The demolition permit for the old train depot on Union Street was pulled in January 2024. The building had been dark since Deluxe Town Diner closed, sitting empty through four winters within sight of the Newton Centre Green Line stop. As of this month, the Wellesley taco spot taking it over still has no announced opening date.
Meanwhile, the Newton Harvest Fair will happen on the Centre Green on Sunday, October 18, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a carnival, two music stages, food trucks, and pumpkin decorating, exactly as the city's parks department has it scheduled. Nobody needs a liquor license for that one.
Together, these updates offer a snapshot of Newton Centre this fall: the Harvest Fair has a scheduled date, while Lockheart is still awaiting state approval.
The restaurant is still awaiting approval from the state's Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, its attorney told Fig City News in August, and would open within "a matter of days" once that clears: "a few weeks hopefully."
Lockheart's Path to Newton Centre
Lockheart is a known quantity if you've spent any time in Wellesley Square. It opened there in 2022, built a following on tacos, cocktails, and brunch, and now runs trivia nights, open mics, and comedy sets on top of dinner service. The Newton Centre version is meant to be the same restaurant in a much older building: the 19th-century station house at 70 Union Street, with 86 seats inside, a seasonal patio, and a takeout window facing the Green.
Here's what actually had to happen to get there:
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| January 2024 | Demolition permit pulled for the interior of 70 Union Street |
| March 2024 | Roughly $1.2 million restaurant buildout begins |
| June 2026 | Fire-protection system passes its acceptance test, typically one of the last steps before opening |
| June 16, 2026 | Newton's Board of License Commissioners votes 3-0 to approve the liquor, common victualler, and entertainment licenses |
| Mid-August 2026 | Eight weeks after that vote, the state's ABCC still shows no issued license on record for the restaurant |
| September 17, 2026 | Boston-wide restaurant roundups start featuring Lockheart's menu, tacos, lobster guac, margaritas on the patio, as one of the season's openings |
Newton's Board of License Commissioners approved the local licenses on June 16. By mid-August, the state license had not yet been issued. The local and state approvals are separate steps in Lockheart's opening timeline.
Newton Asian Mart's Permitting Timeline
Newton Asian Mart moved into the former Walgreens space on Langley Road. Its buildout received two stop-work orders, the second in April, before the city cleared it for a temporary certificate of occupancy, the paperwork that lets a business open its doors to customers.
The permit record describes two stop-work orders, followed by the city's clearance for a temporary certificate of occupancy. Permit activity may not be visible from the sidewalk.
Fall Events on the City Calendar
The city's recreation calendar lists these fall events:
- Cold Spring Park farmers market runs Tuesdays through October 27, 1:30 to 6 p.m., at 1200 Beacon Street.
- Newton North High School's Saturday market runs through October 31, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at 352 Lowell Avenue.
- Downtown Newton's market at Herbert M. Yount Memorial Park wraps its 24-week season on October 29.
- Newton Harvest Fair takes over the Centre Green on Sunday, October 18, with a full carnival, two live music stages, food trucks, and pumpkin decorating.
- Newton Highlands' Halloween Party runs Saturday, October 24, with activities from 2 to 5:30 p.m. and an outdoor movie at 6:30, plus a corn maze, circus activities at Hyde Field, and trick-or-treating on Lincoln Street.
These events are listed on the parks department calendar. If you're planning a fall weekend, the dates and locations here offer options to consider.
Planning Around Newton's Fall Schedule
For anyone living around Newton Centre this season, Lockheart's timeline shows the sequence of local and state approvals for its liquor license, common victualler license, and entertainment license, while Newton Asian Mart's timeline included two stop-work orders before the temporary certificate of occupancy. Announcements and permit or licensing records can describe different points in a storefront's timeline.
The parks and recreation calendar also lists fall events, including a Tuesday farmers market and Saturday activities at Hyde Field. Those scheduled events offer another way to plan the season.
If you're weighing a move in or around Newton and want a read on how a specific street or building's permitting history might affect your timeline, Alison Borrelli has spent years tracking exactly this kind of local detail block by block. Reach out anytime to talk through what a particular address could mean for your timeline.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
