Massachusetts

Wells-School-Apartments-Southbridge

SOUTHBRIDGE, MASS. — Arch Communities and WinnDevelopment are underway on construction of a $25.7 million adaptive reuse project in Southbridge, located in the south-central part of the state, that will convert the Mary E. Wells school into a 62-unit affordable housing community for seniors aged 55 and above. The majority (56) of the units will be reserved for renters earning 60 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), while the remainder will be restricted to households earning 30 percent or less of AMI. The school was built in 1916 as the town’s first public high school and has been vacant since 2012. Upon completion, which is slated for spring 2022, Wells School Apartments will feature a fitness center, tenant lounge, activity room, game room, library and an internal courtyard.

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Broadstone-Watch-City-Waltham-Massachusetts

By Steve Callahan Jr., vice president of business development, Callahan Construction Managers Despite the turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston has experienced significant job growth over the last 12 to 18 months in the life sciences, healthcare, technology and finance sectors. The health of these industries will require that employees in these fields have access to much needed, reasonably priced housing as companies continue to grow and build, creating more local jobs. Demand for rental housing over the past few years has been mostly driven by millennials who work in these fields. This trend is expected to continue as young professionals in these sectors no longer need to commute to the office by virtue of the pandemic forcing many companies to adopt work-from-home programs. In addition, these renters are seeking to upgrade to larger units with more modern amenities and access to outdoor spaces and activities. More than 7,100 units were delivered last year in the Boston area, only slightly less than the cyclical high of nearly 7,500 apartments added in 2018. However, most projects that were either started or delivered in 2020 were aimed at lifestyle renters in or near Boston’s city center. This could spell trouble for …

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250-Water-Street-Boston

BOSTON — DivcoWest has topped off a 480,000-square-foot life sciences building at 250 Water St. within Cambridge Crossing, a 43-acre mixed-use development that is located at the intersection of the cities of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville. Global biopharmaceutical firm Bristol Myers Squibb has preleased 360,000 square feet at the building, which is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2022. Other life sciences users at Cambridge Crossing include Sanofi and Cerevel Therapeutics.

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Saugus-Plaza-Shopping-Center

SAUGUS, MASS. — JLL has arranged a $33.5 million loan for the refinancing of Saugus Plaza Shopping Center, a 208,500-square-foot retail power center in the northern Boston suburb of Saugus. The property spans 16 acres along Route 1 and houses tenants such as Petco and Kohl’s. John Fowler, Chris Angelone, Brett Paulsrud and Amy Lousararian of JLL placed the fixed-rate loan through HarborOne Bank and Salem One on behalf of the borrower, locally based development and management firm Finard Properties.

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BOSTON — Locally based developer Related Beal is nearing completion of The Harris, a 172-unit apartment complex that will be located at the site of the former Quinzani Bakery in Boston’s South End neighborhood. Residences will come in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans and will be furnished with custom oak cabinetry, quartz countertops and tile backsplashes. Amenities will include an 8,000-square-foot fitness center with yoga and spin studios, as well as basketball and squash courts. In addition, residents will have access to a billiards lounge with reservable dining spaces and a 5,700-square-foot terrace with grills, fire pits, lounge furniture and TVs. Construction of The Harris began in 2019 and is expected to be complete in late spring.

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WATERTOWN, MASS. — Boston-based Berkeley Investments has purchased the historic Chase Mills building in the western Boston suburb of Watertown with plans to modernize the property’s utility systems and add life sciences space. Over the years, the 97,000-square-foot building, which is located at 64 Pleasant St. and currently houses the headquarters of architecture firm Sasaki, has also served as a paper factory and garment manufacturing plant. Sasaki sold the building, which it has owned and occupied since the 1950s, to Berkeley Investments for an undisclosed price.

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BOSTON —Gazit Horizons, a subsidiary of global real estate firm Gazit-Globe, has purchased a 50,000-square-foot office and retail building located at 1430 Massachusetts Ave. in Boston. University Common Real Estate sold the property for $45 million in an off-market transaction. The historic building is located within the Harvard Square area and was originally constructed in the 1830s as a dormitory for the Ivy League university. Gazit Horizons will implement a value-add program that will renovate the lobby, common areas and building systems and will operate the building in a joint venture with private investment firm Hennick & Co.

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Strata-Apartments-Malden-Massachusetts

MALDEN, MASS. — CBRE has negotiated the $95.5 million sale of Strata, a 295-unit apartment community located in the northern Boston suburb of Malden. The sales price equates to approximately $324,000 per unit. The property, which was 100 percent occupied at the time of sale, is situated on 8.4 acres and offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units with an average size of 892 square feet. Amenities include a pool, outdoor grilling areas and fire pits and a fitness center. Simon Butler, Biria St. John and John McLaughlin of CBRE the seller, Boston-based Taurus Investment Holdings, and procured the buyer, an affiliate of The Green Cities Company of Portland, Oregon.

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Union-Square-Boston

BOSTON — A joint venture between affiliates of Magellan Development Group, RAS Development, Cypress Equity Investments and USAA Real Estate will develop a 194,000-square-foot life sciences facility and a 450-unit apartment building in the Somerville area of Boston. The development represents the first phase of the master plan for the revitalization of Union Square, a project that will ultimately span 2.4 million square feet of commercial and residential space. The project also includes the addition of an MBTA Green Line station. Daniel Kaufman, Frederic Wittmann and Brett Paulsrud of JLL arranged construction financing through Bank OZK for both the life sciences and the multifamily components of the project.

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BOSTON — Berkadia has provided a $17.5 million Fannie Mae loan for the refinancing of a portfolio of 11 multifamily properties totaling 89 units in Boston. The properties are primarily located in the Dorchester and Mattapan areas on the city’s south side. Mitch Sinberg, Matthew Robbins and Wesley Moczul of Berkadia originated the 12-year, fixed-rate loan on behalf of the borrower, BT Holland Real Estate.

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