Renovation of Old Stop and Shop Plaza Could Start As Early As September

By Gina Curreri

Developers presented modifications Wednesday night to the building plan for a retail center that will be known as "Chelmsford Commons" at the old Stop and Shop plaza across from the Adams Library on Boston Road. 

"There’s a building you see there with the faded metal, but everything will get ripped off, and everything will be all new," said Adam Winstanley, principal of Winstanley Enterprises, the plaza's new ownership group, of his plans for the retail center during the Planning Board meeting. 

Construction will start as early as Sept. 1. 

About a third of the current structure will be torn down because of asbestos, mold and water leakage in the former Stop and Shop, but the building that once housed Marshall's will be maintained and heavily renovated. 

Developers plan to include a glass windowpane across the top of the building, adding natural light. The roof will be copper-colored metal, much more expensive than asphalt shingles, but worth it for its aesthetics and durability, Winstanley said. 

"Adding color into retail is very important," he said. "There needs to be some vibrancy." 

The space designated for a restaurant will have accordion-folding glass windows to create an open-space feel, developers said.   

The Planning Board was unanimously behind the design concepts. 

Although Winstanley was not prepared to announce which retailers might be coming to the plaza, he said he's received a lot of response from the market.  

"We are getting a lot of interest in coming to this site," he said. "We're certainly headed in the right direction." 

Winstanley's attorney Phil Eliopoulos said Winstanley has filed for a special health club permit in case that's something the plaza wants to include in the future. 

A followup hearing is scheduled for July 10. The Planning Board expects to hear more about lighting fixtures, landscaping, parking lot traffic flow and signage lighting before moving forward.