Gov. Vows To Jump Start Bay State Development
BOSTON - Newly elected Gov. Deval Patrick has vowed to jump-start development in the Bay State. He has a number of initiatives and incentives in mind to support more multifamily housing starts, create transit oriented and brownfield redevelopment and speed up the state?s permitting and approval process.
?I think we?re going to find this is a governor who is very pro-development,? David Begelfer, CEO of the Boston Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, tells GlobeSt.com. ?He comes from a business perspective and clearly understands that there has to be [development] if there is going to be growth.?
Patrick, the state?s first Democratic governor in 16 years, won 56% of the vote in Tuesday?s election to beat his opponent, Republican Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey.
In his first year as governor, Patrick has promised to change the state?s permitting process by requiring that permits and approvals take no more than six months to complete. He also says he plans to work with local authorities and others to ?pre-permit development sites and anticipate infrastructure needs so that they are development-ready,? according to a release. He clearly understands the tangled permitting and approval process that has stymied the ease with which developers can build projects in Massachusetts, Begelfer says.
Patrick says he also plans to sign an economic stimulus package that would invest in work force development and training, cultural facilities land and brownfield redevelopment, among other things. He also plans to work with local authorities and community groups to pre-permit multifamily housing development sites throughout Massachusetts.
?He offers the best hope for the future,? says one local developer, who did not want to be named. ?If he can accomplish anything to move along the development process, I think we?ll see more growth in this state.?
Begelfer says that although the prior administration under Gov. Mitt Romney placed strong emphasis on ?Smart Growth,? the concept was focused on urban centers and not the entire state. Patrick?s plan, he notes, calls for a statewide approach to that concept.
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BOSTON - Newly elected Gov. Deval Patrick has vowed to jump-start development in the Bay State. He has a number of initiatives and incentives in mind to support more multifamily housing starts, create transit oriented and brownfield redevelopment and speed up the state?s permitting and approval process.
?I think we?re going to find this is a governor who is very pro-development,? David Begelfer, CEO of the Boston Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, tells GlobeSt.com. ?He comes from a business perspective and clearly understands that there has to be [development] if there is going to be growth.?
Patrick, the state?s first Democratic governor in 16 years, won 56% of the vote in Tuesday?s election to beat his opponent, Republican Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey.
In his first year as governor, Patrick has promised to change the state?s permitting process by requiring that permits and approvals take no more than six months to complete. He also says he plans to work with local authorities and others to ?pre-permit development sites and anticipate infrastructure needs so that they are development-ready,? according to a release. He clearly understands the tangled permitting and approval process that has stymied the ease with which developers can build projects in Massachusetts, Begelfer says.
Patrick says he also plans to sign an economic stimulus package that would invest in work force development and training, cultural facilities land and brownfield redevelopment, among other things. He also plans to work with local authorities and community groups to pre-permit multifamily housing development sites throughout Massachusetts.
?He offers the best hope for the future,? says one local developer, who did not want to be named. ?If he can accomplish anything to move along the development process, I think we?ll see more growth in this state.?
Begelfer says that although the prior administration under Gov. Mitt Romney placed strong emphasis on ?Smart Growth,? the concept was focused on urban centers and not the entire state. Patrick?s plan, he notes, calls for a statewide approach to that concept.
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