The mostly empty Natick Crossings retail plaza at 273 West Central St could soon trade discount racks for doormats. Developer Gables Residential has filed plans to demolish the aging shopping center and put up a five-story apartment complex called Gables Natick Crossing next to the West Natick commuter-rail stop. The project would bring 219 apartments to the Route 135 corridor, marking a major shift in how that stretch of town is used. The application is scheduled for site-plan review with the Natick Planning Board later this month.
According to the Boston Business Journal, the proposal features a five-story, 219-unit building of more than 250,000 square feet that would sit immediately beside the West Natick commuter-rail platform. The outlet reports that the developer is framing the project as transit-oriented housing designed to tap into the Framingham/Worcester Line.
Local filings and renderings show a design that stacks four floors of apartments on top of a parking podium, with about 184 spaces inside the podium and roughly 258 parking spaces in total across the nearly 3.4-acre site, plus around 4,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, according to Natick Report. The submitted materials also outline a courtyard, fitness center, pool and a public plaza meant to make the walk to the rail platform more appealing.
Why the timing makes sense
Natick recently updated its zoning under the state’s MBTA Communities law, which requires MBTA-area municipalities to allow higher-density, multifamily housing near transit and is intended to channel growth toward rail hubs, as explained by Mass.gov. Supporters say projects like Gables Natick Crossing line up with that policy by putting new homes within walking distance of the West Natick stop.
Traffic, parking and neighbors
Planners and residents are expected to zero in on trip generation, queuing and how Route 135 will absorb additional traffic. The filing already includes a parking analysis, and a traffic study is expected to follow, Natick Report notes. Those technical reports are likely to take center stage at peer review and public hearings as the board weighs tradeoffs among parking supply, retail activity and the push for more housing.
Next steps
The developer will seek site-plan approval from the Planning Board. If the board opens the public hearing and moves the proposal forward, expect a series of technical reviews, comment rounds and possible design adjustments before any building permits are issued. For riders who already rely on the West Natick platform, the project would mean more housing within a short walk and, if the developer’s transit-first pitch holds up, more everyday foot traffic to the station.
Whether the Natick Crossings strip is fully replaced hinges on planning review and negotiations over parking, open space and retail commitments. The Planning Board packet, once released, will spell out the timeline, phasing and added detail on how Gables Residential proposes to construct and operate the site.
