Mayor Tom Koch and Hancock Adams Associates have been meeting with civic and neighborhood groups throughout Quincy over the last two months. These meetings have provided a forum for more than 1,100 residents to ask questions and provide ideas for the new Quincy Center. Attendance has been very impressive, with up to 100 residents showing up at each meeting to look at the current design, talk to HAA partners and share their thoughts about the old and new Quincy Center.

On Tuesday, May 26, more than 40 residents attended the Ward VI community meeting at the Squantum Elementary School to hear Mayor Koch and HAA partner Lucy Wildrick discuss the new Quincy Center.  As in the prior community meetings, the Ward VI residents had many good questions and comments about the plan and about parking, traffic, green space, bicycle accomodations and many other topics.  Input like this is extremely valuable to HAA and the mayor’s office as the design process moves forward.  Thanks to all those who attended!

Bus trip to Blue Back Square

On Thursday, June 4, Quincy 2000 organized a bus trip for about 50 members of the Quincy business community to Blue Back Square in West Hartford, CT.  Blue Back Square, a $285 million project recently completed by Street-Works LLC, features restaurants, cafes, open public areas, a wellness center, apartments and condominiums, and local and national retailers. Street-Works founding partner Richard Heapes led the group on a tour through the square, pointing out key design features and interesting historical details.  The group then enjoyed a question-and-answer luncheon with Blue Back Square marketing manager Barbara Lerner and West Hartford town government official Rob Rowlson.  Thanks to Quincy 2000 and all who attended!

Land Disposition negotiations in process

On February 22 the Patriot Ledger published a story describing the Land Disposition Agreement process and included brief biographies of the team members representing Quincy in the negotiations.  The LDA is crucial to the future of New Quincy Center, and all parties are taking the utmost care to address the many complex issues of such a large undertaking.  Once the LDA is negotiated it will be presented to the City Council for approval. 

On Monday, June 15 the city council voted unanimously to approve an amendment to the Quincy Center Urban Revitalization District Plan and two zoning revisions, steps necessary to move the project forward.  The council also adopted the 2009 revisions to the Quincy Center District Design Guidelines, which were last revised in 2005.

Our goal is to present a final site approval plan to the city by January 2010.

Street-Works, Quincy officials meet with Mass Development team

Quincy Mayor Tom Koch led a group of city and Street-Works principals in a meeting with the Massachusetts Development Authority on Feb. 5 in Boston.  Mass Development is a quasi-public agency that provides financing for development projects that meet certain job-growth and economic impact targets.  Street-Works partner Lucy Wildrick presented a PowerPoint display of New Quincy Center and answered questions from the Mass Development staff in attendance. 

Quincy officials view updated New Quincy Center plan

On January 19 a group of city officials joined with members of the Land Disposition Agreement negotiating team to view the most recent model and renderings of New Quincy Center at Street-Works’ office in White Plains, NY.  The Street-Works team discussed numerous ideas that were generated by the focus groups conducted with Quincy residents and business folks over the last several months, and gave an overview of the strategy for bringing New Quincy Center to the investment market once the LDA process is concluded. 

QATV documentary explores the history, infrastructure of Quincy Center.

A new documentary airing on Quincy Access TV provides an comprehensive look at how Quincy Center came to be located where it is, how the Center grew and changed over its long history, and what it will look like in the future.  The documentary mixes commentary with historic and contemporary images to explore Quincy Center from the 1600s to today, with an emphasis on the many alterations to the Center’s infrastructure–electric lines, gas lines, phone lines, roads, water and sewer pipes, and surface transportation–through the years.  The documentary also includes new video of Quincy Town Brook and commentary from Mayor Thomas Koch, Street-Works co-founder Richard Heapes and others.  The documentary is airing at various times on QATV.

New Quincy Center economic study released

A study by a national economic consulting firm shows that New Quincy Center will create 4,222 construction jobs and 4,650 permanent jobs, and will boost Quincy’s annual property tax collections by more than $10 million.  The study, announced by Mayor Tom Koch at a city hall press conference on Tuesday, June 23, shows that the annual economic impact of the completed project will be $560 million in Quincy and more than $1 billion in the state.  During construction, New Quincy Center will generate $961 million in spending in Quincy, according to the report.

“This study articulates the full impact that New Quincy Center will have, both during construction and at completion.  It makes clear that this is an extraordinary opportunity for Quincy, for Norfolk County, and for Massachusetts,” Koch said. 

In addition to the jobs in Quincy, New Quincy Center will create 2,047 permanent jobs in Norfolk County and 1,283 in the state, for a total of 7,980. 

Local and regional business officials and representatives from the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development attended the press conference.  The study was done by AKRF of New York. 

HAA announces revised design