Developer Brad Chaffee Shares His Vision for E. Central

One of the main features of Thursday's meeting of the Franklin Downtown Partnership, hosted at Dean College, was a presentation by local builder and developer, Brad Chaffee, of Camford Properties.

In addition to doing high-profile projects for clients, such as a recently completed Trillium Brewing Beer Gardens on Boston Common, Camford has completed several projects in Franklin, including a number that cluster around East Central Street.

Whether the plan was always in the back of his mind or whether it was inspired by the success of those first projects, is not clear, but Chaffee is now working to knit together several additional properties between Summer Street and King Street along East Central with a plan to strengthen their architectural unity and tie the streetscape together with landscaping and even a small area of open space.

Far along in the rehab process is the former Dante Motors building, adjacent to the Shell station, which had been largely vacant for many years. The Food Pantry initially planned to move there but a variety of factors made that impractical. Camford purchased the structure and has now addressed the few structural issues on the site and converted the interior into striking commercial space.

Other residential properties on the same side of the street are either being upgraded or, in the case of those in poor structural condition, being removed. But at least one of the "replacement" structures, will bear a resemblance to what went before, featuring gable roofs and a slightly curved frontage along the street, mimicking the existing buildings. The goal, he explained, is to have that much of the streetscape retain a small-town New England feel while providing more modern and comfortable housing for residents old and new.

Chafee said his projects include both rental units and condominiums. "I think it is good to have a mix," he explained.

Many of the projects are still only plans and have a ways to go in terms of approvals. Chaffee invited those in attendance to provide feedback and suggestions as he works to bring a new kind of development to the Route 140 corridor.