State officials have teamed up with cities and towns in Greater Boston to put together a list of developer-friendly neighborhoods and parcels, a move being applauded by a local development association.
“Developers would find life a lot easier if you just told them in advance, here are some places in communities (that) would like to get stuff built,” said Greg Bialecki, the state secretary of housing and economic development. “(In the past) we have not been open and transparent about where we want things and where we don’t want things.”
Yesterday, the state released a list of 12 “Priority Development Areas” where cities in Greater Boston have said they would welcome new construction. The areas include Sullivan Square, Revere Beach, downtown Malden and the East Boston waterfront. The state also listed 13 areas that the cities are actively trying to preserve and don’t want to be redeveloped.
“We can convey a message to the development community,” Bialecki said. “If you want to build something in Massachusetts, here’s a number of communities saying we want stuff.”
The state has been working with communities statewide over the past few months to develop similar lists.
“It’s always an advantage to understand the municipality’s interest in the use of the property,” said David Begelfer, CEO of NAIOP Massachusetts, a real estate development association. “It could be a real benefit and a real win-win.”
Bialecki said the priority development areas also are places the state has identified as targets for investment in infrastructure, from public transit improvements to increased sewer capacity.