One might say they’re mixed-use developments on steroids. 

Two huge development projects in Londonderry and Salem – one on a former apple orchard and the other at the site of the former Rockingham Park racetrack – are now both fully under way, promising millions of square feet of new office, retail and housing space in southern New Hampshire and testing the popularity of the “live, work, play” concept in smaller-town settings. 

The long-awaited first two buildings of Londonderry’s Woodmont Commons project, located on more than 600 acres of land, are as of publication set to open this fall, with the popular 603 Brewery serving as an anchor tenant in one and the other featuring 87 new apartments.  

Millions of Square Feet in Pipeline 

This fall, Pillsbury Realty Development, headed by Michael Kettenbach, is also expected to break ground on yet another building at Woodmont that will include ground-floor retail and restaurants and an additional 56 residential units, said Ari Pollack, a lawyer for Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell, which represents Pillsbury Realty. 

If all goes well, the multi-phase Woodmont Commons project – touted as Londonderry’s “new downtown” just off Interstate 93 – could include 1,400 residential units and 3 million square feet of commercial space, assuming everything gets built over the next 20 years or so, Pollack said. 

Meanwhile, Tuscan Village, developed by local businessman Joe Faro’s Tuscan Brands, recently saw the opening of a new Market Basket, Ford dealership and 270-unit apartment complex at the site of the old 170-acre Rockingham Park, also just off I-93 – with 96 additional condos currently under construction. 

In addition, Tuscan Village recently started infrastructure work on the “south village” portion of the project that could potentially include 900,000 square feet of office space, two hotels, 600,000 square feet of retail space and 450 multi-family residential units.  

Ideally, construction of some of the new Tuscan Village buildings could start later this year if the infrastructure work is completed, said Mike Powers, senior vice president of leasing and development at Tuscan Brands. 

Housing Just in Time 

Both mixed-use projects, Woodmont Commons and Tuscan Village, represent huge long-term bets by the developers, as well as by the individual towns, that the “live, work, play” trend of development is not a passing fad. 

Pollack of Woodmont Commons and Powers of Tuscan Brands say they’re convinced their respective projects will be hits – and create enduring neighborhoods in both communities. 

“People want to be in pedestrian-friendly settings,” said Powers. “The goal here is to create a true mixed-use mega-center that attracts all types of people.” 

And attracts all types of companies employing hundreds, if not thousands, of workers, says Pollack, noting Woodmont Commons eventually hopes to lure both in-state and out-of-state firms to Londonderry. 

Kevin Smith, town manager in Londonderry, said Woodmont Commons has been a “long-time coming” project that included years of planning and overcoming legal disputes between Kettenbach’s Pillsbury Realty and the Demoulas family of Market Basket fame. 

But the mega-development is now bearing fruit – and just in time, says Smith. The region is in need of more housing that caters to the younger Millennial generation – and the companies that employ them. 

Why the 20-Year Buildout? 

But one major question if the housing component is so important: Why the long 20-year timeline to build out Woodmont Commons? Pollack says it’s a simple matter of logistics, time and money. 

“It’s a tremendous investment in infrastructure,” said Pollack, noting all the roads, utilities, and water and sewer lines that have to be built before construction on new facilities can even start. “Remember: We’re building a new neighborhood from scratch.”. 

In Salem, Donna Morris, president of the Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce, said the business community has embraced Tuscan Village and the “economic overspill” expected from its businesses and new residents. And she likes the mixed-use approach towards re-developing the former Rockingham Park, after years by many to try to save Rockingham Park as a race and gambling mecca. 

Giovanni Verani, of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services/Verani Real Estate, said all the new housing at Woodmont Commons and Tuscan Village are needed and welcome in southern New Hampshire – and mixed-use projects are the smart way to go. 

“People want both housing and entertainment at the same time,” he said. “The ‘live, work, play’ approach is attractive to developers.” 

But he expressed hope that Londonderry, Salem and other towns adapt zoning rules that allow mixed-use developments on a smaller scale within existing districts, not just on large tracts of available land.  

“Zoning is still a problem in every community,” he said.