Think Large for Economic Development

Opinion

By Peter Abair and Jeff Daley

Massachusetts needs large acreage sites for employment-generating opportunities. This growing need presents an opportunity for Western Mass.

Released earlier this year, “Large Site Demand and Capacity in Massachusetts,” a report published by MassEcon, yielded several significant findings. While several highly desirable industry sectors, such as clean energy, data and AI, and advanced manufacturing, are driving demand for large acreage availabilities around the nation, Massachusetts has a limited number of 100-plus-acre sites available. Many of the large sites in the marketplace here lack sufficient energy, water, and sewer infrastructure. This lack of viable large acreage sites places Massachusetts at a competitive disadvantage in landing significant business prospects.

In a survey of real estate professionals in Massachusetts featured in the report, 80% indicated awareness of large facility requirements that failed to find suitable sites in the Commonwealth. Despite validated demand for such spaces in Massachusetts, the issue of lack of development acreage is under-considered by most municipal and regional planners. This is also troubling, as assembling land and delivering required infrastructure for large acreage sites requires rigorous planning at all levels of government, as well as consensus among host community members for such development.

In total, the report identifies just 12 large sites available in Massachusetts. Of these, the two in Western Mass. are smaller in size, at 70 and 40 acres each. The report identifies two potentially developable sites in the Pioneer Valley, also less than 100 acres in size. Neither site is currently in the commercial real estate marketplace.

So, what is the opportunity for Western Mass.?

• The region is well-located between two major economic powerhouses, Greater Boston and Metropolitan New York.

• It has robust infrastructure, served by two major interstates and rail, and includes several municipal power providers.

• It possesses strong research and educational institutions.

• It has a considerable workforce.

• Its quality of life and relative affordability are notable.

• It also has land.

The MassEcon report identified contiguous land parcels around the state that, theoretically, could be assembled for commercial development, amounting to 1,700 acres. Half of this acreage is found in Western Mass.

If such sites are prepared, will opportunities come to the region? We say the answer is an emphatic yes.

In a global economy in which industries are constantly evolving, often in new directions, at a rapid pace, Massachusetts is involved in a global site location competition. With all the state’s competitive advantages, it is a target for significant investments by employers. To win the competition for the best projects, it will need to have large acreage sites prepared and ready for these opportunities. This requires considerable planning and investment.

While Western Mass. has not always shared in the growth of the state’s most robust industries, there is no reason it can’t become a leader in assembling large sites for new economic development opportunities. For emerging large site requirements, developable acreage and ample infrastructure are the most important facility location determinants.

Massachusetts has a strong history of success in planning economic development in significant spaces. Kendall Square in Cambridge was once a tired landscape of former soap factories. It now reigns supreme in life sciences with more than12 million square feet of lab space. At the time of its base reduction/closure, Devens seemed an isolated site with little economic upside. Today, it stands as one of the greatest military base conversions ever, with more than 6,000 now employed across a spectrum of cutting-edge industries.

The Pioneer Valley is well-suited to host significant-sized new employers. The opportunities are at the region’s doorstep. They need only the space to grow.

Peter Abair is executive director of MassEcon, and Jeff Daley is president and CEO of Westmass Area Development Corp.