Real Estate Insider: Briefs for Sept. 21, 2026

Auburn New flex space The Auburn Planning Board voted 4-0 on Sept. 8 to approve Worcester-based Eastland Partners’ plans for 190 Washington St., replacing a previously approved 102,000-square-foot warehouse with six buildings totaling about 75,200 square feet, approximately 150 parking spaces, and warehouse and accessory office space for as many as 23 tenants. The small-bay industrial/warehouse development is designed to be flexible, allowing a variety of uses. Work on the development is expected to begin this fall. Charlton Gas and apartments The Charlton Planning Board voted unanimously Sept. 2 in separate motions to approve Falmouth-based Hatem Enterprises’ site plan for a gas station and special permits for a drive-thru and five two-bedroom apartments at the intersection of Worcester Road and Old Worcester Road. The roughly 4-acre proposal includes a 5,000-square-foot convenience store. The board limited operating hours to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. and required one apartment to be designated affordable and count toward the town’s subsidized housing inventory. Hatem will still need a sign-off from MassDOT and other municipal approvals before starting construction. Town weighs Amazon expansion Amazon is seeking Charlton Planning Board approval to add a last-mile delivery operation at its 53 Sturbridge Road warehouse, using independent Flex drivers in personal vehicles to collect time-sensitive packages for local delivery. The proposal was heard on Sept. 2 and would modify an existing special permit and site plan by setting aside about 8,000 square feet inside the building and reconfiguring part of the parking lot for the program. Town traffic reviewers raised concerns about congestion and queuing at the Route 169 entrance, traffic impacts at the Route 20-Route 169 intersection, and the need for potential mitigation, prompting the board to unanimously continue the hearing and transportation peer review to Oct. 7. The $300-million distribution center first opened in November 2024. Franklin Condominium considerations During its Sept. 3 meeting, the Franklin Zoning Board of Appeals continued to Oct. 1 its review of Franklin-based Next Generation Custom Homes Corp.’s request for a comprehensive permit to build a 39-unit condominium development at 202 Washington St. The proposal would separate the existing house at the site into its own zoning-compliant lot and serve the new housing development by a private driveway built to road standards, rather than a new public street. Next Generation said it is responding to peer-review comments on water-service capacity, fire-hydrant flow, sewer flows, drainage connections, site grading, screening and pedestrian access, while the board asked for a more detailed accounting of requested zoning waivers and a potential plan to mitigate removal of mature trees and other habitat. Hopkinton New lab lease Analytical testing and laboratory support firm Pride Analytical Services signed a new lease for 5,075 square feet of office space at 25 South St. from Front Point Management of Walpole. Matt Cuneo, James Cannon and Victor Galvani of NAI | Parsons Commercial Group - Boston in Natick served as leasing representatives for this transaction. Leominster J Nadreau Realty LLC, a Leominster-based entity managed by John Nadreau, purchased a property featuring a 2,448-square-foot restaurant 544 North Main St. for $2.1 million from Union Ave Exchange LLC, a Cambridge-based entity managed by Patrick Assioun. Northborough New office for internist Internal medicine specialist Dr. Deborah Hazen signed a new lease for 1,800 square feet of medical office space at 329 West Main St. from Mass West Construction, Inc. of Granby. Joe Laursen of Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates in Worcester served as the leasing representative for this transaction. Oxford KMK Capital Holdings, a Sutton-based entity managed by Ashley Kriner, purchased a property featuring a 9,097-square-foot restaurant at 206 Southbridge St. for $1.88 million from 206 So. Bridge Street LLC, a Lynnfield-based entity managed by Daniel Lewis. Worcester More time for Crompton St. apartments The Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously granted on Aug. 31 a six-month extension for a previously approved variance for 18-20 Crompton St., preserving plans for a four-story, 12-unit apartment building with 12 parking spaces on a vacant lot. Civil-engineering work is complete but a transportation-demand-management study remains before the project can proceed to Planning Board review. The 4-0 vote extends the variance deadline to Feb. 5. Beer and wine The Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously Aug. 31 to allow the convenience store at 88 Providence St. to add beer and wine sales. Simply known as The Store, the site has been used as a retail storefront for over 100 years, according to Worcester attorney Donald O'Neal, who represented property owner TN Properties. About 360 square feet of the 1,440-square-foot store would be dedicated to beer and wine. The Store will still require approvals from the Worcester License Commission before it can begin beer and wine sales.