Practical Approaches to Positive Change in Commercial Districts

1. PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO
POSITIVE CHANGE IN
COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS
Case Study: Hartwell Ave. in Lexington, MA

2. Presenters
Melisa Tintocalis
Economic Development Director, Town of Lexington
15-years experience in land use and economic development
policies and programs in various municipalities in CA, MA and MI
Maryann McCall Taylor
Planning Director, Town of Lexington
25-years experience MA planning and land use
Thomas Ragno
Principal & Founder, King Street Properties
22-years experience in real estate
Established King Street's record in
engineering, construction, permitting, development and asset
management expertise

3. Overview
• Setting Context
• Roadblocks
• New Regulatory Tools
• Developer Considerations
• Don’t Just Sit There, Show The Love
(And Negotiate)
• Questions & Discussion on your road blocks

4. Lexington in Southern New England

5. Lexington in Metro Boston

6. Town’s Zoning Map
Hartwell Ave. Area

7. Hartwell Avenue Area

14. Area vacancy rates high: 25-28%
Source: Costar Property; includes direct& sublet vacancies

15. Roadblocks
1. Perception Change
• Desire to better distribute commercial & residential
property tax
• Don’t want more commercial but “better”
• “Better” = high value, low impact
2. Low FAR
3. The “Transportation Trip Wire”
4. Perceived traffic issues

16. FAR
0.6
0.5
FAR
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Hartwell Properties
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17. From the Lexington Comprehensive Plan
(2002)
• The non-residential share of assessed valuations
had fallen to less than 13%; in the 1980’s it was
22%
• A key aspect of the town’s approach should be to
recognize the value of the high demand for
business location in Lexington, and to work with
that demand to help achieve the goals
articulated, including “Better, not bigger.”

18. Vision 2020 Task Force looked at:
• whether Lexington's reliance on residential
property taxes for town and school services
should be balanced by more growth in
commercial property and businesses;
• the tradeoffs associated with various commercialdevelopment choices vs. the affordability of
current and expected public services;
• the structure of Lexington’s complex regulatory
and advisory system bearing on development
decisions

19. The Cecil Group’s Study
• Offered objective
data
• Helped make the
fiscal argument for
addition FAR

20. New Regulatory Tools
1. Increase in the FAR
2. Transportation Demand Management Overly
3. Transportation Demand Management Plan
• Developer fee per sf into a fund
• Town Commitment
• State and Federal Funds

21. TMO District
• Planning Board adopts district-wide
transportation plan
• Developer complies with parking and TDM
requirements
• Town implements infrastructure improvements

22. Infrastructure Improvements

23. Developers Considerations:
Why Lexington?
• Favorable life science zoning
• Intelligent work force/access to
Cambridge
• Experienced/forward-thinking town
professionals

24. 101 & 113 Harwell Avenue

25. Developers Considerations:
Why Hartwell?
• New zoning – increased density
• Town’s attitude
• Minor/major site plan review – speed to
market
• Existing life science neighborhood
• Infrastructure and building types

26. King Street’s Site Plan for Hartwell

27. A Vision: 113 Hartwell Ave.
BEFORE
AFTER

28. Hartwell Courtyard Design Images

29. Don’t Just Sit There, Show The Love!
1. Think like a BID
2. Organize the property
•
•
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•
3.
4.
owners
Develop relationships
Set up monthly
meetings
Include elected officials
Identify common issues
Agree on short-term
objectives that can be
accomplished
Just do it!

30. Negotiate
Gateway Signage Proposed
Contributions by Property Owners for JARC

31. Pilot Commuter Shuttle/JARC Grant

32. Food Truck Rodeo
Hartwell Area Shuttle Launch
Aug. 28, 2013
500+ lunch goers

33. Public-Private Partnership Tools
• Use Tax Increment Financing Strategically
• UniQure
• Proactive about the type of business we want in the area
• Supported approximately $5million of new assessed value over
time
• Creating a critical mass of the type of industry we want
113 HARTWELL AVENUE
N
uniQure ENTRY

34. Questions & Discussion
What are some of your roadblocks?