Kristin Barbieri

With spring right around the corner, the Josiah Smith Tavern’s restaurant operator, Boston Urban Hospitality, is working hard to finish the next step in opening The Woods later this year. The current phase involves production of construction documents – two words that belie a lot of detailed and important work. From kitchen design to fixture planning, the construction document phase forms a critical step in getting things right for Josiah Smith Tavern’s restaurant.

For those of us not schooled in architecture and real estate development, construction documents can seem like a black box – what exactly are they? Here’s a quick outline of what they are and why they are critical:

Construction documents are detailed drawings that turn a conceptual design into a precise, buildable plan for contractors. They provide detailed drawings and specifications that fully define structural systems, mechanical components, and electrical and plumbing layouts down to the smallest connection and dimension. Precision at this stage is critical for all stakeholders in the building process; nothing is left to assumption or interpretation.

By thoroughly documenting every aspect of the design, the owner’s and designer’s vision is transformed into reality. Contractors rely on these documents to accurately price the work and execute construction in accordance with the intended design. The production of construction documents is typically the most time-intensive and costly phase of the planning process, reflecting the level of coordination required.

In addition to detailing the dining room and patron areas, the construction documents will incorporate a fully developed and comprehensive kitchen layout within the constraints of a historic structure. The design must address the full range of commercial kitchen requirements including operational productivity, workflow efficiency, code compliance, and seamless service integration with front-of-house operations.

After the Construction Documents are complete, final approvals are required from Historic New England and several town boards before construction can begin. Once these approvals are secured, The Woods team will coordinate final details with their contractor, and begin construction (likely in early May 2026) with a target of opening The Woods later this year.

Built in 1757, the Josiah Smith Tavern (JST) is one year shy of its 270th anniversary. Its long history is detailed on our History page. In 1838, after 81 years, it stopped operation as a tavern and the JST would spend its next 120 years as a family home. At the turn of the 20th century, its barn hosted a carriage painting and trimming business by Theodore Jones. Eventually, in the 1950s, the JST was donated by Alice and Ellen Jones to the Society for Preservation of New England Antiquities and in 1983, it was donated by SPNEA (now Historic New England) to Weston, subject to preservation restrictions, beginning a decades-long effort to reinvigorate the space with new uses. 

With strong support from Weston residents, the Town is poised to host its first-ever restaurant in an historic building. Work is steadily moving forward to open The Woods at Josiah Smith Tavern in November 2026. The restaurant will feature 140 indoor seats and an additional 49 seats outdoors. One of the most anticipated seating areas is the horseshoe-shaped bar, located where the horses once paused to catch their breath. Soon, that same spot will welcome a new generation of drinkers and thinkers – much like the tavern-goers who once gathered in the tavern centuries ago. 

 

 

 

Boston Urban Hospitality and owner Brian Piccini are no strangers to the challenges of putting restaurants in historic buildings – they’ve done it before. The Boston Chops location on Temple Street was formerly a bank. Converting that space into a restaurant came with its own set of challenges and surprises, which are similar and different from those at Weston’s The Woods location. 

“The bank space on Temple Street was a structure that was originally designed for security and permanence (thick walls, fixed layouts, and architectural details that couldn’t simply be removed) so there was a lot of problem-solving around how to create warmth, flow, and hospitality within those constraints. It forced us to be thoughtful about what we preserved, what we adapted, and how we gave the space a new purpose without erasing its history,” said Brian Piccini.

“That experience has definitely informed how we’re approaching the Josiah Smith Tavern. With historic buildings, you’re constantly balancing respect for the past with the practical realities of running a modern restaurant – kitchens, accessibility, mechanical systems, and guest experience all have to work, even if the building was never designed for them. It’s challenging, but also incredibly rewarding, because the building itself becomes part of the story.”

Renovating the Josiah Smith Tavern and Barn to include The Woods restaurant is a labor of love – made possible by the steadfast support of our community. The Friends of Josiah Smith Tavern has shepherded a process decades in the making, from the Town Meeting vote that approved the new use, to the countless committee meetings that have steadily moved the project toward its next chapter. The Town’s significant investment has been essential in breathing new life into one of Weston’s most treasured historic assets.

As with any adaptive reuse of a landmark building, this effort has brought real challenges – from navigating complex regulatory requirements to preserving the Tavern’s historic character. Yet the outcome promises to be well worth the effort. The Woods will be more than a place to dine; it will be a connection to Weston’s past, and promises to be a memorable experience for every guest who walks through its doors.

Correction:  A prior version of this story stated that Boston Urban Hospitality had sold two of its restaurants. The restaurants have been closed pending sale. The Friends of the JST regrets the misstatement.

In November and December 2025, significant progress was made on the road to opening Josiah Smith Tavern’s The Woods restaurant. This progress included successful meetings with the Planning Board, the Permanent Building Committee, and Historic New England which holds the preservation restriction on the building. Preliminary approvals and expressions of support from these groups came after the long delay in receiving a state liquor license. Preliminary approvals are necessary to confirm that the restaurant will be able to carry the number of seats needed to make a restaurant viable in the space.

“This will be the first new restaurant to open in Weston in generations, at a time when there’s real momentum to bring new life to the downtown,” said Brian Piccini, the owner/visionary for The Woods restaurant. “That’s not something we take lightly. We want to do this the right way for the town, and for the community.”

Mr. Piccini’s Boston Urban Hospitality Group announced in October 2025 that two of its well-known restaurants were being marketed for sale, and announced on January 1, 2026, that the restaurants had closed. This will free up more time for what’s next.

“With our goal to open in November 2026, and with the project entering a critical construction phase, I’m dedicating even more time and focus to Weston,” Piccini added. “As a resident of the town, this project matters deeply to me. There will always be unknowns during construction, especially in a historic building, and my priority is to be fully present to manage those details thoughtfully.”

The Woods is now in its next phase of work which includes intensive efforts by the design team and coordination among all consultants to create construction documents that include structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and kitchen-design details. This phase will continue through February, after which final approvals will be needed including from the building department, allowing the restaurant team to continue to actual construction.

For further updates on the Woods, please visit the Friends of Josiah Smith Tavern website and subscribe.