WOBURN - The five-member Woburn Redevelopment Authority has come to the mountain and can see over to the other side these days.

As projects lingered for the first decade of the 21st century, some visible progress, they feel, is being made on three fronts, namely the 397 Main St. building rehabilitation, the sale of its own WRA headquarters building at 371 Main St. and even the parking area for Magazine Hill.

There is more cause for optimism these days as final plans for 379 Main St. and 371 Main St. unfold before their eyes.

There are a lot of reason for the smiles at their regular meeting.

Having staying power, the WRA has slogged through tedious negotiations, plans, government forms and the like to get to this point.

The WRA office sale (371 Main St.) is just days or a few weeks away, said Executive Director Donald Borchelt at the last WRA meeting. The WRA, he pointed out, is still looking for a new location to place their hats.

The WRA headquarters sale needs only approval of a chairlift to a basement floor as a final hurdle, according to a report to the WRA from Executive Director Borchelt.

The need for a variance from the Mass. Architectural Access Board, he said, made a revision of the schedule necessary. The closing date for the sale has been moved from mid-September to the end of October. "Other benchmarks have been adjusted accordingly," said Borchelt.

The 371 Main St. building would be razed. In its place, owner Vincent Leo would rent to Time-Out, a restaurant operated by TreMonte owner Anthony Contarino of Woburn on the first floor and basement with three, market rate townhouse-styled apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

397 Main Street

Up the street, Anthony J. Simboli, President of ACS Development of Chelsea and the developers of the Dunkin' Donuts block, outlined near final plans for his $2 million upgrade of the traditional red brick building in the heart of Woburn Center.

His attorney, Att'y Glen Frank of Brighton, accompanied him. And, both rolled out near final architectural drawings from Cummings Engineering of Wilmington, that addressed in detail electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire and other public safety concerns.

The four-story commercial/apartment complex would utilize the basement and would convert second and third floor office space to eight dwelling units (5, two bedrooms and 1, one bedroom) with four affordable for 20 years and with 2 at a market rate.

The WRA becomes more involved as public funding for the $2.1 million project is sought through $750,000 from the federal HDSP and $200,000 from the city of Woburn's Affodable Housing Fund.

"We've obviously put in a lot of time and effort," said WRA Chairman Donald Queenin. WRA member Richard Miliano echoed similar sentiments by noting, "I'm proud of it and I want to see it."

Queenin noted the WRA members "are not architects" and Miliano said the realizations was that "we are going to have to look at it for another 100 years!"

Owner Simboli said he and his father are taking a personal interest in this project. In addition, Simboli waved a host of ideas for the facade in front of the WRA board, including windows, signage, an atrium, awnings and even some new "Soft Tile AP Architectural Pavement" for entranceways.

"It's all 95 percent complete," felt Simboli.

The drawings and specifications were supposed to be ready by mid-August, however, the date has some and gone with final plans coming before the WRA on September 30th. A mid-October date for final WRA approval is set (probably October 21).

The end of the planning, though, said WRA members, is in sight.

A major edifice in the heart of downtown Woburn will be getting a new face very quickly, they forecast.

Magazine Hill

Also still lingering on the horizon overlooking downtown Woburn is Magazine Hill: a sprawling mountain top that will be leveled for 89 parking places, including a major MBTA stop for the #354 and #134 Boston buses.

On September 29th, MBTA officials, Borchelt and the city's Planning Director Edmund Tarallo huddled over the next step - a move to satisfy an environmental review process.

The response from the state, reported Borchelt, was positive. The environmental review will now go to the federal government for review.

Approval, said Borchelt, was the last step before bidding the project.

At stake is a grant to the MBTA.

Among the last figures discussed for the project would be $1,781,412 for the MBTA and a city grant from the federal government under SAFETEA-LU Bus and Bus Facility of $1,504,000.