Well the first thing to fill it out should be a team of bulldozers to tear the whole thing down and start again.

The shopping center itself is a relic. Modern landscaping and an attractive new facade would attract quality retailers to the space. Granted the mid town location is not ideal, it's off the highway. 38 is busy, but you don't get as much pass by town traffic as you would with a location off 495 or 93, this may affect retail's willingness to take on a suite.

Any new development should take on a wider view incorporating the adjacent Mac's Ice Cream property as well as the vacant funworld lot adding non route 38 access to those properties directly from each parking space. I would take that a step further and include skywalks over 38 to encourage pedestrian traffic from one development to the other.

South Tewksbury doesn't just need a new face on an old monster it needs a real development plan which (although I love both) doesn't include another Dunkin Donuts or pizza shop. Tewksbury's problem has long been picking a plan and sticking to it when it comes to business development.

Possibles: Stop'n'Shop, Price Choppers, mid range clothing retailers, etc, maybe casual diner such as Outback would work.

I agree, tear the whole thing down. Build something modern, new, and eye appealing. That is a reason those spaces are vacant, companies don't want to open a store in a place like that. Also, so there isn't another disaster like the strip mall by Wal-Mart, we get businesses who want to open something there, and then build. We don't want any more new, but vacant, areas. With the right businesses and the right development, that area of Tewksbury can be just as great as the Wilmington Plaza area.

Also, a skywalk may be too much, there is no ideal place to put it.

Target

@Bobby. Yeah Skywalk may be alot. I was thinking about where that would go as well. Ideally you would want to large retail structures on each end, there isn't a way to do that.

I was trying to decide what would be cheaper the skywalk or the widening of that stretch say from Citgo out to the old Go-Kart place (ala Wilmington Plaza).

I'd love to see a farm stand w/fresh fruits and veggies from local farms.....fresh pies, baked goods, coffee shop, organic goods, juice bar.....the nearest places are: trader joes in burlington, whole foods in andover, calabresa's in reading.....all of which do a phenomenal business.....nothing in tewksbury, lowell, wilmington on billerica. people who are interesting in living a healthy lifestyle will travel to places that offer these products.....the business would need to be marketed.....but if done right, i think it would thrive. there is a seasonal farm stand in tewksbury but its very small and limited....juice bars are big.....there's one in lowell near the college that does very well.....

I think an indoor basketball facility wirh rock climbing and a small cafeteria style menu with internet hook up. There is no place for our kids in the winter since sports world has been renovated

Agree with Gina. What about the YMCA. They have great programs running in Lowell and North Andover. An indoor pool would be great.

I came back to Tewksbury after serving in the Navy because I loved the way I grew up in this town. While serving in the Navy I would tell my fellow sailors how proud and happy I loved my childhood in the town of Tewksbury. The history, family oriented atmosphere was unforgettable, which now a days it seems to no longer be thought of in teens. When I was a kid growing up here I loved going to Playland , Billiards ,Grand Prix to play video games& ride go carts, and a bowling alley where Motel 6 is AND there was a drive in! Sad thing is I'm only 30, and everything disappeared that quickly! I honestly think there should be a poll to go around the town to see what top suggestions are from adults and teens and combined these ideas. As well as having a vote once top suggestions are narrowed down. I understand it's much easier said than done. However I would rather be selfless and give children and teens a memorably childhood so that one day they too would want to raise their children in Tewksbury.
I completely agree with Emma & Gina! Those are great ideas, and I too as an adult would definitely go to a facility that had activities such as Rock Climbing,rather than driving to Woburn. I also agree some what with Christian,more up to date ,modern design. Another idea,instead of the town building put more into SIDEWALKS & road construction as well.

I would love to see a Panera, Outback and some other things along that line. A Target would be nice there too, but I think it might just provide more traffic for the area. Let's bring back the mini golf and/or go-karts that were there. They are popular activities, but there is nowhere close! maybe the CC could "expand" across the street and revitalize the course there with some landscaping and upgrading.

Kohl's or Target, with Chipotle or Qdoba, an indoor inflatable place or ceramic painting place, Trader Joes or Whole Foods. All of 38 needs to be "beautified."

I agree with a lot of the comments already here! I would say:
* somewhere else to buy clothes (Kohl's, TJ Maxx, ANYthing!)
* a good chain restaurant (Texas Roadhouse, Panera, Chili's, Border Cafe, etc.)
* a Trader Joe's would be perfect. It doesn't take up as much space as a lot of other grocery places and there isn't another around to compete with

If I had to vote, I'd put in a Trader Joe's over anything else!

I always wondered why the Patch asks this question about all the different ares in town. I don't see it as being productive one bit. What it does do is shows all of us how far this town has gone down hill. Seriously, lookat all the towns around us....they are better in every way. Sorry, just venting.
put a racket ball facility there.

Why not lots of Tennis Courts.

Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Orange Leaf, Chipolte, Moe's, Kelly's Roast Beef, Lobster Tail, or any fresh seafood kinda place...

As everyone knows we have way to many pizza joints in this town. I think we need a Kentucky Fried Chicken/Taco Bell.

A KFC/Taco Bell where Poco Loco was would be great but I've heard that they already looked into that property and the Owners of that building want too much money for a lease.. :-(

As for Rite Aid... Trader Joes would be a nice addition as they carry a more distictive line of products that would not be a direct competition with Market Basket, a Stop n Shop would not survive against Market Basket and they know it, I believe SnS owns that property already and also held the lease of where Job Lots is and paid rent on an empty store for many years as further proof, they fear MB in such a way that they just moved their North Reading store from its old location (which they had just spent millions renovating) to the former Shaws, just to keep Market Basket from moving into that location which was rumored to be in the works... A Chunkys and some other Dining and Entertainment estblishments would be nice... As long as its not Pizza or Chinese/Thai, we have enough... lol..

I think a few things should go there. A nice market stand with fresh fruits, because the fruits at our "local" groceries are not great quality at all. They tend to go bad within days. Not the best grade. I would also say a target or a khol's. Or a nice indoor place for the kids - there isn't much in Tewksbury to do with the kids. A Small arcade, mini golfing, go Kwart. I think there is a place in Braintree that they do mini car racing around the track, pretty cool place. You can also do a like a lazer tag, paint ball place. I guess all in something would be better than nothing :-) But a place that is good for all ages - not just teens. toddlers too so like a mini climbing place and things like that.

I also agree with the chunkys and some form of entertainment. What about a dicks last resort or something in that nature. comedy show

Tew-Mac Part Deux: This time, it's personal.

Please, anything but a big-box chain store. No more of our money going out of town. Keep it in the community! No Target or anything like that. I like the idea of a Chunky's or something like that to add to the new facility going in where the Grand Prix was. How about a bowling alley?! I miss Wamesit Bowl, which was where the BK is now in front of Home Depot, which used to be the Drive-in. Ah, this town once had so much for a family to do....

Sandra, the old New England Gran Prix across from Donna's Donuts is in the process of becoming an entertainment center with Mini Golf, Laser Tag, Games and I'm hoping some sort of go kart racing.. But they could do other things at the plaza as you said, like indoor rock climbing, paint ball, etc... Kohls or Old Navy would be good too, they just opened a new Target in Lowell so that would not be a likley option..
Let's hope someone decides to pursue some of these ideas

I believe a Community Theater would be a great addition to the town. Tewksbury barely has anything that relates to performing.

As usual with any property in Tewksbury...i want a Trader Joes...I emailed Traderjoes.com to let them know to look into Tewksbury...we want one here! yummy

Anything but fast food, nail salons, hair salons, dollar stores etc. I think we have those markets covered.....

The sad reality given where we live is that the place will remain vacant for another year or 2. We'll then get a second hand store, a pawn shop, and maybe another Chinese restaurant all of which will go out of business. The gentleman who owns the golf course is the only hope this town has left in terms of a possible revitilization of main street.

I would love to see a theatre in town Maybe even live shows. The old Somerville Theatre comes to mind. (Not adult entertainment)

all great ideas but we need more retail store like target or kohls you have to go all the way down to tewksbury /lowell line for anything to do with clothes,and other personal things. I grew up in Tewksbury and it's has gone down hill what a SHAME!!!!

all great ideas but we need more retail clothing stores there is nothing down this end of town a kohl's or a target would be nice NO more coffee shops,pizza places,banks things we don't need ENOUGH all ready! I grew up in Tewksbury all my life and it has really gone down hill what a SHAME!!!!!!!

petco,christmas tree store,michael's craft store ,bowling ally

What you need first is a town that is small business friendly,high commercial property taxes, meal taxes that are above the state rate, town boards that seem to stand in the way and a self serving board of selectman that dont have a clue no wonder why there is so much empty space.

Tewksbury needs entertainment for families. . . .drive-in. . . .bowling alley. . . .kids in-door/out-door climbing obstacles. . . .roller staking

i think it should be a fitness club for children. they are being built all over the country why not here . it should excersize equipment built and designed for children, electronic & educational games that promote coordination and athletic skiils. the last thing this town needs is more places our kids can eat

Hey Patch wake up ! instead of treating it like it's an empty space try and help the businesses that are there already like the Pushcart Cafe , large fresh salad bar, all typs of sandwiches, paninis, wraps , soups, fruit smoothies, six flavors of frozen yogurt and catering . Try them out.

The Pushcart has now added Frozen Yogurt to their offerings! No "set" price...sold by weight as with their salads.

I would love a Modell's.

I think it would be awesome for that plaza to be torn down and rebuilt like the wilmington plaza. What a difference it would make ! It would also be more inviting to retail looking to come to tewksbury

Great Idea Linda, I have said that many times to my husband. And as for a lot of the other comments, so right about not needing another nail salon, pizza, or even another restaurant, there are 2 more ready to open. So many good ideas though.

Bev