Appendix Frequently Asked Questions An initial draft of the rexBoston vision plan was completed in late August 2017. By late December 2017, approximately 30 reviewers including representatives of the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, UMass Boston, Boston Harbor Now, Boston Society of Architects and Green Ribbon Foundation had viewed summary slides and commented on the initial draft. Initial reviewers offered generally positive feedback, voicing six Frequently Asked Questions, answers to which are as follows: o
How does this relate to the City’s initiatives – Climate Ready Boston, Imagine Boston 2030, Go Boston, and Boston’s Resiliency Plan? Answer: The express aim of rexBoston is to support the City’s current initiatives, driving planning into action through the catalyzing effects of strategic investment, development services and exposition licensing.
o
What’s the business case for rexBoston, ie. what can it achieve and what are its precedents? Answer: Among U.S. cities., Boston is ranked #4 with respect to the magnitude of potential losses from climate impacts. By spurring immediate action, rexBoston may help Boston avoid these losses while strengthening its economy and demonstrating practical solutions that hasten world carbon neutrality and climate adaptation. Precedents for rexBoston include IBA Hamburg, HafenCity, Realdania, Worcester Business Development Corporation and Columbus, Indiana, described in the appendix. See below.
o
What’s the business plan, ie. how will rexBoston organization be funded, overseen and operated? Answer: The rexBoston operating budget of approximately $2.3 million, will be funded through membership dues from property owners, business owners, residents and students, service and licensing fees from approximately 10 projects per year, and event sponsorships and registration fees from approximately 10 events per year. The rexBoston organization will be governed by a Steering Committee, led by an Advisory Board, and managed by rexBoston staff. Members will vote annually to ratify the Steering Committee.
o
How can this idea help implement resilient infrastructure, defraying its cost? Answer: rexBoston can spur resilient infrastructure by considering public projects for direct investment and services, or alternatively, by working with the City to bundle resilient infrastructure with other development opportunities, thereby attracting private investment in exchange for project entitlements.
o
How can this initiative help address climate justice, a key aspect of resiliency? Answer: With its intentional city-wide focus, rexBoston will help realize projects in each of Boston’s 23 neighborhoods. Inner-city neighborhoods facing severe heat will benefit from spray decks, green roofs and smart streets. Harbor front neighborhoods facing sea level rise will benefit from coastal barriers and flood protection. Projects serving those disproportionately at risk
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from climate impacts – the poor, elderly, handicapped, homeless, chronically ill, and very young, as identified by Climate Ready Boston – will receive special consideration. o
What projects will be included in each of the three phases, particularly the first phase? Answer: rexBoston projects have not yet been selected. They will be determined by a competitive selection process at the rate of approximately ten projects per year, starting in 2018, ultimately totaling approximately 130 projects by the final year of the international resiliency exposition in 2030. The maps included in the draft Vision Plan are for illustrative purposes only, representing approximately 110 projects of which approximately half are in the Inner Zone and half are in the Outer Zone. The ultimate decision about rexBoston projects will be recommended by the Advisory Board and subject to a Steering Committee vote.
What are the precedents that support the business case for rexBoston? At least five organizations serve as precedents and support the business case for rexBoston, as discussed on the following pages: • • • • •
IBA Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany Hafen City in Hamburg, Germany Sustainia in Copenhagen, Denmark Worcester Business Development Corporation in Worcester, MA Columbus, Indiana supported by Cummins Corporation
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IBA Hamburg Hamburg, Germany 2006-2013 For more than one hundred years, international building expositions called “IBA” (“Internationale Bauausstellung” in German) have been used as a way to attract “innovative regeneration” to neighborhoods identified for urban renewal. Unlike a design charrette or World’s Fair, such efforts intentionally result in permanent structures and/or neighborhoods that showcase planning, design and technological creativity, spur economic development, gain recognition, and attract investment. An IBA exhibition is not only a showcase but an instrument for visionary urban development. The name is a bit of a misnomer. Visitors experience much more than buildings. At an IBA, people are researching and developing how best to live, just like in a lab, within a given time frame. This lab is an entire area of the city. The research assignment is developing the city of tomorrow. How will the cities face the impact of climate change? Where and how do we live, work, study in the future? All IBA’s have similar timeframe – a decade or so – with three phased presentations typically three years apart. Hamburg, a city of similar size and character as Boston, used such an exposition between 2006 and 2013 to redevelop Wilhelmsburg, a 13.5-square-mile island surrounded by the Elbe River, a city neighborhood that never fully recovered from fatal flooding in 1962. The logo (above) portrays a figure in an energetic forward-leaning pose and represents the city’s “leap across the Elbe.” IBA Hamburg had its opening year in 2007, interim presentation in 2010, and final presentation in 2013. Formerly blighted by derelict buildings, environmental contamination, a waste landfill and flood-prone areas, Wilhemsburg today has been redeveloped for 50,000 residential units, district energy, floodprotective parkland, and clean industry. A total of 70 new exposition projects focused on three main themes: • • •
Cosmopolis, demonstrating how diversity and cooperation might be nurtured within cities. Metrozones, demonstrating new growth areas focused on easy travel between home and work. Cities and Climate Change, demonstrating responsible growth through decentralized renewable energy and resource efficiency.
Post-IBA Hamburg, Wilhelmsburg is now an internationally-known example of transformational urban redevelopment of a living city. Each of the exposition projects is branded with the IBA Hamburg logo (shown above), and documented in publications, presentations and on the web for practitioners, researchers and students to study, emulate and spark further innovation. IBA Hamburg is the name of the exposition as well as the development company that initiated the exposition projects, secured a high degree of private investment, guided development and promoted
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the exposition’s success. Since the exposition concluded, IBA Hamburg GmbH is responsible for extensive feasibility studies and sustainable district developments in ten areas of Hamburg focused on the Elbe islands. A NYTimes article published November 17, 2011, reveals the outline of IBA Hamburg’s legal and financial structure. • • • • • • • • •
IBA Hamburg GmbH (limited liability company) is a City-owned corporation. Functionally, IBA Hamburg serves as a City-run development agency. IBA Hamburg’s mission is to transform Wilhemsburg, a flood-prone area located south of the River Elbe, into a model of resilient living and clean energy. IBA Hamburg’s role is to organize and license exemplary projects, drive planning and execution, and retain oversight and control. IBA Hamburg serves as a conduit for public funding by the City which invested €90 million in the Wilhemsburg projects which had an estimated price tag of €700 million. Additionally, the City invested €102.5 to upgrade and build bridges and roads. IBA Hamburg projects rely heavily on private investment by developers and businesses eager to invest in City-initiated projects for the opportunity to show green leadership. Public-private investment reflects 1:7 leverage (€90 million public to €610 million private). Even if one includes €102.5 million for roads and bridges, a customary public expense, publicprivate investment reflects 1:3 leverage (€192.5 million public to €507.5 million private) – a predominance of private investment.
For more information about IBA Hamburg: Managing Director Uli Hellweg (retired) b. 1948 Reachable through HafenCity University’s CityScienceLab, a cooperation with the MIT Media Lab Uli_Hellweg@t-online.de Biography of Uli Hellweg Before becoming managing director of IBA Hamburg, architect Uli Hellweg had significant involvement in planning and realizing IBA Berlin. After working as a researcher at the Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (DIFU) in Berlin and as Head of the Urban Planning Office in Gelsenkirchen, he oversaw, from 1980 to 1987, capacity building and pilot projects for the International Building Exhibition Berlin GmbH – 1984/’87. From 1987 to 1992 he coordinated the urban renewal activities of S.T.E.R.N. GmbH, successor company to the IBA, based in Berlin Moabit. From 1992 to 1996 Hellweg was Head of the Department of Planning and Construction in Kassel. He subsequently worked as the director of various other companies, including Wasserstadt GmbH (Berlin), DSK (Wiesbaden) and agora s.a.r.l. (Luxembourg). From September 2006 to late 2013 Uli Hellweg led IBA Hamburg, serving as director in 2014-2015. He retired in March 2015, and now serves managing partner of HELLWEG URBAN CONCEPT.
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HafenCity Hamburg, Germany 2001-2025 HafenCity is German for “HarborCity.” This urban regeneration effort represents the largest urban redevelopment project in Europe by land area, approximately 2.2 square kilometres -- 157 hectares or 388 acres. Ongoing since 2001, it has expanded the area of Hamburg City by 40 percent. By the turn of the century, the Port of Hamburg was becoming outmoded for the requirements of large container ships and increased border security. The City acquired the port property, known as the Elbe River island of Grasbrook, in a land in a swap with the port authority. Ground-breaking for the ambitious mixed-use development took place on June 20, 2001. The first quarter was completed in 2009. By 2013, nearly 50% of the build-out had been achieved. When completed in 2025, HafenCity will be home to 12,000 people and the workplace of 40,000 people employed by 730 companies, including Unilever which in 2009, opened its new LEED Gold certified headquarters for Germany, Austria and Switzerland on a prominent waterfront site. HafenCity provides new hotels, shops, office buildings, cultural amenities and residential areas. It is also home to HafenCity University, a new school focusing on architecture and urban planning. In January 2017, the City celebrated the opening of HafenCity’s most audacious and expensive undertaking, the new Elbphilarmonie (symphony hall), built on a riverfront site atop an old warehouse. The Elbe is tidal, typically rising and falling 3 feet. HafenCity is subject to periodic flooding from storm surges which are predicted to worsen with effects of climate change. For these reasons, Innovative flood protection technologies have been an important part of HafenCity’s redevelopment. While dikes were initially considered, they were ruled out as too costly and ruinous to the waterfront views. Instead, HafenCity enforces strict flood-protection rules in places within the special development zone. New roads and public spaces have to be built on sand terraces over 25 feet (7.6 m) above the normal high-tide line. Buildings along the shore can remain at their original level but must be waterproofed up to the elevated-road level. In addition, shore-adjacent buildings are required to have an entryway allowing access to the 25-foot (7.6 m)-high road level so that they remain accessible during times of flooding. Although development has been expensive, HafenCity is recognized for having some of today’s most innovative flood protection solutions. The area has been built out from west to east, with a total of 64 projects completed and another 69 in the planning stage. Deals for the sale of land or exclusive options have been closed on approximately 1.7 square meters gross floor area. The development has been shaped by urban planning and open
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space competitions. With the selection of developers for each plot come architectural competitions. In 2017, additional sites will be put out to tender and options to plan granted. Since HafenCity’s aim is to set international standards for conceptual and architectural quality, it is very important to attract investors and developers willing to cooperate in setting high quality standards and in treading innovative paths. Tenders are invited for plots scheduled for residential use; the competition result is decisive. It is not the highest bid that is successful – the crucial factor for awarding the contract is the quality of the use concepts submitted. Sites for office buildings are not generally processed this way. Instead, companies planning to staff 60 to 70 percent of a building or site for their own purposes can apply to HafenCity Hamburg GmbH. Whatever the type of land use, the necessary ratification by the Land Commission is followed by an exclusive option period with an obligation to plan. The investor/user then has to proceed, in conjunction with the City of Hamburg, with an architectural competition, may commission site surveys, and has to prepare for building approval. Throughout this process, HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, the authorities and the buyer remain in constant dialog. The advantage of this process for the developer is that financing of the purchase price is postponed until after the building permit is granted; until then it has adequate time to hone the quality of its product, secure finance and perhaps acquire additional users. At the same time the city retains its ability to ensure the building’s quality by intervening during the development process which lasts for one and a half years after award of the option, thus ensuring that the originally submitted use concepts and time schedules will be adhered to, since the purchase cannot go through until the building permit is received. This encourages cooperation – with both city and developer optimizing risks, costs, quality and time scales. For Hamburg, HafenCity is more than a major real estate project in which the individual undertakings need to be realized as quickly and efficiently as possible – rather, within the context of a new definition of city, the end product is intended to be exemplary urban quality. HafenCity is the name of the old port district as well as the development company that launched its transformation. HafenCity Hamburg GmbH oversees all activities as the city’s manager of development, property owner and developer of infrastructure (except the subway). HafenCity and continues its work to realize 30% of the project that remains unbuilt. A NYTimes article published November 17, 2011, reveals the outline of IBA Hamburg’s legal and financial structure. • • •
• •
HafenCity Hamburg GmbH (limited liability company) is a City-owned corporation. Functionally, HafenCity serves as a City-run development agency. HafenCity’s mission is to transform a prime waterfront parcel (388 acres which it acquired from the harbor authority in a land swap) into a model of resiliency, energy efficiency and architectural excellence. HafenCity’s role is to advertise lots, sell them to separate commercial interests, and return the sale proceeds to city coffers. HafenCity uses two separate juries to vet development proposals and retains final say over who buys the land and the architectural design of the buildings.
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• • • •
The city invested €2.2 billion in HafenCity, expecting €1.5 billion to be returned through property sales, in a build-out expected to cost €10 billion when complete in 2025. HafenCity projects relay heavily on private investment by developers and businesses eager to invest in the superb location and prestigious addresses. Public-private investment reflects 1:13 leverage (€700 million net public to €9.3 billion private). Even if one excludes the anticipated sales proceeds which are not guaranteed, public-private investment reflects 1:4 leverage (€2.2 billion gross public to €7.8 billion private) – a significant predominance of private investment.
For more information about HafenCity Hamburg GmbH: CEO Professor Jurgen Bruns-Berentelg b. 1951 bruns-berentelg@hcu-hamburg.de Biography of Jurgen Bruns-Berentelg Before his involvement with HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, CEO Professor Jurgen Bruns-Brentelg held management positions with British, American and German property companies, partly at executive board and board of director level. In the process, he was involved in major projects such as the Berlin Central Station and Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz, located in Berlin. He is a real estate economist as well as professor for integrated urban development at HafenCity University, with an academic background in geography and biology. He is a regular national and international speaker on innovative large-scale urban development.
Realdania Copenhagen, Denmark 2000-ongoing (goal is perpetuity) Realdania’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all by developing the built environment. Realdania has been one of the main supporters of C40, the world’s leading climate network for megacities. In Denmark, Realdania has supported more than 3,000 projects, acting as a modern philanthropist and change agent. Realdania is a member-based philanthropic organization operating as a private charitable foundation. Some have argued that Realdania has a legal structure of an association operating as a business. Only owners of real estate in Denmark can become members of Realdania and participate in electing members of the board. Realdania’s closed structure has provoked criticism as the association’s billions are controlled by a small network of people. Even so, Realdania has a proud legacy of accomplishment. Realdania that supports projects in the built environment – cities, buildings and built heritage. Known for their proactive efforts, Realdania works to create value through development and change, dialogue Appendix vii of xv | r e x B o s t o n T h e B u s i n e s s P l a n
and knowledge, partnerships and networks, initiatives and proactive efforts. Realdania aims to make contributions that have a catalytic effect and benefit all, focusing on five program areas: • • • • •
Space for Everyone Denmark – Land of Opportunity Living Built Heritage Cities for People Innovation in Construction
Realdania aims to exploit the current transition of cities resulting from urbanization and climate change to combine social, economic and environmental solutions to create diverse, exciting and resilient cities for people. Realdania’s statutes define the association’s purpose: 1. Support non-profit and charitable purposes, primarily in the field of the built environment, and primarily in Denmark; 2. Run an investment company; 3. Acquire shares in companies that are engaged in activities pertaining to the built environment; 4. Provide services related to the built environment; and 5. Acquire and construct real property in order to preserve the built heritage and develop Danish building practice. Realdania develops experimental new buildings, sites and neighborhoods, and also conserves historic resources, all on a sustainable basis. This is done through philanthropic investment and the active ownership of properties and sites. The aim is to acquire and build property in order to establish a collection of exceptional architecture and building styles in every part of Denmark – and to get involved in long-term urban development projects in partnership with local authorities in order to contribute to the development and quality of the built environment. By means of philanthropic investment in sites and properties, Realdania seeks at the same time to generate a degree of revenue for Realdania with the aim of promoting further philanthropic activity. Realdania believes that unique buildings and urban development have a story to tell. Interpretation plays an important role both with regard to historic houses and other important properties and to sustainable solutions for new buildings and urban development. Through its website, films and books, as well as its events and club, Realdania shares many stories told by their properties. Realdania also disseminates information and solutions for Danish local authorities and other professionals working in the field. Realdania was established in 2000 following the sale of Realkredit Danmark to Danske Bank, when a fund of approximately €2.7 billion was put aside for philanthropic purposes. Realkredit Danmark was a 150-year old mortgage credit association, a unique phenomenon in Denmark, in which home owners and borrowers, rather than lenders, joined forces to extend loans secured by mortgages on real estate. Denmark is known for cooperative associations. Realkredit Danmark was owned and controlled by its members (mortgage lenders), and this structure is replicated in Realdania.
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The website for Realdania gives an outline of their legal and financial structure: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Realdania is a private philanthropic organization based on investment activities. Organized as a representative member democracy, Realdania has 150,000 members. Any real estate owner in Denmark can become a member of Realdania. Realdania’s leadership structure consists of a Supervisory Board and an Executive Board. The Supervisory Board (Steering Committee) is responsible for overall leadership. The Executive Board (Advisory Board) handles day-to-day management. Members elect the Board of Representatives via a system that ensures geographic and professional diversity. The Board of Representatives elect the Supervisory Board, which in turn appoints the Executive Board. Capital assets are €3 billion. Investment return in 2016 was 11.7% or €322 million. Realdania decides on the investment strategy for its non-philanthropic investments in accordance with fundamental principles. Investments are aimed at generating returns similar to those of global equities but at a lower market risk. Control mechanisms and rules take effect if equity falls by more than expected. These safeguards ensure Realdania’s longevity for 25 years or more, perhaps “infinitely.” The budgeted level of philanthropic grants is set on the basis of the long-term expected returns. The current budget for philanthropic grants and investments is €65-80 million per year. The level of grants is adjusted regularly but the aim is maintain a stable minimum from year to year. The board of directors can increase philanthropic grants in periods when equity rises by more than expected.
For more information about Realdania: Executive Director and CPO (Chief Philanthropic Officer) Anne Skovbro (b. 1969) ask@realdania.dk Biography of Anne Skovbro Anne Skovbro offers exceptional qualifications in urban development, architecture and design, strategy and management. With a PhD in architecture and MSc in civil engineering, Skovbro joined Realdania in 2015 with 20 years of experience in positions of increasing responsibility working for the City of Copenhagen and Danish Ministry of Environment. In prior positions, she was director of the City’s finance department, chief planner for the center for urban development, project manager for the Ministry of the Environment, and project manager for National Planning Department.
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Worcester Business Development Corporation Worcester, MA 1965 – ongoing (recently celebrated 50 years) The Worcester Business Development Corporation was the first establishment of its kind – a non-profit business organization whose mission was to rebuild and revitalize the City of Worcester. What made it unique from other initiatives was that its mission included working with businesses in the area to create new jobs and to expand the tax base, and partnering with the U.S. Small Business Administration to help finance start-ups. In 1965, this was a brand, new idea. WBDC was founded in 1965 by a large group of public minded citizens who made it their mission to work with City officials to address economic challenges that the community was facing. The act creating the corporation was signed with the full support of the City Manager and other important leaders in the Worcester community. Initially WBDC operated through the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce as its non-profit development arm. Initially, the WBDC committed to these statements of purpose: • • •
To promote the common good and general welfare of the City of Worcester and its vicinity To improve the living standards of its citizens And to develop an association of public spirited citizens, businesses, professionals, and technically trained citizens to accomplish these objectives.
Worcester was faced with particular adversity at the time. There were significant employment cuts in various industries. Manufacturing, retail trade, construction and transportation sectors all faced job losses. This meant that the WBDC had to work quickly to make an impact on the community. The initial Worcester Center project was a dramatic turnaround story, the results of which were quickly recognized by the community, particularly as the weight of the property tax shifted to a more diverse tax base. The initial success of the WBDC was marked by the opening of the Worcester Center Galleria in 1971, a landmark urban renewal project, one of the largest in New England. Fifty years later, Worcester has gone from a city of “spools and tools to eds and meds,” due in part to WBDC’s catalytic efforts to transform the city. WBDC boasts a legacy of innovation and a portfolio of more than 80 projects. WBDC remains as active as ever. In 2016, WBDC added 14 new SBA 504 loans totaling $10 million while advancing a dozen projects and initiatives, including: • • • • •
Establishing a Business Improvement District (BID) for the redeveloping Theater District Raising capital to commence construction of a new cultural space and black box theater Supporting a downtown campus for Quinsigamond Community College Completing demolition and cleanup of the former GKN Sinter Metals site in the Canal District Supporting a new Urban Revitalization Plan for downtown streetscape improvements
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• • •
Developing incubator spaces at 20 Franklin Street Partnering on a 100,000 square foot twin ice rink and retail center Preparing to break ground on a Biomanufacturing Park on a 44-acre parcel conveyed by the State, formerly part of the now defunct Worcester State Hospital
In the 1990’s, WBDC’s pioneered in the creation of Gateway Park, a mixed-use development aimed at accelerating advances and job grown in biotechnology and the life sciences. The transformation of this 60-acre parcel, parts of which were formerly an environmentally contaminated steel foundry, was undertaken cooperatively with nearby Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The park includes office, retail, hotel, garage and residential space. To date, three phases have been completed, representing an investment of more than $80 million including $15 million in State and Federal funds. Public-private investment reflects 1:5 leverage ($15 million to $80 million). At full build-out, it is estimated that Gateway Park will create upwards of 2,000 high-wage jobs and add $6.6 million to the City’s tax base. More recently, the WBDC has been instrumental in repositioning the 21 acre former Galleria site for the $565 million multi-phased project known as CitySquare, one of the largest public-private developments in the Commonwealth. Upon completion, it will create more than 2.2 million square feet of commercial, medical, retail, entertainment and residential space. The completed first phase of CitySquare includes the 175,000 square foot Unum office building, Saint Vincent Cancer and Wellness Center, and new 300space underground parking facility. The next phase is under construction and includes a new 365-unit luxury rental community by Roseland Development and a new 168-room AC Marriott Hotel by XSS Hotels. The City has been aggressive in pursuing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to lure developers. By the end of 2015, the City had 18 active TIF plans. In return for these 18 development commitments, the City agreed to forgo a total of $21,591,000 million in real estate taxes, estimated at the time of each deal. The total amount of expected private investment for all $18 TIF’s is $466,814,000. The total estimated incremental value is $155,975,300. Public-private investment reflects 1:8 leverage ($21,591,000 to $155,975,300. The average length of a Worcester TIF is 14 years. Just four of the projects are scheduled for 20 years, the maximum allowed by law. WBDC has a reputation for providing a wide range of economic development, project management and consultation services which include: • State and Local Permitting Assistance With its extensive experience in state and local permitting, WBDC assists in identifying the required permits necessary for each project and assess the best course of action for pursuing required permits. WBDC assists in navigating through the entire permitting process, from preparing the permits, attending public hearings, and organizing additional meetings to help foster the permit applications through the process. Additionally, WBDC assists in monitoring permits and compliance issues with the various permitting processes.
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• Grant Research, Writing & Administration Municipalities often times are unaware of the various Federal and State grant sources that are available, or do not have the capacity to write, apply, and administer the grant while balancing other operations. Grants can be used to plan for development, as well as design and construct and relocate water lines, sewer lines, roadways, or to upgrade or improve existing infrastructure. WBDC has worked closely with the EPA, EDA, DEP, EOT, and DHCD to obtain various grants. To date, the WBDC has successfully secured over $50 million in Federal and State grants. The WBDC utilizes its extensive grant writing skills to put together strong grant applications and follow them through the approval process, helping to advocate on behalf of each project. • Tax Credit Approvals (Historic, Brownfields, New Markets) Tax credits are an invaluable resource to any real estate project. However, navigating through the various rules and regulations to obtain these credits can be a time-consuming and difficult process. WBDC offers significant experience in identifying and obtaining various tax credits to bolster the economic feasibility of development projects. The WBDC assists in obtaining and coordinating the various tax credits to ensure the greatest effect and overall versatility for each project. • Planning - Market Trends & Analyses One of the keys to successful development is having an overall strategy for development. With extensive experience in economic development, WBDC assists in conducting an analysis of development potentials and market conditions and creating a vision statement. This vision statement helps in developing an implementation strategy that may include environmental work, land assembly, infrastructure relocation and/or new construction, strategic financing, and grant strategies to allow for the maximization of project timing. Throughout each project, the WBDC continues to discuss and evaluate reports, progress, next steps, and overall goals and strategies to ensure the best development possible. • Environmental Assessment & Remediation With an extensive history of successful completion of both small and large-scale Brownfields projects, WBDC offers clients assistance in conducting environmental testing, as well as determining the most comprehensive, cost-effective approach to remediation of contaminated sites. With a successful past of obtaining grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), WBDC assists in developing a creative financing and grant source mechanism to assess and remediate contaminated Brownfields projects. • Construction Management WBDC prides itself in its ability to offer a plethora of services to fit each project’s individual needs, offering assistance in overall project planning, coordination, and consultation from the inception of a project until its completion. With experience on projects ranging from construction of an industrial roadway to the historic rehabilitation of a Broadway-style theater, WBDC has successfully delivered high-quality results to each project it takes on.
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• Property Management WBDC coordinates administration of all real estate functions and oversees a team of experienced contractors. With these services, the Property Management Division is actively responding to the needs of property owners throughout the City of Worcester. The WBDC works to properly manage the property, maintaining a clean, safe, and accessible workplace for existing tenants. Doing so limits deferred maintenance and unexpected expenses. From emergency on-call service, maintenance contracts, monthly & yearly inspections, evaluating routine service for life of equipment, and replacement accounting services, WBDC Property Management Division provides affordable, efficient service. • SBA 504 Loan Program As an authorized Certified Development Corporation (CDC) since 1981, WBDC assists small business owners investing in the growth of their companies through the SBA 504 Loan Program. WBDC partners with local banks, accountants, real estate brokers, attorneys, and their clients to identify and structure the most beneficial financing program appropriate for the acquisition of real estate, buildings, machinery, and equipment which create jobs and tax base expansion for the New England region. SBA 504 Loans offer fixed asset financing at affordable rates and terms. Since inception, WBDC has funded loans totaling in excess of $50 million with well over 100 growing businesses throughout Massachusetts resulting in nearly 1,206 jobs created and 2,260 retained. Today, WBDC’s staff of 12 is organized as illustrated by the organization chart below:
WBDC’s 2016 annual report shows an annual operating budget of $1.5 million ($1.25 million in salaries and $0.25 million in programs), with capital assets of $10 million. As properties are sold, the capital account is replenished for reinvestment in new project initiatives.
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For more information about Worcester Business Development Corporation: President and CEO Craig Blais (b. 1965) blais@worcesterbdc.com Biography of Craig Blais As the current President & CEO of the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC), Craig Blais oversees all of the economic development projects as well as managing the day to day operations of the $10 million non-profit corporation. With degrees in political science as well as public administration and economics, Blais brings a wealth of expertise to this position, having served as Director of Economic Development and Acting Chief Development Officer for the City of Worcester, roles in which he oversaw a $1 billion economic development agenda that included the construction of a $250 million healthcare facility, a new convention center and various infrastructure projects. Blais began his career in 1986 as Chief of Staff for the House of Representatives, and later as Arlington Assistant Town Manager responsible for preparing a $60 million operating and capital municipal budget. His sense of civic duty led him to run and to be elected to three consecutive terms as a member of the Auburn Board of Selectman which he chaired, serving as the town’s representative on the MBTA and MWRA Advisory Boards. Blais continues to lend his expertise to many communities while fulfilling his WBDC leadership responsibilities.
With a population of just 46,000 people, Columbus, Indiana is a small Midwestern city that has provided a unique place for noted Modern architecture. Home to more than 80 buildings, landscapes and public works by internationally noted architects and artists, the city is currently sponsoring a three-month exhibit (August 26 – November 27, 2017) of its collected masterworks. The American Institute of Architects ranked Columbus sixth in the nation for innovation and design, in close company with San Francisco and Boston. In 2008, National Geographic Traveler ranked Columbus 11th on its historic destinations, describing the city as "authentic, unique, and unspoiled." In 2005, GQ magazine named Columbus one of the "62 Reasons to Love Your Country.” The city became a modern architecture “mecca,” boasting structures by big names like Eero Saarinen, Harry Weese, Kevin Roche, and I.M. Pei, due to an unlikely but visionary benefactor – the engine company Cummins Inc. – which is headquartered in the city. Cummins single-handedly launched a bold initiative to make great design happen on a city-wide scale starting in 1980. Getting “starchitects” of the day to work on public buildings was the brainchild of industrialist J. Irwin Miller, Cummins’ chairman. He believed that inspired architecture and well-designed community facilities would lure top engineers to the remote town. Exposed to modern art and design during his studies at Yale and Oxford, Miller persuaded Columbus city officials to choose architects for public projects from a shortlist of five that he had drawn up. In exchange, Miller’s foundation would pay the architects’ full fees. Appendix xiv of xv | r e x B o s t o n T h e B u s i n e s s P l a n
A critical review of Columbus, Indiana by New York Times architecture critic Paul Goldberger notes that none of the buildings in Columbus represent the best work of any individual architect. Further, Goldberger notes that the City lacks a hallmark of truly great cities which is the design of the public realm – the spaces and places in between the buildings. For more information about Columbus, Indiana: info@exhibitcolumbus.org
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