Heartland Robotics Expands and Moves to Boston’s Innovation District

Heartland Robotics, Inc. announced that it is relocating its corporate headquarters and product development efforts to the Fort Point Channel in Boston's Innovation District. The company recently announced that it raised $20 million in Series B financing and is now moving into an expansion phase which requires more office space.

Heartland is developing a new generation of robots to improve productivity in manufacturing environments. The robots will be intuitive to use, intelligent and highly flexible. They’ll be easy to buy, train, and deploy and will be unbelievably inexpensive.

Scott Eckert, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer said, “We are moving forward aggressively in developing our products and expanding our team. In order to attract the world-class talent that we need, we wanted a terrific office space, in a vibrant part of the city, and easily accessible by public transportation.”

“The Innovation District is quickly becoming a model for the country for how to rebuild the economy around new and growing industries,” said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “Heartland Robotics is the type of groundbreaking company that will add to the vitality of the district and demonstrate how innovators and entrepreneurs in Boston are changing the world.”

Heartland’s new headquarters is the building known as Tower Point @ A Street, located at 27-43 Wormwood Street, Boston, MA 02210, a renovated late 19th century brick-and-beam building that is historically significant as one of the largest electrified manufacturing facilities in Boston when it was built. Heartland is moving 30 employees to the Innovation District and expects to expand to 50 employees by year end.

Call for entries! ID Art: Temporary Public Art in the Innovation District

At the request of MayorThomas M. Menino, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, in coordination with the Boston Art Commission, is seeking proposals for temporary public artworks to be considered for an 18-month installation to celebrate the innovative and ecological spirit that will define Boston’s Innovation District.These artworks will serve to engage the public and act as gateways for the Boston Marine Industrial Park (BMIP) and indicators of the Innovation District and its creative community.These temporary installations are the first step of a renewed effort to bring public art to the BMIP. Additional funding is being sought to support permanent installations through a community-wide public proces.

MORE INFORMATION

Renew Boston Rolls Out Energy Saving Opportunities For Area Restaurants

On February 16th,  2011 The Massachusetts Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and the MRA Green Team Task Force are hosting a seminar sponsored by Renew Boston, MassSave, and the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) to announce the kickoff of a program to provide free energy assessments and energy efficiency improvements for Boston Restaurants. The expanded program will help restaurant owners identify efficiency upgrade opportunities as well as financial incentives for energy savings related to natural gas, electricity, and water usage for Boston Restaurants using up to 300 KW peak electrical loads. Specific upgrades will include general lighting and lighting controls, case fan motor replacement, evaporator fan motor replacement, cooler control systems which include, controlling door heaters, evaporator fans, door fans, compressors. Spray valves, pipe insulation, programmable thermostats, duct wrap, boiler reset, and low flow shower heads will also be included.

Boston Ranked Third Hottest Job Market

Monster.com credits Boston’s technology and health care industries for strong economic recovery

Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced today that the City of Boston has been ranked the third “hottest job market” in the country according to Monster.com, just behind Washington D.C. and San Francisco. The Massachusetts-based online job search company recognized the top ten markets identified as prime cities for job seekers. The top cities are credited with having strong healthcare and technology industries that have been able to maintain jobs through a difficult economic climate.

“Boston is a city of great opportunities and the proud home of some of the nation’s best healthcare and technology companies,” said Mayor Menino. “This ranking is further acknowledgement of how well our City has fared in this economic downturn, and as we move out of this recession, we will continue to look for ways to promote job growth so that any Bostonian who needs work, can find it.”

Mayor Menino Thanks Chris Supple for his Service to BRA Board

The Boston Redevelopment Authority announced, Thursday, January 20, 2011, that Board Member Chris Supple has completed two full five-year terms on the BRA Board and announced that he will step will step down on February 1, 2011 after more than a decade of service at the agency.

Mr. Supple is an attorney with extensive legal and government experience, including five years as a federal prosecutor and also five years on the senior staffs of two MA governors. Mr. Supple has maintained a full-time government-focused law practice during the decade that he has also served as a Member of the BRA Board, and indicated that he plans to continue on in his law practice.

“I want to thank Chris for his tremendous service to the BRA and to our city. His legal and government policy expertise, and knowledge of Boston’s neighborhoods, helped guide the BRA in many important decisions. We enjoyed working with Chris at the BRA, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with him going forward", said Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

$300million Residential Garden Garage Project Files Project Notification Form (PNF)

Equity Residential filed a PNF with the BRA for the Garden Garage Project, a $300million, 958,000 sq ft proposed residential project to be built in Boston's West End Neighborhood. The Garden Garage Project will replace the existing Garden Garage with two buildings: the North Tower with appproximately 200 residential units and the South Tower with approximately 300 residential units. 15% of the residential units will be affordable. The proposed project provides approximately 958,000 square feet of development, of which 551,000 square feet is residential, 22,000 square feet is common area and amentiy space for residents and 385,000 square feet is for parking. This project will create 450 construction jobs & is expected to begin in fall 2012.

Click Here for the PNF

Public Comments can be submitted in writing to: Mr. Jay Rourke, Senior Project Manager, BRA, Boston City Hall, Boston, Ma 02201 or by email jay.rourke.bra@cityofboston.gov by February 25, 2011.

FeldCo Development Company Joins Elma Lewis Partners, LLC to Build Ruggles Place

BRA board approved tentative designation to Elma Lewis Partners LLC and development partner, FeldCo Development Company for the development of Ruggles Place. The new team has 18months to continue to move forward on this $308 million mixed use project. Ruggles Place will transform lower Roxbury bringing vitality and cultural with new retail, museums and educational facilities. The team has proposed to revise the original project to include, 591,398 square feet of vertical retail space, 43,020 square feet of small ground floor retail space, an art and educational space comprised of 58,474 square feet, an office component consisting of 315,122 square feet, and an above ground parking structure containing 616,440 square feet. This project will generate 2,938 permanent post construction jobs.

Ruggles Place

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Christian Science Planning Process is Complete

BRA board received an in-depth presentation finalizing the Christian Science Masterplan at tonight’s board meeting. The Plaza Revitalization Project Plan consists of three main objectives: (1) enhance the Plaza for the community; (2) improve the environmental sustainability of the Plaza; and (3) explore opportunities for underutilized real estate.

Christian Science Center Revitalization Plan

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Bridgeview Apartments to Bring New Affordable Housing to Charlestown

BRA board approved a $18million, mixed use housing and community center in Charlestown. Bridgeview Apartment Development will consist of affordable housing units and commercial space that will be run by the Life Focus Center of Charlestown (LFC).The housing component will consist of approximately 60 units of rental housing (consisting of a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units) all of which will be restricted to households earning at or below 60% of Area Median Income. Approximately 20% of the residential units will be targeted to homeless or formerly homeless individuals and households and other “special populations,” including disabled individuals with disabled members. LFC will provide supportive services for these individuals and households.

BRA Launches Lunchtime Lecture Series



One-Stop Resource Centers January Calender

Boston’s One-Stop Career Centers, funded in part by the BRA's office of Jobs and Community Services, offer a wide range of training opportunities to assist job seekers across multiple industries and skill areas. Throughout the month of January, stop in for tips on starting a new business or applying for a state job, meet with recruiters, and much more:

• Thurs Jan 20th ----- Workshop: How to Apply for State Jobs (presented by Juanita Allen, Comm on Massachusetts) –to be held at Job Net, 210 South Street --- Boston ----1:00 pm sharp --- call 617.338.0809 to pre-register and reserve your spot. Learn how to access Massachusetts employment opportunities via the state website, and effectively apply for jobs. www.jobnetboston.org

• Mon Jan 24th ----- Recruitment session @ The Work Place (TWP) -- SEI AARON’S SALES AND LEASING seeking Manager Trainees in three Boston locations ------- The Work Place (www.theworkplace.org) is hosting a recruitment session on Monday Jan 24th at 1:00 pm sharp. Must have some management experience, have excellent skills. Excellent starting salaries plus extensive benefits. You must submit a resume to The Work Place for pre-screening prior to being interviewed – sorry no exceptions ---- The Work Place is located at 29 Winter Street in Downtown Boston --- please call 617-737-0093 for more information or theworkplace@detma.org


• Feb 1st ---- If you are between ages 15 and 17 and a fulltime resident of the City of Boston, you register with the HOPELINE beginning Feb 1st for the chance to be placed in a Boston Youth Fund Summer Job. Please note that registering does not guarantee a summer job --- for more information call 617.635.4202 or visit http://www.bostonyouthzone.com

Top 5 Most Visited 2010 BRA Blog Posts

The BRA was involved in many projects in 2010, according to web traffic numbers, here are the top 5 most visited posts:

#1: Seaport Square to Enhance City’s Innovation District with New Innovation Center, 23-Acre Mixed-Use Sustainable Neighborhood

Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced that Seaport Square $3 Billion master plan will be the latest and largest addition so far to Boston’s Innovation District. With the district already home to a growing array of creative and entrepreneurial companies, the City is pushing the development community to be bold and creative to ensure that Boston stays at the forefront of the innovation economy in the 21st century....READ MORE

#2: Waterside Place to Bring New Residential, Office & Retail to South Boston Waterfront

The BRA Board approved the Waterside Place project which will bring a new 21-story, 376,300 square foot development with residential, office and retail uses to the city’s Innovation District within the South Boston Waterfront. Previously approved in 2007, the developer will now construct the project in phases, beginning with Core Block North, and to build rental apartment units as opposed to condominium units... READ MORE

#3: Liberty Mutual Receives Approval to Expand Boston Headquarters

The BRA Board approved plans for a new $300 million Back Bay office building as part of Liberty Mutual’s expansion of its Boston headquarters. The project will create a new 590,000 square foot, 22-story office building located at 157 Berkeley Street. Additionally, the project includes the renovation of approximately 89,000 square feet of existing space at 330 Stuart Street, which will retain the existing office and restaurant uses at that location.. READ MORE

#4: South Boston’s Old Colony Housing Development Receives Approval for Renovations

The BRA Board approved the Old Colony Phase One project, which will renovate the existing public housing development that is currently in poor condition. The project includes the construction of 116 new housing units in an 86,000 gross square foot four and six-story residential building with 40 one-bedroom units and 42 two-bedroom units, and four groups of townhouses with 34 units. The project also includes an approximately 10,000 square foot new community center. Seven existing three-story buildings, constructed in 1940, containing 164 units, will be demolished. The site design emphasizes low-impact development and optimizes walkable streets, open spaces and green storm water strategies. The project has a development goal of being net zero energy use. READ MORE

#5: Oliver Lofts Celebrates Groundbreaking in Mission Hill

On Saturday, March 27, 2010, Mayor Menino and City officials celebrated the start of construction at the Oliver Lofts, a $25 million housing development on Mission Hill’s Terrace Street. The project involves the adaptive reuse of two, four and five-story historic mill buildings, previously vacant for 25 years. The completed project will add 62 new units of mixed-income, LEED-Silver housing – a total of nearly 95,000square-feet of living space – to the neighborhood. READ MORE

One Year Later:: Lots of Things Happening in the Innovation District

This week marks the one year anniversary of the Mayor’s announcement of the Innovation District. We thought we’d share a list of the new businesses that moved to the District since January 2010. *


Welcome:
Monster.com
Buzzient
Mad-Pow
Twelve Chairs
Mass Challenge
Fish & Richardson
Mario Russo
Aisle Buyer
Interaction Associates
Louis Boston
Mass Office of International Trade & Investment
Satcon
Oasys
FastCAP Systems
Boston Technologies
Fort Point Arts Community Store
Grand Circle Gallery
Dataxu
First Giving
Free Flow Power

Six new restaurants have also opened their doors with many new on the horizon in 2011. See the list.


*This list includes businesses we are aware of. If your company moved to the District and is not on the list, email us and we’ll add it.

Mass Eye & Ear Files Institutional Master Plan Notification Form (IMPNF) and Project Notification Form (PNF)

Mass. Eye and Ear is planning to improve and expand their facilities to provide more comfortable care for patients and more modern research facilities to which will provide investigators better space in which to find cures and new treatments. Mass Eye and Ear filed an Institutional Master Plan Notification Form (IMPNF) and Project Notification Form (PNF) with the BRA outlining their proposed expansion. The projects proposed in the IMPNF/PNF will include plans for additional, modern research facilities and expanded and updated clinical facilities.

The filings will propose three projects:

• a new approximately 89,700-square-foot research facility at 325 Cambridge Street, Boston, to take the place of three outdated buildings (307-311 Cambridge St. and 313 Cambridge St.) which are insufficient for today's needs (approximate net 43,300 square foot expansion)

• an "annex" to the John Jeffries House on Charles Street to add approximately 25,000 square feet of retail and administrative space, and

• the renovation and expansion of our main clinical building at 243 Charles Street, which will update the facility and add approximately 50,500 square feet of net new clinical and administrative space.

Click here to read the full submitted plan.

New Theaters, New Retail- 2010 was a Great Year for Downtown Crossing

2010 was an exciting year for Downtown Crossing with the opening of two new theaters and many new retail locations. Mayor Menino and the BRA joined Emerson College to celebrate the grand opening of the Paramount Center in March 2010. The project has restored one of the city’s most beloved theatres while also creating a truly mixed-use project that will enliven lower Washington Street with the infusion of 260 students. In addition to the fully restored 550-seat theatre, the center offers a restaurant, a scene shop, classrooms, faculty offices, practice rooms, rehearsal rooms, a sound stage, a black box theatre with seating for 140 people, a film screening room for approximately 180 people and four levels of dormitory housing for 260 students.

On Thursday, November 4, Suffolk University also celebrated the opening of its fully restored 185-seat Modern Theatre . The event was followed on Friday, November 5 with a community open house, from noon-6 p.m. The open house included special entertainment throughout the afternoon. Mayor Menino and the BRA have long worked to acquire and save the Modern Theatre to ensure that it will remain an active civic and cultural resource for the City of Boston. In 2007, the BRA issued a RFP for the Modern and chose Suffolk University as the developer. The Modern is the last of the three Landmark theatres in this area that the Menino Administration sought to save. The Opera House opened in 2004 after receiving a $31 million restoration; and the Paramount Theatre as part of a $80 million redevelopment project by Emerson College.

New Downtown Crossing Retail Businesses Opened in 2010*
TD Bank (Winter Street)
b.good (Washington St.)

Stoddards Fine Food & Ale (Temple Place)

Subway (Washington St.)

Petite Robert Central (101 Arch)

D'guru (Devonshire)

Boston Common Coffee Company (Washington St)

CVS (Winter St)

Grass Roots Cafe (Summer St)

Webster Bank (Franklin St)

Deals and Discounts (Temple Place)

Roly Poly (Devonshire St)

Barracuda Tavern (Bosworth St)

Sal's Pizza (Tremont St)

Chipotle (Summer St)

Little Q (Washington St)

Edible Arrangements (Washington St)

Thinking Cup Cafe (Tremont St.)

U burger (Tremont St)
City Convience Store (Washington St)

Coming Soon*: signed leases and/or under construction

Four Green Fields (One Washington St)
Cafe de Boston (Arch St)

Scholar's (School St)

Salvatores (Washington St)
Subway (Tremont St)
Super Cuts (Summer Street)
Back Deck Grill (West St)

Mega Mobile (Washington St)

Urban Kitchen (Washington St.)

Danvers Bank (Milk St)

Stayed tuned for updates about the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District...

*This list includes businesses we are aware of. If your company moved to the District and is not on the list, email us and we’ll add it.

Help ONEin3 Boston Strengthen the City's Connection to Young People

The BRA's ONEin3 Boston Civic Engagement subcommittee is studying five nationally recognized indicators of “civic health” among 20- to 34-year-olds in Boston in order to compare the levels of civic engagement within our demographic to the national population. Specifically, we are seeking to measure: Social Connections, Political Action, Belonging to a Group, Volunteering and Service, and Working with Neighbors.


We have created a survey that will allow us to understand the strengths and needs of our age group locally so that we may be more effective in designing robust civic engagement opportunities. Your responses will shape the course of our work so please share this survey far and wide!

Please help us by clicking here and taking the survey!