Burlington, MA–Nordblom Co will soon start construction on a $1 billion, 3.6 million sf mixed-use complex in Burlington that includes an urban-style town center and culinary strip.
The fourth generation, family-run CRE business will complete permitting and begin site prep in a few weeks for the $200 million Phase 1 redevelopment of half of its 285-acre Northwest Park office complex. Wegmans has already started construction on its 140,000sf supermarket, set to open mid ’14.
Over time, the 90-plus year-old Nordblom plans to develop on the site: up to 2 million sf of offices, 300 rental apartments, and 300,000sf of restaurants, retail and entertainment called 3rd Ave.
Elkus Manfredi, which has projects in Boston’s Seaport District and Cambridge’s Kendall Square, is the master architect.
Nordblom realizes that new Boston/Cambridge developments attract companies seeking to hire and retain skilled tech and science workers, so at Northwest Park, Nordblom wants to offer an “urban vibe” for these knowledge workers and large blocks of space for big companies that need to expand. While most suburban office parks feature office buildings sitting in a field surrounded by parking, Smith says that Northwest Park’s redeveloped southern half will have offices arrayed around city-style squares and the retail surrounding a courtyard with eateries, bars, and outdoor seating in an extensively landscaped setting .
The Elkus Manfredi team is now designing the first two offices of 150,000sf to 200,000sf each.
Ultimately, Nordblom plans to have 10 office buildings that eschew traditional red brick facades for cladding of glass, pre-caste, and brushed aluminum. The retail zone has 10 liquor licenses and may have six restaurants.They won’t be chains but may have a national footprint. The Boston-based Lyons Group is taking 27,000sf for a King’s bowling alley, bar and restaurant. Office tenants may come from home turf.
The above article is from excerpts from the Boston BisNow Newsletter.