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Two strikes, but we're not out

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Two strikes, but we're not out

Newton's aspirations for the Washington Street Corridor suffered a setback in December when the feds rejected a $136 million grant application to rebuild the city's three inaccessible commuter rail stations.
 
Our region was dealt a second, wider-reaching, blow yesterday when we learned that the US Department of Transportation is also passing on a $1.2 billion request for the Mass. Turnpike realignment project along the Charles River in Allston.
 
The Allston project would replace the deteriorating highway viaduct while opening the way for a new train station, bike routes, green space, enhanced river access, and millions of square feet of housing and other developments.
 
Both the Newton and Allston projects were said to have encountered considerable competition. And both applications may not have been as ready as the feds wanted them to be.
 
That's certainly the case with the Pike. Advocates told the Globe’s Jon Chesto the proposal wasn’t “ready for prime time.”
 
And US Rep Jake Auchincloss believes the state legislature’s failure to approve then-Gov. Charlie Baker's $85 million request for the rail stations harmed that application’s chances. (Lawmakers did approve bonding, but Auchincloss says that had less weight than cash in hand.)
 
The good news is there are still lots of federal transportation and infrastructure dollars out there (including for that request to rebuild the Cape Cod bridges) so it's possible to dive back into the grant mosh pit and apply again.
 
But until then, the turnpike overpass will continue to crumble without a funding mechanism. And Newton remains the only community along the Worcester Line without all-day rail service.
 
Haynes portfolio may be off the market
 
Here's something we've been watching closely: Two separate deals to purchase separate pieces of a portfolio owned and operated by Haynes Management have reportedly fallen through.
 
Haynes owns over 600,000 SF of office space in Wellesley alone, with a few other properties in Newton and Waltham.
 
Back in May of 2022, Real Reporter said the portfolio was for sale. And as recently as just a few weeks ago, it was believed the two separate sales would close this month.
 
But we now hear both deals are off.
 
Life in the slow lane
 
A Dutch supermarket chain recognized that there are different reasons why people enjoy shopping locally.
 
?And they've set up their checkout lines accordingly.
 
Healey calls for ‘urgency’ on housing
 
Gov. Maura Healey told municipal officials that housing and economic development will be a major focal point for her administration.
 
That includes, she said, doing “some things that we probably haven't done before” with “urgency, focus, and collaboration” reports Katie Lannan at GBH News.
 
"There aren't enough homes, simply put, at any price point, either to rent or to buy for too many people around our state," Healey said at Friday’s Massachusetts Municipal Association meeting.
 
"There aren't enough homes near our transit hubs.
 
"There aren't enough resources for families experiencing housing insecurity and facing homelessness, and we are at serious risk of seeing our residents and our businesses go elsewhere to build their futures if they can't afford to stay here."
 
It's encouraging that Healey delivered this message directly to local officials since the local level where most of our housing progress has been held hostage.
 
And it's encouraging that she's tapped Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, the former mayor of Salem and a veteran of many housing battles, to spearhead the effort.
 
Celtics salute Newton student entrepreneurs
 
Two entrepreneurs from Newton South High School were honored at center court by the Boston Celtics this month for providing landscaping and power washing services to local community members in need.
 
Vassili Syssoev and Sam Klein, both seniors, launched a landscaping and power washing service business, Student Landscape, in October. Their business grew quickly, leading them to begin offering free services to seniors and those with disabilities write Dakota Antelman at Patch.
 
?The pair were recognized by the Celtics’ Heroes Among Us program.
 
What else do you need to know
 
  • The life science sector continues to quietly expand in Needham: Two new lab tenants have signed leases at 117 Kendrick Street: 17,000 SF to Xenon Pharmaceuticals and 15,000 SF to ABio-X.
 
  • Local photographer (and chamber member) Elisif Brandon will be showcasing her work at a worldwide exhibition in Venice, Italy in 2023. This 6-month exhibition includes architects, photographers, and other artists from all over the world and runs alongside La Biennale, the famous exhibition in Venice that has run for over 100 years. But Brandon needs our help: She's seeking individual and corporate partners to help underwrite costs for this opportunity. Learn more
 
  • The Armenian Museum of America in Watertown has extended its exhibition, “On the Edge: Los Angeles Art 1970s-1990s from the Joan and Jack Quinn Family Collection,” through Feb. 26. The exhibit includes 125 works, including work by Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Frank Gehry.
 
  • The IHOP on Soldiers Field Road in Brighton would be on one end of a new development from Trammell Crow Co. featuring three new life sciences buildings, as well as 200 income-restricted residential units. (BBJ)
 
  • Needham’s Planning Board recently voted to approve the town’s updated Housing Plan. Needham’s Select Board gets its turn to discuss the document tonight (Jan. 24). The document includes 17 recommendations that aim to create housing opportunities to provide housing that's affordable to different income levels.
 
  • The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network provides free, confidential, one-to-one business assistance and free and low-cost training to prospective and existing small businesses. Details
 
Fed noncompete rule would negate state law
 
A new rule proposed by the Federal Trade Commission that would ban noncompete agreements would preempt a 2018 Massachusetts law that typically caps noncompete to one year.
 
And that could be a game changer for the state’s biotechnology, technology, and other sectors where noncompete agreements are often used and would have a big impact on the local startup and venture capital community, writes Lucia Maffei at the BBJ.
 
The FTC says the practice -- which blocks workers who are leaving a certain private employer from working for a competing firm or starting a competing business -- suppresses wages, hampers innovation, and blocks entrepreneurs.
 
Massachusetts law prohibits non-competes for certain low-wage employees, and workers under 18 and includes a  “garden leave” compensation protection measure.
 
Study: Pod people are greener
 
Finally, this morning, are you one of those people who avoids K-Cups because of the waste they produce?
 
I certainly have been.
 
Turns out those disposable coffee pods have a smaller impact on our carbon footprint than other brewing methods, according to research by the University of Quebec.
 
Researchers measured the total greenhouse gas (GHS) emissions produced by different methods of brewing brew, taking into account the entire process -- from the production of the coffee beans (the most GHG-emitting part) to the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill.
 
They found that traditional filtered coffee produces the most carbon dioxide per cup because the amount of ground coffee needed is higher, as is the energy required to heat the water and keep it warm, reports the BBC.
 
A French press creates the second-most emissions, also because of the amount of coffee used.
 
Pod people can take comfort knowing their K-Cup capsules are third on the list, followed by instant coffee, which is the most environmentally sustainable but --let's be real -- tastes even worse than coffee from pods.
 
 
That’s your Need to Knows for today -- Beer Can Appreciation Day! --unless you want to know what’s the germiest spot in your kitchen.
 
Enjoy shopping in the slow lane, okay? Be back Friday.
 
Greg Reibman (he, him)
President
617.244.1688
 
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