The city’s former and current mayor are working together to double Gardner’s size to the east and south on 5,000 recently annexed acres now open for development. City Administrator Jim Pruetting said that about 1,500 to 2,000 rooftops are on the horizon, with a new 300-home subdivision expected to break ground in the spring and more than 1,200 apartments under construction or through the planning process and ready to break ground. Read more.