Raising a village from scratch

Town centers' amenities lure developers who seek neighborhood feel

Olde Village Square in Medfield attempts to recreate the feel of a small town center by utilizing a variety of housing styles and sizes, in addition to taking advantage of nearby shops and services. (PHOTOS BY JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)

MEDFIELD - If not for the sign out front and the ongoing construction on the site, Olde Village Square on Route 27 might be mistaken for another stretch of older homes just outside of the town center.

The modest-sized houses are a mix of styles - traditional New England Capes, Greek Revival brick homes, and Nantucket-style houses with wood-shingle exteriors and wide porches. The homes have small side yards and garages in back. The development is a short walk to downtown Medfield's shops, restaurants, churches, and library.

But despite its look and its name, Olde Village Square is brand new - 24 "detached town home condominiums," ranging in size from 2,000 to 3,000 square feet.

Another 20 attached condominiums also are planned for the seven-acre site, which is being built by Unique Homes, a small Medfield developer.

"We are trying to create a traditional neighborhood feel, where homes are smaller," said Unique Homes president Ralph Costello.

"You know your neighbor. In terms of design, the homes are different. They are not all cookie-cutter."

At the center of the development is a patch of open space slightly larger than a football field, designed to replicate a village green.

Olde Village Square is one of a growing number of suburban housing developments sprouting in traditional town centers in Massachusetts. Among such recent developments are Grover Estates and Village at Forge Pond in downtown Canton, Brookside Village at Weymouth Landing, Concord Commons in West Concord Center, Whipple Annex in downtown Ipswich, and the Summer Street Development in Manchester-by-the-Sea.

These developments contrast sharply with the classic suburban development of large homes on large lots in outlying parts of town. Developers who build in traditional downtowns are hoping the conven iences found at town center locations and the price of gasoline will attract buyers and renters.

Joe Curran recently finished construction of his 10-unit Brookside Village condominium project, which is on the Braintree side of Weymouth Landing, a suburban downtown area that straddles the two towns.

"I think the Landing offers tremendous amenities," said Curran. "There are a couple of churches here, a post office, a bank, several restaurants, and convenience stores. There's a good mix."

Brookside Village also is within walking distance of commuter rail station on the Old Colony Railroad's Greenbush line, which reopened a year ago.

Olde Village Square does not have similar transit access. While trains do pass through Medfield's downtown, they do not stop, and the nearest commuter rail station is in neighboring Walpole.

Amy A. Cotter, senior program manager for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, said her agency encourages downtown developments, even when they are not close to public transportation. Such projects use existing infrastructure, promote walking instead of driving, and may eventually attract public transportation, according to Cotter.

"If you have a population that is concentrated in one area, then public transit eventually can become more financially viable," she said.

Many of the newer housing developments in suburban town centers benefited from government subsidies or special state zoning exemptions to encourage "smart growth" or affordable housing.

Olde Village Square did not receive any subsidies, and its units are being sold at market rates. Also, it complied with the existing town zoning, which calls for multifamily housing.

Olde Village Square is not a gated community, and there are no restrictions to keep out families with schoolchildren. Costello said the homes will have a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedrooms, which will attract downsizing empty-nesters, as well as growing families.

"It's going to be a neighborhood," said Sharon Bartelloni, marketing director for Unique Homes. "We are not going to be limited by age or number of bedrooms."

Asking prices for Olde Village Square start at $525,000 for the attached units and rise to over $1 million for the detached homes.

While the detached units have the physical characteristics of a single-family home, the ownership is a condominium structure.

A condominium association will own most of the outside spaces, as well as the exteriors of the homes.

Costello said he acquired the land for the development by purchasing eight older homes from separate owners. He said most of the structures were in poor condition and were demolished.

Assembling the land is one of the biggest barriers to new housing in traditional downtowns, according to Ted Carman, president of Concord Square Planning and Development, a Boston firm that has done considerable work in suburban smart growth projects.

Another obstacle for developers usually is zoning, according to Carman.

"Typically, you need a zoning change, and that requires getting a consensus in the community, which is often not that easy," he said.

Many communities are rezoning their downtowns to promote housing, according to Stephen C. Smith, executive director of the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District.

"It is a mixed bag, but I think the trend is toward allowing this kind of use," Smith said.

Robert Preer can be reached at preer@globe.com.