'New Beginning' For St. Patrick's School Site Underway

NATICK, MA — Stonegate Group and Nauset Construction recently broke ground on the long-awaited Stonegate St. Patrick Redevelopment, a mixed-use project at the site of the former St. Patrick’s School.

Now, a potential finishing date of 2025 has been established for the project.

The development will eventually include 46 apartments with 14,000 square feet of ground-floor restaurant and retail space with four additional two-family townhomes, officials said.

The groundbreaking ceremony, hosted by the Stonegate Group, was attended by members of the Natick Select Board and other town officials who spoke highly of the planned development.

"I knew from the start that this project was going to be a unique opportunity for the Town of Natick, and it certainly has been," said Natick Town Administrator Jamie Errickson.

"We wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Stonegate sticking with this town and sticking with this project, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how this project will re-invigorate this section of Route 135 as we enter Natick Center."

Finegold Alexander Architects can be credited for the design of the project, which is set to provide a mix of 46 apartment units ranging from one to three bedrooms and four duplex homes containing three to four-bedroom units, with 14 apartments designated as affordable.

Officials hope that the four-story main structure will feature "destination restaurants" and retail space on the ground floor with apartments above, and the townhomes will be constructed at the rear portion of the property at Lincoln and Wilson Streets.

There will be a mix of surface and underground residential parking, with the Framingham/Worcester Commuter Rail to South Station located in under an 8-minute walk, officials noted.

"Stonegate has been headquartered in the Town of Natick for well over 25 years, so we’re committed to the Town of Natick, and in particular, Natick Center, which we feel has huge potential as the town continues to grow," said Stonegate president, Dean Calivas.

"Today’s groundbreaking marks a new beginning for the redevelopment of the Stonegate St. Patrick site."

Stonegate has completed other major projects in the neighborhood, including the former American Legion building at 13 West Central St. and the Odd Fellows building at 11 South Main St.

The project also marks a return to Natick for Nauset Construction, which completed extensive renovations to Clock Tower Place in 2014.

Stonegate acquired the St. Patrick's School property in 2015 and the buildings were demolished in April.

After a few false starts and delays largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said construction of the new redevelopment is anticipated to be completed by spring 2025.

Read more: Natick St. Patrick's Project Finally Ready For Groundbreaking