Watertown Hits Pause on BERDO Ordinance
Watertown leaders hit pause on new building emissions regulations after objections from the business community and condominium associations about the potential costs and complications.
Sustainability Standoff in Watertown
Potential new requirements to discourage fossil fuel use at approximately 150 large buildings in Watertown would drive up housing costs and penalize developers of recent lab projects, opponents say.
Dramatic Watertown Square Upzoning Package OK’d
Watertown city councilors last week joined Needham and Lexington officials in moving to dramatically upzone part of their community to comply with the MBTA Communities law.
Some Suburbs Roll Out YIMBY Welcome Mats
Leaders in Watertown, Needham and elsewhere are looking to go above and beyond the call of the MBTA Communities law even as those in other towns are making headlines with their resistance.
Are Clean Energy Tenants CRE’s New Savior?
As life science demand wanes, developers are increasingly marketing new projects to Massachusetts’ growing clean energy sector, flush with funding from venture capital and new federal programs.
Arsenal Yards Labs Get $150M Permanent Financing
As a downturn in lab space demand throws doubt on future development prospects, fully leased properties appear to offer a safer haven for lenders.
Alexandria Maps Out Watertown Commuting Strategy
Single-vehicle commuters to the life science REIT’s big, new Watertown Mall redevelopment would be capped at 60 percent if plans are successful.
New T Bus Map a Boon to Boston
The MBTA’s plans to redraw its bus network should excite even the most cynical observer – and they hold promise for the real estate industry, as well.
How a ‘Dead Mall’ Became a Mixed-Use Neighborhood
The successful execution of creating this new neighborhood emphatically supports the strategy of mixed-use development as an in-demand socially and culturally enriching experience in today’s post-pandemic world.
How to Find Overlooked Gems in the Multifamily Market
Whether poised for a single-to-multifamily conversion or an existing building with a dozen or fewer apartments, charming structures from the early 20th century are untapped opportunities for residential developers.
Hot Property: 50 Hunt St.
Renovation and repositioning of 50 Hunt St. in Watertown has transformed the property into 25,000 square feet of creative office space and attracted a crop of new tenants ranging from a nonprofit to digital marketing firm.
Lab Developers Stake Out Submarkets
Using data from brokerages Newmark, JLL and Colliers International, plus information from tenant and landlord SEC filings and earnings presentations, Banker & Tradesman has compiled a look at who dominates some of the most active life science submarkets and what’s in the pipeline.
Hot Property: 64P
Boston-based Berkeley Investments has received final approval from the town of Watertown to convert the Chase Mills building into life science space.
Watertown ‘Megacampus’ Should Ring Alarm Bells
Alexandria Real Estate Equities’ stated plans for a “megacampus” in East Watertown should be a wake-up call to Gov. Charlie Baker and state legislative leaders. The MBTA needs a more robust planning staff and a more agile attitude among senior leaders to keep up with changes in the state economy.
Arsenal Yards Reinvents Itself as COVID Recedes
Between new store and restaurant openings, the debut of the Blvd. & Bond residences and the groundbreaking for 100 Forge, the new life sciences tower, each passing week will bring new developments to the property.
Berkeley Buys Sasaki HQ for Lab Project
Architectural firm Sasaki has sold its sprawling riverside headquarters in Watertown to Berkeley Investments for a planned life science development.
Griffith Properties Plans Lab Conversion in Watertown
The $21.5 million acquisition of a Watertown industrial property will give Griffith Properties an opportunity to convert the building into life science space.
Lab Conversion Eyed for Tufts Health Plan Offices
Repositioning of the Tufts Health Plan offices in Watertown will create 481,000 square feet of lab space in one of Greater Boston’s most sought-after life science development markets.
Hot Property: 66 Galen St.
Boston Development Group is seeking approval for a life science campus after acquiring a series of parcels along Galen Street previously occupied by the Colonial GMC Buick dealership, a service station and oil change facility.
Life Science Cluster Forms on Arsenal Street
While proximity to Cambridge is important, and lab deals typically beget only more lab deals, there’s more to Watertown than that.
