Launched in 2008, North Bridge Magazine is a twice-yearly publication tailored to Acton, Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln, Sudbury & Wayland residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in six of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.
Issue link: http://northbridgemagazine.epubxp.com/i/490312
"There is a lot happening in West Concord, and to be in the space during that time is fantastic,'' Elliot says. "The timing is great. There is a strong and vibrant com- munity in West Concord. It's got this char- acter, but it's also going through a bit of a transformation.'' That transformation started slowly about six years ago and is hitting its peak now, says Marcia Rasmussen, the town's planning director. Rasmussen says West Concord has seen the most growth in recent years among the town's three major business districts. And, despite some notable hiccups associ- ated with the growth — the displacement of some businesses, additional traffic, and detours during construction — Rasmussen says the investments are paying off. "All of these changes are going on, and people are a little alarmed, but excited,'' she says. Within the past few years, several dilapidated buildings have been renovated or torn down. In their place will be 74 units of lux- ury apartments at Brookside Square on Beharrell Street and new commercial space like the Bradford Mill, home of the Wheelhouse co-working shared office space on Bradford Street. Restaurants have moved in, including the fine dining farm-to- table Woods Hill Table, which renovated the former West Concord Supermarket location and opened in March. And new businesses like the Marx Fencing Academy; A New Leaf, a consignment home furnishing store; and Three Stones Gallery have opened in the past year. Also in the works are plans to improve the traffic flow and walkability of the village, and recreation options such as having the Bruce Freeman Trail go through West Concord. "There is such an unbelievable community vibe, and I've not felt that to this extent anywhere else I've been,'' says Carlene Hempel, a West Concord resident and the chairwoman of the West Concord W hen chef/farmer Ben Elliot was looking for a location to open his new business, West Concord was his first choice. The owner of Saltbox Farm grows vegetables, teaches cooking classes, caters, and works as a private chef out of his home on Westford Road in Concord. And this April, he and his partners will begin serving prepared food and craft beer at the Saltbox Kitchen on Commonwealth Avenue. "West Concord is an opportunity for us now to have a platform to showcase all of what we do,'' Elliot says. "We love to farm, and we love to cook.'' Elliot says he's been eyeing locations for about two years. When Concord Outfitters moved across Commonwealth Avenue into its own new building last May, their old space opened up, creating the perfect spot for Elliot's new venture. For West Concord, New Growth and Vitality B E T H F U R M A N business BY JENNIFER LEFFERTS 36 ★ north bridge magazine ★ S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 Woods Hill Table