Industry News
Mass. Home Affordability Worsens in Fourth Quarter
An index maintained by data firm ATTOM shows that every area of Massachusetts got less affordable over the last year. The North Shore and Merrimack Valley were hit hardest.
Financial District Offices Sold for $10.2M
A Financial District property that was marketed for a potential housing conversion sold for $10.2 million, less than half of its previous sale price in 2017.
MBTA Slow Zone Removal Called ‘Christmas Miracle’
But problems on the Red Line Monday morning cast a shadow over officials’ celebratory mood as they gathered for a press conference to promote the elimination of all slow zones on the MBTA subway network “for the first time in 20 years.”
TTorren Flats Sold to Japanese Investor for $21M
A 30-unit Allston apartment complex completed in 2021 by Boston Real Estate Collaborative sold to a Japan-based real estate investor for $21 million.
Archrival Buys Alexandria Labs in Kendall Square for $250M
Alexandria Real Estate Equities sold three Kendall Square life science buildings to its archrival BioMed Realty for $250 million in a transaction between the nation’s two largest lab landlords.
Is Burlington’s Mall Road Plan Headed for Dead End?
Office vacancies are nearing 20 percent in a town where commercial real estate pays two-thirds of the property taxes. But a plan to lean on housing development to avoid fiscal pain is facing skepticism.
Mass. Can Strengthen Section 8 to Expand Housing Access
Local housing authority policies are making a vital housing affordability tool far less effective than it should be, and hurt housing providers in the process.
Hot Property: The Residences at Mill 8
A partnership between a western Massachusetts nonprofit and Boston-based WinnCompanies created 95 apartments for residents 55-and-over that were fully leased before completion.
Flood Insurance Is Getting More Affordable
The National Flood Insurance Program is working on allowing policyholders to pay their premiums on a monthly basis. Previously, premiums could only be paid annually.
The Counterintuitive Math that Unlocks New Possibilities
At first glance, the idea that two, plus two, equals five seems ridiculous. But sometimes, math isn’t just about numbers – it’s about people.
PHOTOS: 2024 in Philanthropy
Each Friday, Banker & Tradesman rounds up recent instances of charitable giving, volunteering and other good deeds by members of the real estate and banking industries in Massachusetts in our regular Community Good Works features. And each December, we highlight...
When a Bank’s Giving Benefits Its Business, Too
As Eastern Bank approaches five years since it went public, it continues to be an outspoken advocate through its foundation. That leadership also helps it attract customers and employees.
In White Stadium Fight, Echoes of Boston’s Past
A quarter-century separates Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s controversial soccer arena plans and the city’s last major sports stadium battle. Could they end the same way?
J.D. Power: Trust in Megabanks Rises, Challenging Smaller Competitors
American bank customers’ trust in national banks has grown, providing yet another challenge for local and regional banks looking to acquire new customers and deposits.
Biogen Reportedly Scouts Volpe Move
Biogen is reportedly in negotiations to lease up to 500,000 square feet as the first tenant at MIT’s redevelopment of the Volpe Center property in Cambridge.
Pru Tower Gets 413K SF Ropes & Gray Lease Renewal
Law firm Ropes & Gray extended its office lease for one-third of the Prudential Center tower in Boston’s Back Bay through 2041, landlord BXP announced.
Community Good Works
Clinton Savings Bank announced it collected around $10,000 worth of toys and other donations for local families in its first-ever holiday toy drive. See who else gave back.
Lower Mills’ Baker Chocolate Factory Trades for $41M
Dorchester’s Baker Chocolate Factory apartments traded for $41 million in a transaction between a pair of local developers.
Before T Can Electrify Commuter Rail, a Contract Decision Looms
MBTA officials will soon have to decide how to structure the contract with the outside firm that will convert its suburban train system to “regional rail,” a step that has ramifications for the project’s cost.
Newton Lender Funds Acquisition of Boston Club Quarters Hotel
The 178-room hotel at 161 Devonshire St. was previously owned by Blackstone, which defaulted on a loan in 2023 for four Club Quarters hotel properties.
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