North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation Means Business
For immediate release
August 17, 2010
Media Contact:
Eleanor Moriarty at
Hackman Capital
310-473-8900, ext 115
North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation Means Business
By Amy Lyons
Westminster, MA (August 17)— If a sleepy town of less than 8,000 people boasting copious green space, a ski resort and quick access to some of the finest educational institutions in the country sounds like a perfect place to live and work, it is. But the benefits of living in Westminster, Massachusetts, are not limited to simple quietude and sleepy charm. Situated in North Central Massachusetts – a 26-community region that also includes Fitchburg, Leominster and Harvard – Westminster is one of a handful of Massachusetts cities supported by the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC).
Chartered in 1987 to further the economic development of North Central Massachusetts, NCMDC provides lending and financing assistance to support economic development and has been successful in becoming the major alternative lending source in the region. In 2006, the NCMDC formed a partnership with Mount Wachusett Community College and Fitchburg State College to create the North Central Massachusetts Economic Development Council (NCMEDC), which has as its mission the planning and implementation of programs to create jobs and increase economic opportunity in the region.
"We are actively involved in increasing jobs and preserving jobs in this region," says David McKeehan, president of the NCMDC. "We are involved with the state in an integrated fashion."
This level of support is good news for Westminster, a unique town in the bustling region. The corporate sales and marketing offices of SimplexGrinnell – a Tyco International company and leading manufacturer of fire protection devices and medical emergency systems – is the biggest employer there, and has 150 additional offices throughout North America. Nearby Route 2 Commerce Park, a state-of-the-art 658,017 square-foot complex, is likewise a business hub, with world-class corporate amenities, clear highway visibility, plus robust infrastructure and heavy power. A single-story, high technology manufacturing and warehouse facility, perhaps the biggest perk for tenants at Route 2 Business Park is the swath of trees surrounding the picturesque site.
"Route 2 Commerce Park is the perfect reflection of the many flavors of Westminster," says Michael Hackman, founder and chief executive officer of Hackman Capital Partners, LLC, one of three owners of Route 2 Commerce Park. "It's an ideal space for a corporate headquarters and has all the high-tech bells and whistles you could ask for, but it's located in this close-knit community where the beauties of the natural world are right outside your window. With the added support of NCMDC, doing business in Westminster becomes an even more attractive prospect."
A plethora of manufacturers agree. More than 430 manufacturers call the North Central Massachusetts region home, including pharmaceutical companies and biomedical device manufacturers.
"Three out of every four private sector jobs in the region are in manufacturing," says McKeehan. "It has the highest concentration of manufacturing workforce of any region in the state."
And businesses situated along the stretch of Route 2 that runs through Westminster have easy access to the area's major thoroughfare without all the unsightliness and noise associated with many major arteries. It's a 50-mile drive to Harvard University and a much quicker jaunt to Wachusett Community College in Gardner.
"The town is bisected by Route 2, but you would never know the highway is there," says Karen Murphy, Westminster town administrator. "It doesn't interfere with any of the activities that take place in the town center. It is a really great set up for a small community to attract larger businesses."
In a move expected to ease traffic on Route 2, the federal government announced in February that it will invest $55.5 million to extend the Fitchburg commuter rail line and build a new station in Western Fitchburg, approximately seven miles away from the center of Westminster.
"Employers at Route 2 Commerce Park could easily run shuttles to that station," McKeehan said. "Westminster is one of those places that is growing as people seek affordable housing. Over the last five years it has experienced a growth in population, unlike many cities in the region. With more options for commuters from Boston and other urban areas, the opportunities are endless."
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