Self-Storage to Labs Swap Sought in Charlestown

Just 13 days after buying a three-parcel industrial site in Charlestown for $74.5 million, developer Related Beal is seeking to demolish the 645-unit CubeSmart Self-Storage facility at 420 Rutherford Ave. to build a 101,000-square-foot R&D building.

Retrofitting Suburbia

Well-situated Route 128 communities such as Burlington, Needham and Waltham have resuscitated moribund office parks with multifamily housing, restaurants and retail, enhancing their appeal to corporate employers tempted by downtown options. Can towns along the Interstate 495 belt duplicate their success?