The Norwood Planning Board has officially scheduled a public hearing for September 9 at 8:15 p.m. at Town Hall to consider an application submitted by developer Frank R. Simoni requesting a significant zoning reclassification along Walpole Street. Mr. Simoni is petitioning to change a parcel of land situated near the Rustic Acres development and Davis Avenue—located off Walpole Street near Davis Avenue—from a single-residence zone to a business zone to facilitate the construction of a new shopping center. Mr. Simoni formally presented the planning board with a supporting petition signed by residents of the surrounding neighborhood.

During preliminary discussions, local resident Irving D. Roth of 186 Sumner Street was recorded as favoring the commercial development plan. However, municipal officials noted that the proposed retail site occupies the same immediate geographic sector as another competing shopping center proposal previously advanced by the Bay State Management Trust. Meanwhile, in related real estate and municipal developments, John P. Alevizos, representing Almor Homes, Inc. (builders of the Hearthstones subdivision in Westover), informed the Planning Board that 40 additional residential lots in the Westover section had been acquired from Parkland Realty, Inc. Additionally, no public opposition has been raised regarding a proposed subdivision of land located at Route 1 and Sumner Street submitted by developer Robert Rizzo.

In community organizational news, Grand Knight Michael Zullo announced that the Norwood Council, Knights of Columbus, will hold its annual Installation of Officers at the K. of C. Home on Nichols Street on September 8, honoring all Past Grand Knights. Past Grand Knight Robert Gearty is managing arrangements for members attending the annual Archdiocese Television Mass recording at the Archdiocesan TV Center in Boston, while a social evening featuring a spaghetti and meatball dinner for members and their wives is scheduled for September 23. (Reporting by James T. O’Sullivan, The Patriot Ledger).

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger

More Norwood Business History

  • Uptown Shoppers Mall Suggested in Norwood-September 7, 1966

    Norwood selectmen and parking commissioners discuss urban renewal and the possibility of creating a pedestrian shoppers mall to combat downtown retail vacancies.

  • Norwood Shoe Warehouse To Be Built-July 16, 1964

    As the sun rose over the quaint town of Norwood on July 16, 1964, a sense of excitement and anticipation filled the air. The residents of this charming community were abuzz with news that Consolidated Shoe Inc., a prominent manufacturer of several renowned brands, had finally reached an agreement to construct a state-of-the-art warehouse on…

    Warehouse aisle with shelves of green, yellow, and orange shoe boxes stacked neatly
  • Medical Center Plans Expected-July 10, 1964

    The development of a proposed medical building on Walpole Street reached a significant milestone on July 10, 1964, as organizers announced that final preliminary plans were approximately one month from completion. ⠀ Once this rough draft is finalized, the project will be handed over to an architect—who had not yet been designated as of that…

  • James H. McManus Ice Cream Company Opens Norwood Pilot Store-July 8, 1964

    In June 1964, the James H. McManus Ice Cream Company opened a new pilot location in Norwood, featuring over 40 flavors of traditional ice cream, sherbets, and water ices.

  • Developer Frank R. Simoni Seeks Zoning Change for New Shopping Center Project-August 21, 1963

    Developer Frank R. Simoni has petitioned the Norwood Planning Board for a zoning change on Walpole Street to construct a shopping center, prompting a public hearing set for September 9.

  • Sears, Roebuck to Build Store In Norwood Shopping Center-May 22, 1960

    On May 22, 1960, a crowd of civic, business, and government leaders gathered beneath a bright late‑spring sky at the Norwood Shopping Center, where a ceremonial shovel of earth marked the beginning of a major new chapter in local retail life. The groundbreaking celebrated the start of construction on a 31,500‑square‑foot Sears, Roebuck and Co.…

  • Community News-September 15, 1955

    Miss Dougherty’s dance studio prepares to open on Day Street, Norfolk County Extension sets fall workshops in Walpole, and Local 362 resumes its monthly meetings.

  • Norwood’s Thriving Business Scene-August 4, 1955

    A look back at Norwood in 1955 reveals a thriving local economy filled with bustling auto dealerships like Boch Nash, popular eateries like Green Jade, and trusted neighborhood hardware stores and beauty salons.


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