The local “building boom” continues this week as site work begins on an Exit 3 parcel, which a developer says will become the first restaurant franchise in town.

Richard Danais of the Manchester- based firm Danais Realty said on July 17 that work has been ongoing at his Old Candia Road (Route 43) property since the July 4 weekend, and according to the current schedule, his $3 million project should be completed by the end of the year.

Last year, Danais received approval from town officials to build a convenience store, coffee shop and a gas station at the site. Danais has said the coffee shop will likely be a Dunkin’ Donuts.

Selectman Joe Duarte said town officials recently approved a slight change to the project’s bond, allowing Danais to sell a 3-acre parcel to another developer.

Danais confirmed that the parcel has been sold to a firm called Wildcat Development, a company he said has done similar projects around the state, and the firm will ultimately be responsible for finding companies that want to operate the small complex.

Although the convenience store and gas station setup has been described by Danais as similar to the “Mobil On The Run” gas stations elsewhere along Route 101, Wildcat spokesman Craig St. Peter would not reveal any of his company’s plans for the site.

Danais said he still intends to put off a second phase of the project, a plan to build five industrial storage condominiums, until the economy improves. The buildings range in size from 7,200 to up to 36,000 square feet each and were approved along with the rest of the project last year.

The work at the Danais site is coming at the end of a period of escalated commercial building in town, which includes the recently completed Liquid Planet Water Park and the new Griffinbrook Limited horse and tack shop. Both facilities are on Raymond Road (Route 27) and have already opened to the public, and a new Candia District Court also opened July 23.

Despite these well-received projects, Duarte said the town still continues to seek a developer for its own building project, a plan to build a grocery store at an Exit 3 site near where Danais’ project is being built.

He noted that the activity at the Danias site may eventually help the town in its own endeavor by spotlighting that area of town, which forms the main entrance for local traffic into Candia.

“Things are difficult everywhere, and the banks are real tight with money, but hopefully what’s going on there will bring more attention to our own big project,” he said.