In addition, Hueber said that the plaza would undergo a facelift to bring its facade into harmony with the village motif common along the Route 3 corridor.

All four of the businesses have leases, which range from one-and-a-half to ten years, and intend to remain open through and beyond the redevelopment of the property. Deborah Roy of the Lakes Region Nutrition Center said that since the closure of Ben Franklin and October Farms Market, "we have been struggling off in the corner." She said that the opening of a supermarket "will bring life back to the plaza by making it a destination." Malcom Wood of the Village Greenery agreed, saying the increased foot traffic would provide a boost to the existing businesses that will remain.

Although Crosspoint has discussed its plans with the Planning Board, it has yet to make a formal application. Because of the proximity of the property to Hawkins Brook, which empties into Meredith Bay, and the heavily traveled Route 25, stormwater treatment and traffic management pose the major challenges for the project.