Franklin Market Building Demolition, Construction Set To Begin This Week

Pre-construction preparation work will begin this week at 463 Franklin Street and the demolition of the building will soon follow to allow for the planned redevelopment of the site that was approved by the Planning Board in June of 2022. Construction will begin in earnest once the existing building comes down.  

The site is being redeveloped by Johnson Construction Management, headed by Robert Johnson, a local and experienced builder. Throughout the entire demolition and construction process, a protected pedestrian walkway will remain in place to provide a safe and continuous path for pedestrians along Franklin Street and Marvin Road.   

The completed building, which is expected to be finished by December 2024, will be a welcome addition to the Melrose Highlands. The building will contain a mix of uses with an approximately 2,000 square foot retail space on the ground floor, and twenty-one residential units on the three upper stories. The developer is currently working with the Franklin Market on plans to move back into the retail space once the building is complete.   

“This project will allow for the redevelopment of Franklin Market building, which is part of our already thriving Franklin Street coordinator, with public transit access and a variety of amenities nearby,” said Mayor Paul Brodeur. “I’d like thank Planning Director, Denise Gaffey, her staff, and members of the Planning Board for all of their hard work to date that made this redevelopment possible.”  

The project will be the first building constructed utilizing the City's recent zoning amendment that allows for increased density in exchange for community benefits beyond what is normally required. The building will include several “green” building features such as all-electric high efficiency appliances, a high-performance building envelope and insulation, solar, electric vehicle chargers and on-site bicycle storage.  

The building will also be the first of the redevelopment sites in the City’s Housing Production Plan noted as a prime location to be developed to address Melrose’s goal of providing new housing opportunities. The project will attract residents that will utilize public transportation, support neighborhood businesses and take advantage of the City’s amenities. It will continue to provide retail space on the ground floor, which will remain an important contributor to the vitality of the area’s business district and provide services to the neighborhood.