Here’s one I’ve been meaning to bring you for a while now. Last month a new indoor playspace opened up at 150 Cordaville Road (map) in the former High Speed Video building where Metrowest Gymnastics most recently was.

I haven’t been, but according to its website, Inside Playground is “a spacious area for the children to enjoy physical activities (inflated structures, slides, swings, play-cars, ball-pools, etc.) as well as sit-down games (books, puzzles, miniature furniture, dolls, computers, etc.).” It’s intended for children aged six and under.

This is the second location for Inside Playground. There is also one in Watertown.

Inside Playground is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, and Sundays from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. The entrance fee is $10 per child ($8 for additional children) on weekedays and $12 on weekends ($10 for additional children). Multi-visit passes, yearly memberships, and group discounts are also available.

For more information, visit the Inside Playground website (southboroughinsideplayground.com).

The pair who hope to return Capasso Farms to its former glory went before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a second time late last month. Board members remained mixed on whether they would grant the necessary variances.

While a farm stand has operated at the former Capasso Farms site on Framingham Road for decades, the site has been vacant for two years now, long enough for the grandfathered zoning that allowed the business in a residential-zoned area to lapse.

ZBA Chairman Matthew Hurley said regardless of the fact that they missed a deadline to extend the grandfathered zoning, the Capasso family, which still owns the property, should be granted some leniency. “We need to do what we think is right and what is in the best interest of the town,” he said.

But other board members said the Capasso family has not made a convincing argument that they meet the state’s hardship requirements which are the basis for granting a variance.

“They just can’t come in and say it’s good for the town of Southborough and expect us to approve it,” ZBA member Leo Bartolini said. “This board legally can’t approve it because they haven’t proved hardship.”

Member Ed Estella argued the Capasso family should be required to go before the Planning Board for a site plan review before any variances are granted.

The board asked the Capasso family and would-be tenants Paul Mckunes of Holliston and Agnaldo Santos of Hudson to come back later this month with a more detailed description of what they want to do with the property. They also asked for more arguments about the hardship issue.

A vote on the variances would require approval of four out of the five board members in order to pass.

For more of the back-and-forth at last month’s hearing, read this article by the Metrowest Daily News.

Southborough residents Cindy Evangelous and Leah Ammon, owners of Fit Studio28 in Westborough, recently announced that they’re adding teen fitness classes to their lineup. The classes are intended for kids ages 9 through 14. Here are descriptions of the new offerings:

Core Explore (ages 9-14)
Tuesdays @ 3:30 pm
Teens will focus on core work using strength training and cardio.

Teen Yoga (ages 9-12)
Thursdays @ 3:30 pm
Teens will learn yoga positions, the power of meditation and relaxation.

Sessions run for 8 weeks at a cost of $79. Fit Studio28 is located in Westborough in the Village Plaza at 122 Turnpike Road (next to The Little Gym and Mamas ‘n’ Divas). You can sign up for teen classes, as well as adult classes, on their website (www.fitstudio28.com).

[Full disclosure: Fit Studio28 is a My Southborough sponsor.]

Southborough shops and eateries have been making some changes lately – both in town and out. We talked about the Cumberland Farms on Route 9 yesterday, and here’s some more news from the sector.

New owner for Pizza 19
Less than a year after opening at the intersection of Framingham Road and Newton Street, Pizza 19 has changed ownership. At a recent hearing to transfer the common victualler license, Yacoub Abdelshahid told Selectmen he took over the business from Pedro Franco last fall.

Pizza 19 came under fire from neighbors when it opened in February 2011 over concerns about noise, traffic, and alleged zoning violations. In agreeing to transfer the license, selectmen urged Abdelshahid to keep his neighbors in mind.

“You need to be more than a good business,” Selectman John Rooney said. “You need to be a good neighbor.”

New owner for Rose Garden
The Rose Garden, a Chinese restaurant located on Southville Road just before the Ashland border, has been around considerably longer than Pizza 19, but it too has a new owner. Liangfeng Chen told selectmen last month he would be taking over from the previous owner who plans to retire.

While Chen has experience in the restaurant business, selectmen originally deferred their decision on transferring the liquor license to him over concerns he did not know enough about Massachusetts liquors laws. Chen sought additional training and convinced selectmen to approve the transfer at a subsequent hearing.

Selectmen Bill Boland said they needed to be certain Chen understood the rules and regulations, especially since the restaurant is located in a residential area.

Stony Brook Market looks to expand
Salim and Fadi Kassouf, the brothers behind Stony Brook Market in the Town Center Plaza, want to bring their business to Marlborough. The two have applied for a license to open a second convenience store of the same name at the old Vin Bin location on South Bolton Street, but the Metrowest Daily News reports Marlborough officials are split on the plan.

While one member of the Marlborough licensing board said he was impressed with the Kassouf’s Southborough store and thought it would be a good addition to the plaza, another expressed concern that the convenience store, which would sell beer and wine, would undercut Vin Bin’s business. Vin Bin’s new location is just across Main Street in the old fire station.

A decision on the license was tabled for a future date.

Above: A rendering shows the style the new Cumberland Farms store will have

The Cumberland Farms on Route 9 west just before the interchange with Route 495 will be getting a new look. Cumberland Farms president, and Southborough resident, Ari Haseotes told the Zoning Board of Appeals last month he plans to raze the current structure and build a new one in its place.

“I think people are going to be very proud of this when it’s done,” he said.

A civil engineer for the project told the board they want to demolish the old store and replace it with a new one that will sport a Colonial-style exterior. They will also reconfigure the current four gas dispensers, adding another two in the process. Cars will enter via Route 9, with the only exit being to Park Street on the west side of the property.

Haseotes said the new configuration will improve traffic flow on the site. Additional pumps will accommodate more cars during peak hours, while new parking spaces directly in front of the store will encourage patrons to pull forward when they’re done gassing up instead of remaining parked at the pump like they do now.

The new store will not have a Dunkin Donuts like it does now.

The project has been before the Zoning Board of Appeals, as well as the Planning Board, for several months now and has undergone a number of revisions. ZBA members who were originally lukewarm on the plan said they were happy with how it has evolved, noting they particularly liked the Colonial style the store will have.

“I compliment you,” ZBA member Leo Bartolini told Haseotes and his team. “The design adds to the character of the town.”

The ZBA unanimously approved requests for front and rear setback variances. Developers still need approval from the Planning Board, which will discuss the project next at their meeting on February 13.

Above: Southborough Executive Place at 352 Turnpike Road

Developer Dave Ferris got himself a deal. The Southborough resident recently purchased Southborough Executive Place, a Route 9 office building, for $3.75M. The building was last sold in 2006 for $10M.

Ferris plans to restore the building and grounds, which he says have seen better days, in an effort to attract new tenants. The building is currently 65% vacant. (For those of you wondering why you should care, more tenants means more tax dollars for the town.)

Ferris told the Metrowest Daily News he credits a reinvigorated commitment to business in Southborough for his decision to buy. Specifically, he called out the work of the Southborough Economic Development Team.

“Seismic shift,” Ferris said Thursday of the impact of a recently formed independent committee dedicated to attracting business to town.

Led by Chris Robbins, the Southborough Economic Development Team was put together last year by a number of residents concerned that the town wasn’t being aggressive enough in attracting business.

You can read more about Ferris’ plans in this article by the Metrowest Daily News.

Protesters gathered near the New England Primate Research Center in Southborough on Sunday to protest recent primate deaths at the facility. Protesters also gathered in Cambridge, home of Harvard University, which owns and operates the research facility.

The USDA last week announced it would launch an investigation after citing the primate center for the death of a monkey in October. It was the second reported primate death at the Southborough facility in 2011. The Harvard Crimson newspaper reported yesterday that nine monkeys have died at Harvard-affiliated research centers in the past two years, including the two deaths in Southborough.

According to the Metrowest Daily News nine protesters held signs at the intersection of Farm Road and Route 20 in Marlborough on Sunday, and later moved to a spot across the street from primate center on Parmenter Road to hold a memorial service for the primates who died.

You can read more in these articles:

• Nine Animals Died in Harvard-Affiliated Laboratories (The Harvard Crimson)
• Activists protest near Southborough primate research center (Metrowest Daily News)
• Editorial: Spell out ethical standards (Boston Globe)

Above: The old Tin Alley on Route 9 (photo via Google Maps)

Framingham’s former Tin Alley restaurant on Route 9 just east of the Southborough border has been sitting vacant for years now. In 2010 a developer sought approval to build a “classy strip club” on the site. Fortunately, that plan fell through. Now comes word that McDonalds wants the site for its golden arches.

From the Metrowest Daily News:

The company plans to tear down the existing building on the westbound side of Rte. 9, near the Southborough line, and build a new 5,200-square-foot McDonald’s restaurant with a drive-thru.

Incomplete plans filed with the Planning Board call for a main entrance on California Avenue, and seating for 100.

The Planning Board could start reviewing the proposal and McDonald’s special permit request as soon as next month.

More details here.

If you’re looking to do yoga with your little one, you won’t have to travel far. Sweet Pea Yoga, run by Southborough resident Alexandra De Collibus, is now offering classes at Theracopia in downtown Southborough. Here’s more information.

Sweet Pea Yoga is bringing Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Babies and Tots to Southborough!

We’re excited to share that Sweet Pea Yoga is bringing the acclaimed Itsy Bitsy Yoga® program to young families in Southborough! Since 2004, Sweet Pea Yoga has been a staple in MetroWest for families looking for nurturing and developmentally sound yoga practice to share with their little ones.

Certified IBY Facilitator and Sweet Pea founder Alexandra De Collibus has brought her experience to hundreds of families in MetroWest with unique parent-child yoga classes for Babies, Toddlers & Tykes/Little Families (sibling). Different than traditional Mommy & Me, Itsy Bitsy Yoga is a yoga class adapted for children—supporting their unfolding development and abilities. It’s a special class where children can grow their budding yoga practice and learn healthy habits all in a playful, clean, and active setting. Sweet Pea Yoga’s Itsy Bitsy Yoga program helps build and strengthen the parent/child bond, helps our children feel happier and more confident in their moving bodies, and encourages their creative spirit.

Look for classes on Wednesdays at Theracopia Wellness Center Act with new 8-week Baby and Tots Yoga sessions starting mid-January (late-enrollment as space permits). Additional class options on Tuesdays in Hopkinton.

Feel free to call or email Alexandra anytime at Alexandra@sweetpeayoga.com or by calling 508-981-3244. Visit the website at www.SweetPeaYoga.com. Online and phone registration available.

Many in Southborough – town officials and residents alike – argue that attracting business and industry is a key ingredient in the town’s economic stew. Now a new brochure published by the Economic Development Team hopes to convince businesses and nonprofits that Southborough is a great place to set up shop.

Check out a copy of the brochure here (or pick up a hard copy at the Town House), and read this press release for more information on why the guide was created and what Southborough has to offer businesses.

To build a positive business environment for the success of businesses and ultimately the success of the community and in an effort to attract business and newcomers to Southborough, the Economic Development Team with the unanimous support of the Board of Selectmen (Chairman, Bill Boland; Vice Chairman, John Rooney and Dan Kolenda) has kicked off its economic development initiative by publishing a Business, Nonprofit and Community Guide.

The Guide is designed to provide insight as to why residents, companies and nonprofits prefer to live, work and establish their businesses here. The Guide provides a profile of the organizations that have contributed greatly to the Town’s history and growth. It also reflects why Southborough was ranked 31st in the nation by “CNN Money’s 100 Best Places to Live” in 2009.

The Guide depicts that the Town is a prime location and serves as an important cross road for New England, business and residents. Greater Southborough is a source of highly educated workers, is conveniently located close to Boston, and is an epicenter for commerce.

John Rooney, a member of Southborough’s Board of Selectmen, recently congratulated and thanked the Economic Development Team for its efforts. According to Rooney, “It is important for us to ensure all newcomers continue to be greeted warmly and new businesses are welcomed.” Rooney also stated, “The Town recently voted to continue its single tax rate to keep Southborough competitive in attracting business and that our town will continue to strive to provide predictable and efficient regulatory processes that are committed to respecting developers.”

Chris Robbins, a member of the Economic Development Team that helped produce the Guide, agrees: “It is critical we sustain and grow our business community in order to ensure the economic diversity and vitality of our Town. The Business and Nonprofit organizations provide important jobs and generate approximately 20% of Southborough’s tax revenues. These revenues help to lessen the tax burden of our residents and help to ensure that the core services of our town are maintained.”

A wide variety of dynamic and innovative companies have chosen Southborough as a location to do business. They include several hundred small companies in addition to approximately thirty mid- to large-employers and organizations. The range of companies is diverse and spans several Dun & Bradstreet industry classifications. Southborough is the proud home to Wegmans New England Divisional Office, NSTAR Electric & Gas Corporation’s Regional Operations Center, Mitsubishi Electric Cooling and Heating Center, Lowe’s New England Regional office, Harvard Medical School’s Research Center, the New England Center for Children, Massachusetts Dental Society, Southborough Medical Group, and UMass Memorial, as well as other well-known and respected companies and nonprofit organizations.

About the Economic Development Team
The Economic Development Team (EDT) is an independent Association charged with promoting and developing the industrial/business/commercial resources of the Town. The EDT accomplishes its charge through the creation of various marketing initiatives; providing ongoing feedback on ways to refine internal Town structures and by-laws to better support economic development efforts; serving as an initial review board and advocate for providing State and local economic incentives to new and expanding businesses in Town; and providing assistance to businesses and residents dealing with zoning issues, building permits or providing introductions to key business and community leaders.

Key to its efforts is to work closely with the Town’s leadership and residents to help the Town to reduce residential taxes and sustain the core services of the community by attracting, retaining, developing and expanding our business tax base.