ATTLEBORO — The Atlantic Golf Center property on Newport Avenue (Route 1A) has been sold for $7 million to a developer who plans to build apartments and retail space on the nearly 40-acre site.
Anthony Properties closed the deal to buy the 38.9-acre site in South Attleboro on July 1. Anthony, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, intends to build 306 apartments on the site. The deal has been in the works since 2020.
Attleboro lawyer Jack Jacobi, who represents the firm, said Anthony Properties will continue to run the driving range until sometime in the fall.
Work on the apartment project will likely begin in the spring because the state has yet to approve a traffic signal at the site’s entrance.
Both Fire Chief Scott Lachance and Police Chief Kyle Heagney, citing safety concerns, pushed for it in a meeting with the state and developers. Route 1A has a heavy flow of daily traffic.
Jacobi said Anthony is currently finalizing retail tenants and financing for the multi-million dollar project.
“I think it will be the largest private project in the city,” Jacobi said.
The city could reap $1.2 million in property taxes every year, he said.
Earlier this year, Anthony reduced the size of its project because of the high cost of construction.
The company presented new plans to the city’s planning and zoning boards in February.
They include fewer apartments but added height to the buildings.
- The number of apartment buildings will go from four to three, and the number of apartments will go from 323 to 306.
- Square footage of the buildings will go from 91,467 to 72,095 — a decrease of 21%.
- The height of the buildings is going from four stories to five.
- Impervious cover, which is any type of surface that doesn’t absorb rainfall, including roofs, patios, driveways and sidewalks, is being reduced from 11.48 acres to 10.18 acres on the 38.9-acre site.
- The commercial part of the project, which will include spaces for two restaurants on Newport Avenue, will stay the same at 15,395 square feet.
- There will also be a daycare center of 10,000 square feet, also on Newport Avenue.
Jacobi said the project will cover only about half the total site.
When the project is complete there will be a shuttle service between the apartment complex and the South Attleboro MBTA train station.
The project is designed by VHB, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, — whose local headquarters are in Boston.
George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.