Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria speaks to the Joint Economic Development Committee on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in support of a bill that would open up an Everett parcel for construction of a pro soccer stadium. Photo by Sam Doran | State House News Service

It’s game on as Boston and Everett officials squared off on Beacon Hill yesterday over a much-debated soccer stadium proposed for the site of an old power plant on the banks of the Mystic River.

The hearing before the state legislature’s Joint Economic Development Committee also gave us our first – albeit probably entirely notional – glimpse at what a final development might look like.

So who won this first match? Hard to say. One of the two committee co-chairs, state Sen. Barry Finegold, came away saying there’s “a strong case made to move the bill forward.” But his House counterpart, state Rep. Jerry Parisella, specifically said the legislation needed to move the stadium forward may be adjusted to give Boston officials a voice in the development, something they’ve repeatedly said they lack.

Boston officials testifying at the State House warned the project could create a “nightmare for traffic” since there’s currently no plan for high-capacity mass transit to the site that could realistically accommodate the venue’s planned 25,000 spectators. The only thing on the table right now is a bus rapid transit corridor to accommodate an extension of the SL3 line and Everett’s over-burdened local buses.

What else is on tap today?

• Two More Office Conversions: Vacant office buildings in South End and the Bulfinch Triangle are joining the queue, bringing the tally of proposed conversions to 216 housing units at six properties totaling 173,000 square feet.
• Alexandria Buys WBZ Studio: The nation’s largest life science developer acquired the WBZ-TV studio property in Allston, where a large redevelopment including offices, labs and housing was approved in 2022 but has yet to begin.
• Hotel Alexandra Back to…a Hotel: Will the third time be the charm for a development team’s efforts to redevelop the long-abandoned Boston landmark?
• Boston Planning Department is Born: Mayor Michelle Wu marked the creation of a new planning department that is independent from development approvals in front of the only West End tenement that survived mid-century slum clearance to make way for the Charles River Park high-rises.

Show me the data!
These are the top 10 existing, recent single-family home sales in Berkshire County.

What did I miss?
Here’s what you might have missed in Sunday’s newsletter. Not a B&T subscriber? Fix that here.

• Research shows when employees don’t have control over their work schedules, it’s not just morale that suffers – mental health takes a hit too.
• Early-year data from several sources has shown an uptick in sold homes and new listings. But some are skeptical that the state is seeing signs of a market becoming unstuck.
• A change of ownership this month will enable Gienapp Architects to expand its opportunities to pursue publicly-sponsored building projects as Imelda Barnhurst takes the reins.