William C. Strong, one of the chief promoters of Waban, capitalized on an already developing residential neighborhood laid out in 1889. After the Boston & Albany Railroad erected a passenger station here (since demolished), Strong in 1896 erected a commercial block on Beacon Street within clear sight of the railroad. The brick building, with Dutch gables and striped-pattern facade, provided a highly visible silhouette, given its location adjacent to the tracks. Its architect, Lewis H. Bacon, was one of several architects who were residents of Waban, including H. Langford Warren, Clinton Hill, and Thomas M. James.

Notwithstanding Strong's efforts, the Waban commercial district developed rather slowly. It was not until 1924 that the row of one-story shops was added (1629–1639 Beacon Street). With the Strong Block having established a northern European architectural theme, Edward B. Stratton followed suit with Tudor and Jacobean motifs. In the same decade the Tudor-style branch library and local school were also erected in Waban Village. Of all the Newton villages, only Waban has a village center with a strong architectural consistency.