Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Gill, Massachusetts: The Mariamante Parcel, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

In December of 2004, the small Massachusetts town of Gill took a tremendous step to influence its own future. A fifteen acre parcel of land in the south of town, near the intersection of two important town roads, had been put up for sale by its previous owners. The land had been under an agricultural preservation restriction, a program enabled by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 61 A. As part of this restriction, if the land were ever sold, the town would have right of first refusal.

The town's recent Community Development Plan has identified the parcel as a prime site …

Economic Development Plan Town Of Warren, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This section of the Comprehensive Plan identifies economic development strategies within the framework of various development opportunities available to Warren given its current economic and geographical standing within the region. These economic development strategies strive to meet the needs and desires of the residents of Warren, Massachusetts based on their input and an analysis of local and regional economic trends and conditions. These potential economic strategies, intended to promote future economic growth, are in alignment with the Town’s core values and community goals.

Warren currently has two village centers, an active mill complex, significant open space, rivers and wetlands, and …

Haverhill Street Corridor Study: Methuen, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The City of Methuen’s Department of Planning and Community Development hired a team of students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Master’s in Regional Planning studio class to examine the growth impacts of a potential highway interchange reconfiguration. Exit 46 of Interstate 93 in Methuen is a failed interchange, and will likely be reconfigured in the next ten years. Methuen, a middle class city of 44,000 midway between Boston, MA and Manchester, NH, is currently experiencing significant growth pressures. The reconfigured interchange will only add to these pressures.

In consultation with the client, the studio team focused its analysis on …

From Lane To Lee A Quarry's Potential, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

In collaboration with a student team from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Community Development Corporation of Lee explored the potential reuse of an industrial parcel owned by Lane Construction Corporation in Lee, Massachusetts. The 243-acre property is currently in operation as a gravel and sand operation and asphalt processing plant in Lenox Dale, north of Lee center.

Identified as one of the largest industrial zoned parcels in New England, the Lane site has great economic potential in the future development of the town and the surrounding region. However, the site …

City Of Attleboro Economic Development Organizational Study, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The organizational structure of a municipal agency plays a critical role in its ability to fulfill its public mission. A well-organized agency is able to achieve its objectives in an effective and efficient manner. In addition, an agency with a clearly defined organizational structure is better prepared to adapt to the changing needs of its community.

Professionals in the field of economic development are especially aware of the value of effective organizational structures. The cyclical nature of local economies often forces economic development agencies to shift focus rapidly in order to address changing economic conditions. Adapting successfully to these changes …

Identification And Evaluation Of Potential Sites For Industrial Park Development In The Town Of Southampton, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The purpose of this report is to identify and evaluate potential sites for industrial park development in the Town of Southampton, Massachusetts. Graduate students in the Regional Planning Department at the University of Massachusetts and members of the Southampton Economic Development Planning Committee selected the eight sites in this study. The site evaluation criteria chosen for this report are based on criteria used by developers to conduct a preliminary evaluation of sites suitable for industrial park development.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix B Community Charrette Results, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is Appendix B of the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains the results of a Community Charrette in Billerica, Massachusetts that helped identify the desires of residents in the community.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix A Community Socio-Economic Profile, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is Appendix A of the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains a Community Socio-Economic Profile.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix C Community Survey Results, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is Appendix C of the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains a summarized report of the results of a community survey.

The Usher Plant Review And 8-Point Action Plan, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The Usher Plant is located on Arch Street off of Route 2 in Erving, Massachusetts in the center village of the town. The plant is a rich part of the social, economic, and cultural identity of the town and its residents. The Erving Paper Company occupied this plant from 1964 to approximately 1990, when the company consolidated and moved its operations leaving over one-hundred workers either displaced or unemployed and the Usher Plant vacant.

The closing of the Usher Plant approximately 10 years ago has had a tremendous impact on the community residents, as well as Erving's center village merchants …

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

Billerica is a community rich in history and burgeoning with change. We come from colonial, agrarian roots, participated in the industrial revolution and enjoyed our day as a vacation destination. Billerica changed as the post war economy changed and became a haven for those, many from the city, seeking a close-knit community to raise families. We are now at the forefront of a high technology economy that has brought with it jobs, hotels and more change. As a community we struggle with our desire to preserve our historical character as a rural community and our realization that economic development is …

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix D, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is an appendix for the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains a community buildout analysis for Billerica.

Town Of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan Appendix E, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This is an Appendix for the Town of Billerica, Massachusetts Master Plan. This Appendix contains an open space and recreation plan for the Town of Billerica.

The Valley Of Innovation Springfield Biotechnology Summary Report, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The Valley of Innovation is a new industrial region that is being formed as the result of recent technology transfers and significant growth in the biotechnology sector. The region includes part of western Massachusetts along with Central Connecticut and runs from north to south along the I-91 corridor, following the general borders of the Connecticut River Valley. The region extends from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, through Springfield, Massachusetts, and continues past Hartford, Connecticut, to New Haven, and down I-95 towards New York State.

Currently in embryonic form, the region has the potential to grow rapidly. It is nurtured …

The Revitalization Of The Morningside Neighborhood, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The purpose of this project was to provide the Morningside Neighborhood Action Council (MNAC) with reuse options for sites within the Morningside Neighborhood. The two connected goals were to develop reuse options for vacant buildings and lots and for the soon to be vacated Berkshire County House of Corrections and Jail.

Methods the studio team employed in this project include literature review, interviews, field work, inventorying and mapping. These methods allowed the studio team to gain a proper understanding of the issues, needs and desires of the neighborhood and to make recommendations based on them.

The studio team found 11 …

A Critical Assessment Of Master Plans, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

We would like to thank the following individuals for their support and guidance throughout the course of this project.

Our Client:

Mr. Stephen Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Regional Planning and Economic Development District

Our Professors:

John Mullin, PhD., AICP

Rick Taupier, PhD.

David Winsor, AIA

The Purpose of this report is to evaluate master plans for the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District. This project stems from Massachusetts Executive Order 385, which requires planning agencies to review their plans and policies regarding land use and growth management, and to make them as consistent with one another as …

Globalization And Local Economic Development: Intersections Between The Industrial Economy And Regional Industrial Planning, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

By now it is widely accepted that we live in a global economy. We are more likely to buy goods from Korea than Kansas, we may have pension funds invested in companies on the Tokyo stock market as well as New York's, and we may work for a corporation with headquarters in Brussels rather than Boston. But despite our sense of participating in a world economy, it is difficult to understand how that world's economy intersects with the national or local economies with which we are more familiar. This is particularly significant for the regional economic development planner. Despite the …

Telecommunications And Its Practical Application, Athol, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

Rural areas have been experiencing a transition in their economic and social structure. Traditional industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and resource extraction have been declining. The result has been a displacement of labor in rural areas and instability within rural economies. Upwards of three quarters of rural counties have experienced outmigration in the last decade. Per capita income in rural areas is only two-thirds that of their urban counterparts, and rural poverty rates exceed those in urban areas. Rural areas have traditionally considering how the quality of their education, health, and government services can be incorporated into their overall development …

Industrial Clusters And Institutional Support: A Case Study The Plastics Cluster In The Montachusetts Region And It's Training Needs, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The purpose of this research and the dual papers is to comprehensively explore industrial clusters by looking at a number of examples, and then examine in greater detail, the Montachusetts Region in north central Massachusetts where the plastics industry has a strong base. The current weakness of the plastics industry will be identified and tackled.

The shift in organizational structure from global mass producing giants to industrial clusters that focus on flexible specialization, influenced many studies throughout the 1980s and 1990s. This paper will feed from these studies and expand on the role of institutional support networks.

Assessing The Labor Needs Of Industries - Assessing The Labor Needs Of Regions: A Strategy For Collecting Regional Labor Market Information For The North Central Massachusetts Regional Employment Board, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The North Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Board (NCMREB) is a not-for- profit agency that serves the cities of Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster, and the surrounding 20 towns. It is one of 16 regional employment boards in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is "responsible for ' the oversight, coordination, and policy making' of publicly funded employment and training programs that serve all age groups." (Courtesy of NCMREB)

The challenge that the NCMREB faces is in keeping abreast of the rapidly changing labor needs of industries in the region. The more the NCMREB knows about the needs and qualities of the peoples and …

Creating A Strong Image For The Economic Enhancement Of Downtown Ayer, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The recent closure of Fort Devens has had an undeniable impact on business in downtown Ayer, Massachusetts, deflating both the town's population level and its economy. Downtown business in Ayer has traditionally served several surrounding communities, and it is fundamental to the survival of Ayer' s economy that this business continue to thrive. Facing a future that will lack the economic boost formerly associated with Fort activity, business owners and the town must make a greater effort to attract downtown commerce. In the midst of these changes, residents and business owners have participated with town officials in planning for the …

Economic Development Strategies For The Urban Core Cities Of The Pioneer Valley Region Of Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report presents a series of initial strategy recommendations for the economic development of the cities of Springfield and Holyoke. There are six cities in the Pioneer Valley: Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield, Northampton, and Agawam. The three contiguous cities of Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee form the urban core of the region. Historically, these cities have been the cultural. financial, and industrial centers of the Pioneer Valley. The scope of this report is limited to the cities of Springfield and Holyoke because these cities face uniquely urban problems that Chicopee, a largely middle class community, does not.

The client for the …

Looking At Market Square: Toward A Development Concept For Chicopee Center, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report presents a series of marketing and economic development strategies for the central business district in Chicopee Center known as the Market Square area. The City of Chicopee, along with the cities of Holyoke and Springfield, is part of the urban center of the Pioneer Valley region. Like many older industrial cities, and like many cities with a small downtown area, Chicopee finds its economic fortunes at an ebb. Although Chicopee is certainly not a city in distress, it is believed that steps should be taken to ensure that the Market Square area does not slip into serious decline. …

Industrial Lands Survey Worcester, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The purpose of this report is to provide the Worcester City Manager's Office of Planning and Community Development with an inventory of industrially zoned properties within the City's designated Economic Opportunity Areas (EOA): Southern District, Pullman Street, Greendale, and Northeast. This inventory includes a database consisting of property information for all four EOAs, as well as a more detailed analysis of the Main South Industrial Cluster of the Southern District EOA.

The first two chapters of the report provide a brief introduction to the City and the project, highlighting the economic history of Worcester and the region. As the region …

The Mass Towns Database: Initial Report, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report includes a description of approximately 50 variables that are concerned with income, occupation, and land use. These variables are a part of the Mass Towns Database and values for each can be found in a program (Polygon Explorer) that provides a visualization and analysis capability.

Polygon Explorer For Massachusetts Data: Initial Report, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

Polygon Explorer is a program written for Macintosh computers that links data stored in standard spreadsheet formats with a geographic database. It differs from similar programs such as MapInfo and ArcView in that it provides a statistical visualization capability in the form of bar charts, histograms, scatterplots, and other views, and further these views are linked to one another so that any action in one view results highlighting in other views.

Polygon Explorer was initially developed with the support of funding from the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station, and parts of a donation form the Environmental Systems Research Institute and a …

Overall Economic Development Program For The Milford Labor Market Area Of Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

In the fall of 1992, the Boards of Selectmen of each of the five towns which comprise the Milford Labor Market Area designated economic development representatives to serve as a regional Overall Economic Development Program Committee. This action was the result of an initiative by Massachusetts State Representative Richard T. Moore of Uxbridge, who suggested a renewal of a working relationship between the towns and the Economic Development Administration(EDA), as EDA is viewed as an agency that might complement an array of economic development efforts throughout the state.

Following a preliminary planning meeting in Uxbridge on December 2, 1992, this …

Overall Economic Development Program For Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

During the Summer of 1992 an informal group of Berkshire County economic development representatives gathered, at the initiative of the City of Pittsfield. to discuss renewing a working relationship between themselves and the Economic Development Administration (EDA), as EDA is viewed as an agency that might complement an array of economic development efforts throughout the county. This group sought the advice of William Fitzhenry, Economic Development Representative, during August. Based on his advice and with the assistance of the University of Massachusetts. Donahue Institute. this informal group sought out technical assistance from the Center of Economic Development, an EDA sponsored …

A Community Diagnostic From A Planning Perspective Holyoke, Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This study seeks to examine and undertake a diagnostic of the City of Holyoke , a community in Western Massachusetts. The research will employ field visits, interviews, report reading, and library research in an attempt to shed light on certain key planning issues such as, planning tools, downtown, industry, affordable housing, community character, fiscal matters, environmental problems, financial control, and political stability. Each issue will be critically examined in order to better assess the strengths and weaknesses of the community, Finally, this study will conclude with a general overview of Holyoke and list some suggestions related to planning professionally in …

Overall Economic Development Program For The Gardner Labor Market Area Of Massachusetts, Center For Economic Development

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

In July of 1992 Mr. Michael D. Gerry, chairman of the Gardner Redevelopment Authority, contacted the Gardner Office of Planning and Community Development about the community's status regarding its eligibility for E.D.A. funding for a proposed industrial park. In follow-up discussion with the planning office and Mr. William Fitzhenry of the regional EDA Office, it was determined that while Gardner was within an approved area, it needed to prepare a current O.E.D.P., as the most recent one had been approved by the E.D.A. in April of 1975. In as much as the last report had been developed under the direction …