Former Funland Site to Become Tree House Brewing Co. Overflow Parking

Car wash proposal scrubbed, longtime Rt. 38 eyesore will be repurposed

Tree House Brewing Company is seeking to redevelop the 2.36-acre former Funland site into a parking lot that will be used to handle overflow for the main Tree House building and golf course.

The proposed new lot, at 1879 Main St., is zoned Mixed-Use Business and has about 120 feet of frontage on Main St. According to filings, Tree House paid $2.1 million for the property, which has been vacant since Funland closed in 2002.

Tree House will demolish the dilapidated miniature golf course, race track, batting cages and existing lot and add 143 new spaces. There will be a single curb cut on Main St., and the lot will be right-turn-in/right-turn-out only.

The proposed development will require a site plan review by the Planning Board and a Major Land Disturbance Permit and Order of Conditions from the Conservation Commission based on the wetlands in the site, which abuts Heath Brook.

In April 2022, attorney Dan Bailey, representing All Rig Acquisitions, presented an Approval Not Required plan to develop a car wash on that site. At the time, Planning Board member Bob Fowler said he had hoped for something other than a car wash, as there’s already enough water in the area.

Turns out abutters agreed. The north border of the site is a private road, and the car wash concept was scrubbed when the road’s owners declined to provide the needed second egress point.

The Planning Board will hear the proposal on June 12 and will likely ask about how Tree House will ensure patrons can safely cross Rt. 38 within the proposed pedestrian walkway, indicated in the top right of the plans.