Residents in Natick Condos Not Keen on Wegmans Coming to Town

NATICK, MA - While most get excited when a Wegmans comes to town, not everyone is happy about the proposal to bring the food market to the Natick Mall.

Residents in the Nouvelle condos near the mall worry that the addition would bring more traffic and noise to the area (including early morning trucks), and hurt their quality of life, reports the MetroWest Daily News.

The Natick Planning Board on Wednesday heard Wegmans representatives discuss an application for modifying the site plan approval and special permit. The application includes interior renovations, signage and facade enhancements.

Wegmans announced in early August its plans to open a location at the Natick Mall, occupying a space vacated by J.C. Penney. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2016, with a 2017 opening.

“Natick Mall is an ideal place for us to deliver on our promise of incredible customer service, the best ingredients, restaurant-quality prepared foods, and low prices,” said Wegmans Sr. Vice President of Real Estate Ralph Uttaro in a press release.

A Natick representative at the Planning Board meeting remarked that the mall is hoping to move quickly on the store, adding that it is isn’t optimal to have an anchor store empty at a mall.

One planning board member, said MetroWest Daily News, was concerned about traffic flow on Natick Mall Road, with a reminder that the road serves more than just traffic for the mall.