This document provides a history of the Linden Street Commercial District in Wellesley, Massachusetts from 1876 to 2014. It discusses how the district was previously considered the town's service area, containing a lumber yard, hardware store, printing business, and car dealership. A 2001 vision and 2002-2004 master plan focused on enhancing pedestrian safety, experience, and parking while maintaining the street's character. Stakeholders expressed wanting to retain existing land uses and parking. The 18-acre area was rezoned and redeveloped starting in 2005 to create Linden Square, a retail lifestyle center, with enhancements like wider sidewalks and on-street parking to create a downtown look.

1. Meghan Jop, AICP
Deputy Director, Town of Wellesley
mjop@wellesleyma.gov
Outside the Box: Repurposing Parking for
Placemaking
April 8, 2014
Linden Square
Wellesley, MA

4. Linden Street Commercial District
1876-2001
● Split zoned Industrial/Business district
● Comprised of approximately 32 acres
● F. Diehls and Sons owned 18 acres
● Land now Linden Square
● District previously was considered the Town’s
service area
● Lumber Yard/Hardware Store
● Light Industrial (printing)
● Car Dealership (Volkswagen)
● Grocery Store (Roche Bros.)
● Surrounded by residential

5. Linden Square 1997

17. 2001 Vision
● Maintain the existing character of the
street.
● Enhance pedestrian safety.
● Improve the pedestrian experience.
● Enhance the appearance of the street.
● Provide more long-term parking.
● Enhance the residential areas of the
street.
● Tie Linden Street to Wellesley Square

18. 2002-2004 Master Plan

20. Stakeholder Concerns
● Business owners and residents indicated a
preference for existing land uses to be retained
● Suggested focus was small aesthetic
improvements
● Maintain and add parking where possible
● Current zoning should remain
● Diehl Family indicated no intention of moving,
selling, or redeveloping and was strong voice
against project
● Commercial tenants politically tried to balance
need for improvements with property owner
concerns with process.

21. 10 Year Build out - 2003

23. Eastern Development
● 2005 acquired property
● Proposed Retail Lifestyle Center
● Rezoned 18 acres to Linden Square Commercial
District
● Development Agreement Signed to further restrict
uses
● Site was sold to Federal Realty in 2006
● Development Agreement has been modified 3
times to accommodate VW.
● VW in process of improving site conditions

24. Development Agreement
Site Enhancements
● Perpetual easement to the Town in order to
widen road layout and sidewalk layout.
● Created “downtown” look with on-street parking
● Increased parking space width to 9 feet, from 8.5
feet
● Roche Bros. maintained car delivery to remove
carriage corals
● On-site bicycle accommodations
● Pedestrian amenities – pocket parks, benches,
common areas

25. Linden Square