Wayland HDC approves Town House Café renovation at former Collins Market

WAYLAND -- March 17, 2026, Wayland Historic District Commission unanimously approves cafe revival of the old Collins Market building. The commission Tuesday issued a certificate of appropriateness for exterior work at 21 Cochituate Road, where owner Kirsten Lipson plans to open Town House Café & Bistro in early to mid-August. Plans include repainting in historically matched white-and-green, new wooden "Townhouse" lettering, a restored full-window door, a 14-to-15-seat rear patio screened by a wood fence, a 2-percent-grade rear ADA walkway in gray herringbone pavers, a bike rack and a wrought-iron horse hitch. Lipson told Chair Greg Dale the project is meant to "honor the history of the building." Members also voted to have alternate Gretchen Schuler draft a memo to the Select Board urging a professional parking study covering the cafe, library, depot and Grout-Heard House, and scheduled a follow-up meeting for April 7.