FITCHBURG —Construction at a number of recreational marijuana businesses is entering the final stages, which means the city could see the first such facility open in the fall.
“We’re really targeting late September or early October for opening,” said Dean Iandoli, vice president of Caregiver-Patient Connection, which seeks to open a shop at 371 and 373 Lunenburg St.
Five recreational marijuana retailers have gained approval from the city, but none have opened yet. A total of eight are allowed to operate in the city.
Caregiver-Patient Connection, which was approved by the Planning Board in January, will open as a retail shop called Local Route New England.
Iandoli said the business bought its neighbor, Godfrey’s Grille and Pizzeria, and tore down the building at 373 Lunenburg St. for additional parking.
The retail location is working on the “final finish work” and is about halfway through construction, he said.
He said the shop received a provisional license from the Cannabis Control Commission and full approval is dependent on a post-construction walk through. Caregiver-Patient Connection already has medical licensing for a cultivation operation in Barre, which is currently open.
That grow facility is expected to supply product to the Fitchburg store, Iandoli said.
When it is finally operational, Iandoli said the shop will employ about 12 or 15 people. Caregiver-Patient Connection will host a general job fair and one for military veterans.
Colonial Cannabis Company hopes to open shops at 141-143 Water St., which the Planning Board granted a special permit in November, and 371 John Fitch Highway, which received one in January.
Employees with Colonial Cannabis said the company is still awaiting review by the state’s Cannabis Control Commission.
Once the shops are set up, it plans to buy marijuana flower wholesale and feature products from local companies and farms from across the state, they said.
CEO of Atlantic Medicinal Partners, Steve Perkins, said the company is planning for a retail and cultivation facility at 774 Crawford St., which is on the Leominster border.
Perkins said the building is about 75 percent completed and only about three months away before it will be ready for final inspection before opening.
“We’re in our last 60 to 70 days of construction,” said Perkins. He said the shop could open as early as the beginning of October.
The business received a provisional license from the Cannabis Control Commission in November and a special permit from the board in January. AMP is already licensed by the state and the city for medical operation.
Perkins also said he was looking forward to opening the facility.
“We expect that we’re going to do some great business there and treat our customers well,” he said.
When it does open, Perkins said the company will work closely with the Police Department and the city to ensure it becomes a business with a positive impact on the community.
Perkins also said the shop will employ about 30 people when it’s fully operational. NS AJO Holdings wants to open a retail, cultivation, and processing facility at 20 Authority Drive.
The business gained approval for recreational operations in September and medical cultivation and retail in 2017.
Owner Aidan O’Donovan, who was not available for comment, has said construction will take place in two parts and is expected to take about five months.
There are currently 10 cultivation or processing facilities which have been approved to operate within the city, and three are currently up and running.
There is no current limit set on grow operations.
Garden Remedies, which has operated at 307 Airport Road since 2017, was approved for recreational cultivation in August.Revolutionary Clinics has a two-building cultivation facility at 1 Oak Hill Road.
It received board approval in the summer to expand operations six upper floors and grow recreational marijuana.
Apothca, Inc. has been growing medical marijuana at 99 Development Road since 2017. It hasn’t applied to expand to recreational operation, according to the Planning Board.
In 2018, the board also approved two medical marijuana grow and processing operations by Cypress Tree Management at 431 Westminster St. and Native Sun Wellness at 140 Industrial Road.
Blue Collar Botany plans to open a grow facility at 644 River St. and gained Planning Board approval in November.
While retail and cultivation make up the bulk of applications reviewed by the city, businesses have proposed other types of establishments. Stalk & Beans, a third-party transporter, received a special permit and site plan approval from the Planning Board for a delivery van loading area and office space at 431 Westminster St., a former mill building, said Mike O’Hara, the city’s principal planner.
The Hub Craft was approved for adult use cultivation and processing by the board at 25 Newport St.
The company bought the property in May.
The cities first cannabis independent testing lab was approved as well, which seeks to open at 131 John Fitch Hwy.
The lab will perform analytical testing on cannabis and cannabis-based products.
Daniel Monahan: dmonahan@ sentinelandenterprise.com