LOWELL, MASS. — MassDevelopment has provided $17 million in tax-exempt bond financing for a 52-unit affordable housing project that will be located north of Boston in Lowell. The site formerly housed a Merrimack Valley Food Bank warehouse that will be demolished, although select areas of the historic façade will be retained and restored. The majority (41) of the units will be reserved for households earning 60 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), with the other 11 to be set aside for renters earning 30 percent or less of AMI. The borrower is an affiliate of Tremont Development Partners. Eastern Bank purchased the bond.
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Bob’s Stores to Close All 21 Remaining Locations After 70 Years in Business
MERIDEN, CONN. — Bob’s Stores is closing all locations and liquidating its inventory as part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring petition filed on June 18. The Meriden-based clothing retailer, which is a subsidiary of GoDigital Media Group, was unable to secure the financing needed to maintain operations. Bob’s began going-out-of-business sales in stores on June 28 with discounts of 30 to 70 percent off merchandise. Hilco Merchant Resources, in a joint venture with Gordon Brothers, is managing the liquidation event that includes all 21 remaining stores throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Shoppers will find discounts on workwear, footwear, team wear and everyday clothing. Select store fixtures, furniture and equipment will also be available for sale. All sales are final, and the event runs through July 14. “We regret that our financial position necessitated the liquidation of Bob’s Stores,” says Dave Barton, president. “Bob’s has been a stalwart of our local communities for nearly 70 years.” Bob’s began as a single-store surplus outlet in Connecticut in 1954. The chain grew to roughly three dozen locations at its peak. CNBC reports that Bob’s entered a period of financial turmoil at the beginning of this century that eventually amounted …
BOSTON — The Chiofaro Co., a locally based investment and development firm, has begun the second of three phases of the $100 million transformation of International Place, a 1.8 million-square-foot office complex in downtown Boston. Phase II includes the renovation of the “IP Commons” central gathering space, as well as the Fort Hill Plaza and grand entrance, which link the downtown area to the Seaport District. The new central gathering space will feature increased seating, a new 55-foot signature water feature, raised planting beds and an expanded events program. The Fort Hill entrance, which has often been viewed as the project’s “front door,” will be replaced with a modern 32-foot-tall and 80-foot-wide glass portal connecting the updated plaza to the interior IP Commons venue. Built in phases between 1987 and 1992, International Place consists of a 46-story tower and a 35-story building that are home to more than 90 tenants. Global architecture firm Gensler is leading the design of the project, Phase I of which centered on the development of a 16,000-square-foot amenity center known as The Aries Club. Phase I began in October 2023, and the entire redevelopment is expected to take about two years to complete.
CAMBRDIGE, MASS. — Locally based investment and development firm The Davis Cos. has completed a 161,616-square-foot life sciences facility in Cambridge. The facility at 101 Smith Place is one of four buildings within The Quad, a life sciences campus that is home to tenants such as Ginko Bioworks, Civetta Therapeutics, Invaio Sciences, Hyperion and Samsung Electronics. The facility features high-efficiency HVAC systems, surface and below-grade parking, a fitness center and indoor bike storage space. Davis developed 101 Smith Place in partnership with Invesco Real Estate. CBRE is marketing the property for lease.
WELLESLEY, MASS. — Newmark has brokered the $24.3 million sale of a 67,264-square-foot medical office building located at 65 Walnut St. in Wellesley, a western suburb of Boston. Two locally based healthcare systems, Mass General Brigham and Tufts Medicine, serve as the anchor providers. At the time of sale, the property was fully leased to 22 tenants in fields such as dermatology, plastic surgery, urology, ophthalmology, internal medicine and pediatrics, as well as physical and occupational therapy. An affiliate of Haynes Management sold the property to a joint venture between Sendero Capital and TPG Angelo Gordon. Robert Griffin, Michael Greeley, Joseph Alvarado and Casey Valente of Newmark represented both parties in the deal.
EVERETT, MASS. — South Carolina-based developer Greystar has begun welcoming the first residents to Anthem Everett, a 450-unit apartment community located on the eastern outskirts of Boston. Designed by The Architectural Team, Anthem Everett is located in the city’s Commercial Triangle District and includes a 564-space parking garage and 6,500 square feet of retail space. Units come in studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans and are furnished with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, keyless entry mechanisms and built-in work nooks. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, resident lounge, outdoor gaming area, coworking lounge, golf simulator, dog park and a clubroom. Construction began in spring 2022. Rents start at $2,400 per month for a studio apartment.
WORCESTER, MASS. — The United Group of Cos. Inc. has broken ground on The Arbella at Bramble Hill, a 123-unit active adult project that will be located in the central Massachusetts community of Worcester. The property will span 17 acres and offer one- and two-bedroom apartments across three buildings. The community will also feature an 8,500-square-foot clubhouse. JLL arranged a $35 million construction loan through The Washington Trust Co. for the project, which is scheduled for a spring 2025 completion.
PROVINCETOWN, MASS. — The Community Builders (TCB) has broken ground on Province Post, a 65-unit mixed-income housing project located in the Cape Cod community of Provincetown. The property’s affordable component will apply to households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income. The unit mix will include 18 studios, 32 one-bedrooms, 10 two-bedrooms and five three-bedrooms. Construction is slated for a spring 2026 completion.
WORCESTER, MASS. — The University of Massachusetts (UMass) has completed a $350 million academic project at Chan Medical School at the university’s Worcester campus. The building encompasses 350,000 square feet of lab, educational, research and administrative space across nine floors that will be used to support the work of all three graduate schools on campus. Shawmut Design & Construction provided general contracting and construction management services for the project. ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge designed the facility in collaboration with ZGF Architects.
PLYMOUTH, MASS. — A partnership between New York-based retail investment firm DLC and Temerity Strategic Partners has acquired Colony Place, a 400,000-square-foot shopping center located south of Boston in Plymouth, for $86 million. Phase I of Colony Place was constructed between 2005 and 2008, and Phase II was completed in 2016. Colony Place was 94 percent leased at the time of sale. Tenants include Aldi, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Burlington, Bath & Body Works, Michaels, Five Below, Gamestop and Men’s Wearhouse. The seller was not disclosed.