Largest Project In Chain’s Fifty-Two Year History Commences At Ninety-Five Acre Industrial Site

Four men in suits and hard hats are participating in a groundbreaking ceremony, using shovels to scoop dirt at a construction site, with a bulldozer in the background.

Officials of Star Market met yesterday with representatives of Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, along with town, state, and railroad officials, to break ground for the Star Market Service and Distribution Center. The facility marks the first building constructed within the new 95-acre Norwood Industrial Center.

The center, scheduled to open by January, will initially occupy six of the 55 acres being developed for the food chain. Long-term expansion plans involve a 10-year outlook utilizing approximately one million square feet, featuring an extension of the dry groceries warehouse to accommodate all aspects of Star Market produce and a dedicated garage for a fleet of 80 trucks.

During a celebratory luncheon held at the Iron Horse Restaurant in Norwood, Star Market President John M. Mugar revealed that he had been searching for four years to secure this specific location. He stated that the project represents the largest single undertaking in the 52-year history of Star Market, predicting it will fuel a much faster growth rate for the supermarket chain.

Brooks Dodge of Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, who negotiated the arrangements with municipal leaders, admitted that he initially viewed the groundbreaking as a “rather dubious prospect” due to the intense scrutiny involved. It required 50 separate meetings to secure formal town approval. John Greifen, senior vice president of Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, highlighted the strategic assets of the location near Route 1, Route 128, and Route I-95, as well as its direct access to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railway.

Pointing to the nearby Westwood Industrial Center—the fastest-growing of the 26 corporate centers managed by Cabot, Cabot and Forbes—Greifen noted its positive financial impact on municipal government. He explained that the addition of new commercial enterprises had saved Westwood $10 on its local tax rate, suggesting that a similar economic reduction could be expected for Norwood property owners.

Sumner Goldman of Star Market explained that the facility will feature a unique pre-cast and pre-stressed concrete construction method. This engineering technique allows sections of the building to be fabricated off-site and brought directly to the location to be assembled quickly, even though the general site grading is not yet completely ready. Richard D. Sturtevant of the Jewel Company in Chicago described the modern facility as “a graphic illustration of the growth and potential of Star Market,” calling the distribution center a “great thing for the town.”

Norwood Town Manager Walter A. Blasenak warmly welcomed Star Market to the community, confessing that he had initially “shuddered” when he first learned of the massive proportions of the proposed distribution center. However, Blasenak expressed immense personal pride in the combined, cooperative efforts of company planners and town departments who worked within local regulations to meet the challenge. He emphasized the long-term commercial compensation and economic growth that will accrue to the municipality.

The welcoming industrial attitude of the community was also commended by C.E. Ragland of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, who noted that such cooperation would spur further regional transit development.

A prominent delegation of state and local leaders attended the groundbreaking ceremonies, including Norwood Selectman Walter Dempsey, Norwood Planning Board members James O’Sullivan and Matthew Connolly of the Norwood Industrial Commission, Norwood Town Moderator and Town Counsel Walter Gotovich, State Senator John M. Quinlan (R-Dover), State Representative David C. Ahearn (D-Norwood), and State Representative Alan P. Danovitch (R-Norwood).