Things are looking up in Weymouth Landing as derelict vacant buildings are coming down, officials said.
The old Chair Fair building and a strip of five empty retail shops at the corner of Washington and Commercial streets were demolished late in November, according to Weymouth Building Inspector Jeffrey Richards.
The property had been vacant for about five years, he said.
"People are happy that the buildings are coming down and potential development will start happening in that area," he said.
Property owners George and Nick Delagos have proposed several development schemes for the site over the years, including a four-story retail and apartment complex that was derailed in 2014.
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Richards said the Delagos brothers are working with the Weymouth Planning Department on a new development plan, but have not yet started the permit process.
The Weymouth/Braintree Landing has been a commercial center since Colonial times, helped by its location on the Monatiquot River, according to a report by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.
While the river's importance to commerce has drastically diminished, the Landing's easy access to Route 3 and commuter rail and bus service remain assets "that support a revitalized role as a village center,'' the report said.
Development has picked up on the Braintree side of the Landing, and officials said they hoped the demolition of the Delagos property signaled a similar future for the Weymouth side.
"This is good news," said Weymouth's planning director, James Clarke.
Johanna Seltz
can be reached at seltzjohanna@gmail.com.