Small Town Residents Uneasy About New Development

Residents in small-town, suburban Boston are on edge about the impending demolition of historic housing to make room for what they fear will be a national chain retailer -- a first for the town.

1 minute read

August 13, 2007, 5:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"In Mendon, a quiet, rural town about 50 miles southwest of Boston, residents are struggling to blend the town's historic past with the economic realities of its future."

"Although town officials say nothing is set in stone, many residents are convinced that the houses, located at a gateway to town, will both be razed to make way for a CVS store. The store would become one of the few national chains to open in Mendon, where a post office, realty business, coffee shop, and wine store line the main street."

"'Those houses were the first thing you'd see when you came up the hill,' said Carl Checkoway, who owns the wine store on Maple Street. 'I think it's going to change the character of the town. We're used to not having a grocery store, not having a pharmacy, and we don't mind going to other towns to go to the store. A lot of people aren't going to be happy, but what can you do? It's his private property.'"

Friday, August 10, 2007 in The Boston Globe

Aeriel view of white sheep grazing on green grass between rows of solar panels.

Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US

The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.

April 24, 2024 - Columbus Dispatch

Large blank mall building with only two cars in large parking lot.

Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House

If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.

April 18, 2024 - Central Penn Business Journal

Workers putting down asphalt on road.

U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause

A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.

April 18, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Divvy Chicago

Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks

New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.

19 minutes ago - Streetsblog Chicago

Freeway sign with "severe weather - use caution" over multilane freeway in rainy weather.

How Freeway Projects Impact Climate Resilience

In addition to displacement and public health impacts, highway expansions can also make communities less resilient to flooding and other climate-related disasters.

1 hour ago - Transportation for America

Wind turbines and solar panels against a backdrop of mountains in the Mojave Desert near Palm Springs, California

California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours

The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.

April 24 - Fast Company

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.