Image courtesy of MEPA Office

A Needham developer seeks to redevelop a vacant restaurant site in Middleton with a combination of retail space and 60 apartments.

Villebridge Real Estate Development is pursuing approval under the Chapter 40B affordable housing law for the Middleton Corner development.

The project would include a 94,000-square-foot residential building and two commercial buildings containing 18,800 square feet, according to a submission to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

The residential building would include 25 percent income-restricted units to comply with Chapter 40B.

The 5-acre site includes three parcels at the corner of Routes 62 and 114, including the former Angelica’s restaurant and 310 parking spaces.

Villbridge Real Estate was founded in 2020 by Lars Unhjem, a former executive with AvalonBay Communities and Mill Creek Residential. A 200-unit project was originally proposed and withdrawn in 2022 before being resubmitted under Chapter 40B, which enables developers to obtain approvals for multifamily projects including at 20 percent income-restricted units.

Developers are seeking to break ground in early 2025 and estimate a late 2026 completion date, according to a filing with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office.