Conference 7.286::maynard

    Hello,
    
    I hope that Digital does not sell the Mill. However, if Digital does
    sell the Mill, I hope Ken buys it. In the meantime,
    
    				FOR SALE
    
    Historic complex in milltown setting. Lots of room for expansion.
    Features include dungeon suitable for torture (complete with
    guillotine); maze-like design; lots of used nameplates; "musical"
    heating system. Needs re-wiring. Building has lots of character.
    
    Perfect for do-it-yourselfer/millionaire.
    
    For more info, call DTN 223-6600, ask for Bob.
    
    

    
    	The best one I've heard so far was.......
    
    Such and such company was going to turn it in to one of those
    "privatized" prison facilities...
    
        Ah huh.....
    
    Will
    

    In addition to those already listed by Pete in .0, I've heard two more.
    
    - The Japanese
    - Emerson College
    
    					Steve

    Rumor uses/buys also heard:
    
    - Elderly housing
    - bunch of small shops/businesses
    
    
    Rich

    I've heard Factory Outlet stores.  -- Bring them in - I can 
    hardly wait.

    re -1
    Now that's something this area could use.  Shopping with class.  I
    would hate to see a Walmart kind of place - too commercial.  This would
    be a great idea to have Factory Outlet shopping.  And a boon for the
    town at that!
    
    -sandy
    

    Another I just read about in the local rag:
    
    AT&T

>    Now that's something this area could use.  Shopping with class.  I
>    would hate to see a Walmart kind of place - too commercial.  This would
>    be a great idea to have Factory Outlet shopping.  And a boon for the
>    town at that!

Have you visited Freeport, Maine?  A nice seaport town, home of the old
family business LL Bean (no longer in the realm of "family businesses")...
OVERRUN by "outlet" shopping!
What a dive, practically unliveable!
"Shopping with class" gets old really fast if you have to live with it
day after day.  How many times can you ogle Ralph Lauren, Dansk, 
even Eddie Bauer and say that it makes up for the traffic, parking, and other
hassles?

- tom]

PS:  ...and North Conway, NH too - Kittery's okay - that's what highway-based
strip malls are FOR...

The more I think about it, the more excited I get about the Emerson College
rumor.  It seems like a good fit for both the town and the school.  Can anyone
offer any more information about:

1. Where did this rumor come from?  Does it have any basis in fact?

2. Emerson was reported to be pretty serious about moving to (old mill 
   buildings in) Lawrence when that deal fell through.  What happened?

3. What major reasons why it couldn't possibly work am I overlooking?

4. What can I do to help make it happen?


Now, some specifics about why I think it's a good match:

- One of Maynard's main drawbacks is its poor access to major highways.  The 
  necessity to travel many miles on 117, 27, 62, or 2 to reach 128 or 495 puts
  Maynard at a competitive disadvantage, compared to towns with better highway
  access, for any enterprise with significant transportation needs.  

  That's a problem for
	shopping (shoppers and goods)
	manufacturing (commuters, raw materials, and finished goods)
	office space (commuters)
  It's much less of a problem for a school with mostly resident students; in 
  fact, some degree of isolation is often considered an advantage for a college 
  campus.

- Maynard's retail businesses are already clustered around the Mill, ideal for
  serving the needs of a student population without cars.  Towns like Acton and
  Sudbury with their strip malls are much less suited for this purpose, and 
  towns like Hudson and Marlboro with commercial town centers don't have 
  potential campus sites located close to them.

- Maynard has a wide variety of existing housing stock, offering appropriate
  and relatively affordable choices for both student and faculty housing.

- Maynard has a long-standing tradition of valuing the performing arts 
  (Emerson's specialty).  For example, at the turn of the century there were
  three Finnish amateur theater companies in town, each with its own theater,
  each presenting fully-staged performances every weekend -- in Finnish.
  Today, Maynard and surrounding towns have strong amateur bands, orchestras, 
  choruses, and theater groups, not to mention performing arts programs in the 
  schools.

- Doesn't it make sense for a school named "Emerson" to be located next door 
  to Concord?

David, 

I can address one point, if my memory is accurate.

>2. Emerson was reported to be pretty serious about moving to (old mill 
>   buildings in) Lawrence when that deal fell through.  What happened?

I believe the idea of moving was the being driven by the college president,
pretty much single-handedly.  Then he left before it was complete. 
Also, the scheme depended on Emerson getting maximal dollars for the sale of
their Boston campus buildings.  A recession occurred, and the value dropped,
making the scheme impractical.

>- Maynard has a long-standing tradition of valuing the performing arts 
>  (Emerson's specialty).  

What I've heard repeatedly is that Emerson is a top quality communications
school; i. e., radio and TV.  Dr. Kennedy, Maynard's new Superintendent of
Schools, is big on cooperative ventures with colleges (he teaches at U Lowell).
If any college moved into the Mill, it would seem to be a good opportunity for
such a venture.  However, since Maynard High has an outstanding communications
program with WAVM radio and TV, this sounds like a perfect combination.

Still, I'm concerned about the tax angle.  Emerson cut a deal with the City
of Lawrence as part of the proposed move.  I'll bet that anyone considering
buying the mill is going to have a little chat with the Town about the
assessment.

In my experience, most rumors are the results of somebody's wishful thinking. 

This idea would be nice, though.  Better than the VeryFine juice warehouse
rumors.

-Steve

    Why would Veryfine not be a good tenant for the Mill?
    
    Inquiring minds want to know...
    
    thanks
    

    Just wanted to add another comment about the failed Emerson move
    to Lawrence.  Emerson was going to build an entire new campus,
    they were not planning on using the old mills that are in that city.
    The land the college and city wanted, was mostly owned by private 
    citizens.   Laws suits were filed and the project was put a year or 
    so behind scheduled.   Emerson's Boston property values dropped while 
    the court battle was taking place - Emerson no longer had the ability
    to raise the cash that they needed for the project.   Project cancelled....
    In the last year or so, I have also heard rumors of Emerson College 
    thinking of moving to Lowell now.  Who knows.
    
    -John
    
    
    
    -John
    
    

> Still, I'm concerned about the tax angle.  Emerson cut a deal with the City
> of Lawrence as part of the proposed move.  I'll bet that anyone considering
> buying the mill is going to have a little chat with the Town about the
> assessment.

Emerson would be a not-for-profit educational institution, right?
They wouldn't pay any taxes at all.

Side question (asked elsewhere but not yet answered):
What is the current assessed value of the Mill for real estate tax purposes?
What was DEC's tax bill for the Mill this current fiscal year?

- tom]

.11>    Why would Veryfine not be a good tenant for the Mill?

Here are my criteria a good Mill tenant, in no particular order:

1. symbolism
2. relationship with town government
3. health of downtown businesses

1. By symbolism, I mean that the Mill is that flagship of Maynard; when
people think of Maynard, they think of Digital and the Mill.
Effectively, the merits and values of the company become associated with
the town. Thus, in past decades, Maynard has always been associated with
a intelligent, confident, leading-edge business. It is natural to expect
that people with those qualities would be in the community. 

A college has similar implications.  A "college town" seems a little
more sedate than a "high-tech town", but it is still very respectable
and very smart.  You would expect a college town to have an outstanding
educational system and library. 

A juice company warehouse just doesn't have the same elan. What are the
corporate values which would rub off on the image of the town? What
would you think if your new job was in, say, Oregon, and you could look
for a house in the juice company town, or the college town?  After you
get all the facts, it may be that the juice company town is the better
place to raise your kids, but I think that most people would be
initially attracted to the college town, or the high-tech town.

Juice does have a natural-foods implication, which is positive.  That 
also gives it somewhat more intellectual appeal than, say, a Coors plant. 

2. Relationship with town government - Ideally, we want to have a good
tax base, and a Mill tenant which acts responsibly, and doesn't just try
to muscle their way around.  When I served on the town Conservation
Commission, it was always great dealing with DEC.  They wanted to do
the right thing for the environment and the law, and they were in it for
the long term.  This was worlds better than the sleazy developers who
came in and whined about how much money it would cost them to comply
with the law.  I have no idea where the juice company stands in this
regard.

3. As for downtown business, a warehouse would have far fewer people
than a computer company.  Also, I speculate employees are paid less, so
they have less money to spread around eating lunch at Grappa's.  Thus,
turning the Mill into a warehouse would not be so good for local
business. 

.13>> Still, I'm concerned about the tax angle. Emerson cut a deal with the City
.13>> of Lawrence as part of the proposed move. I'll bet that anyone considering
.13>> buying the mill is going to have a little chat with the Town about the
.13>> assessment.
.13>
.13>Emerson would be a not-for-profit educational institution, right?
.13>They wouldn't pay any taxes at all.

This is hardly my area of expertise, and I might be totally wrong, but I
thought I remembered Emerson getting a tax break on some Lawrence property,
I think an Elks lodge or a Legion hall, as part of their proposed move.
Perhaps there's a difference in tax liability between, say, a public school
and a private one.  Or perhaps a school's religious affiliation gets into it
somehow.

-Steve

    Maybe a college would encourage a better library. Unless things have
    changed drastically since I went to school, the Maynard Public Library
    was open every Tuesday if there was a full moon, and the selection was
    slim-to-none. I always ended up going to Concord for my research.
    
    I also don't know anyone who can afford to eat at Grappa's.
    
    Linda
    (Maynard resident 1965-1991)
    

re: .9

>- Maynard has a wide variety of existing housing stock, offering appropriate
>  and relatively affordable choices for both student and faculty housing.

It's been my impression that Maynard housing -- whether rental property or
home ownership -- has traditionally been very high compared to other, similarly
sized towns.  I couldn't afford to live as I do now, if I lived in Maynard.
Supply and demand, and the above-the-norm salaries of the DECCIES, has kept
those rates particularly high.  IMO, if you expect to attract new tennants,
especially college students, rental and purchase prices will have to come down
significantly.

I'd be curious as to where you live.   It's been my observation that 
Maynard renting and buying prices are the lowest of any bordering 
town.   I believe you'd have to go to Hudson or Marlboro to find lower 
in the area.    

I live in Milford, Mass.

Your point of Maynard being lower than any bordering town, and that you'd have
to go to Hudson or Marlboro to find lower rates, is well taken.  But that's my
point.  Maynard is still high comparatively speaking, but only because of the
high-tech salaries paid to DEC's employees.  Compare it with other towns of
comparable size and you'll see a marked difference.

I'm sure supply & demand play a key role in the establishing of prices
everywhere.  Maynard is no different, and as long as the demand was there,
the prices were artificially high.  Again, this is just an observation based
on reading ads for property, etc., and having once worked in the Mill -- for
15 years.  I've never lived in Maynard (it just seemed like it sometimes ;^).

I think that if Maynard would hope to entice a college to move into the Mill,
people who rent rooms & apartments or who have property for sale will have to
think again about the prices they've been asking.  This isn't Boston or NYC.
Unfortunately, it's not the '80s, either.

Thanks,

.15> Maybe a college would encourage a better library. Unless things have
.15> changed drastically since I went to school, the Maynard Public Library
.15> was open every Tuesday if there was a full moon, 

The Maynard library is open as follows:

	Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 11-7
	Thursday 10-7
	Saturday 10-5
	Closed Friday and Sunday

... irrespective of the lunar phases.

I'd like to see it open more, especially an evening or two, but even so,
the current schedule is an improvement over past years.  And we're in better
shape than the towns which have had their libraries de-certified by the
state.

.15> and the selection was
.15> slim-to-none. I always ended up going to Concord for my research.

I used go to Concord, too, but I find it more convenient to just do
interlibrary loans from Maynard.  One problem in Maynard is space: they
have a lot of books in storage. 

The really hopeful thing about the Maynard library, in my opinion, is that
Hal Shubin is on the board.  From what I hear, he is not only a progressive
influence, but he is patient and persistent. The patience and persistence
are especially necessary to accomplish anything on the Maynard Board of
Library Trustees. 

-Steve

    About students and rentals:  when I lived in Waltham most of the
    rents in the Brandeis area were much higher than the rest of the town
    because 3, 4, 5 or more students would rent one apt. and thus chould
    pay more than a working family could afford.
    

    I recently heard that it will be too expensive for DEC to move out of
    the Mill, so it will remain.
    
    Has anyone else heard this?
    
    Linda

    
    Dec is moving out of the Mill, there is no question about that.
    
    Maynard will suffer from the move, there is also no doubt on that.
    
    The question is to make it as painless as possible for both, but
    specialy for the Maynard people/bussiness left behind.
    
    I don't think the town will ever recover from this, rather it will 
    just have to learn how to live with less. As I don't think DEC or 
    Maynard will find someone else for the Mill very easily, and when 
    they do (eventually) it will not be of the same caliber.
    
    A lot of more modern and ,ore accessible office space is empty for
    lack of tenats all over the area and I doubt that the Mill will be 
    any more tempting for renters/buyers.
    
    Gil
    

    Our group was told that the CEO and his direct reports decided not to
    go to MSO2-2 because the cost to re-do MSO2-2 was $1MM, and BP was not
    willing to spend that kind of money.  Instead, they are exploring
    alternative sites -- MRO, for one.
    
    The rest of our group has been notified where we are going, roughly
    when, and there is a move coordinator in charge of same.  We expect to
    be moved mid-summer, whether or not the CEO & Staff are ready to move.

    That doesn't make sense to me- MSO2 is a new building- what is there to
    re-do? The only thing I can think of is extra security stuff, which I 
    would imagine would have to be done anywhere.
    
    Can someone explain?
    
    Linda the confused

    We weren't given any other explanation than the cost of redoing -- they
    didn't say "renovate."  Only that it would cost ~$1MM to do this, and
    BP didn't want to spend that kind of money.
    
    Perhaps by now someone else has heard more details............./jy

  I was in MSO2 a few months ago. It is plush, the kind of building DEC would
not have considered building 20 years ago. I'm very concerned that BP feels
it would cost $1 million to make it fit for him and his staff to occupy. But
I'm glad he feels $1 million is too much to spend on this. 
  Some thoughts on a college moving to the Mill: I lived in a college town in
N.H. for 15 years. If a large college moves in, the nearby residents will be in
for a shock. They will have to listen to loud music, car horns, etc. at all
hours of the day and night. Landlords may or may not get more rent for their
apartments than they do now, but if I were a landlord I would much rather rent
to high-tech employees than to students.
  If the choice is between a college in the mill or having the mill sit vacant
for two years, of course it would be better to have a college. I think the
best possible re-use for the mill would be as a high-tech "incubator", the same
use as was made in the late 50's and 60's.

    	Well, what, realisically, (sp?) could you put in the Mill? Due
    to the fact that the railroad access has been removed, and there's no
    "direct" major highway access, I think any serious manufacturing is
    out of the question. For a school, you'd have to make atleast part
    of it housing, as I don't think there'd be enough in Maynard. 
        You could turn it into a "giant mall", but, they can't even
    get much going in the "little" one, plus, what would that do to
    the current "downtown" merchants. I would hate to see it vacant, or
    turned into a "warehouse facility", which would add about _zip_ to
    the local economy..
    
    Will
    

    Mass Unemployment Factory Outlet.
    
    Jim

re: .28

Good one!

Read in the LiveWire today, the mill is sold to Franklin Lifecare Corp.
No mention about the price, but it will be used to provide housing,
health care, education and medical research services to the elderly.
The mill will be renamed to the Mill Pond Village.

-santa

    So, is this a different company than the one that was rumored to buy
    the Mill over the summer?  From the story in Livewire, it seems as
    though they are planning on sinking some money into it.  Beautiful!
    
    This is good news, IMO.  The alternative of having it become a
    warehouse of some sort was probably the worst scenario.
    
    					Steve

     FRANKLIN LIFECARE CORPORATION TO PURCHASE DIGITAL MILL FACILITY
                                     
From  Anthony J. Bongiorno, Franklin Lifecare Corporation, (508) 897-1100
      Nikki Richardson, Digital Equipment Corporation, (508) 493-6369

MAYNARD, Mass. -- September 22, 1994 -- Franklin Lifecare Corporation and 
Digital Equipment Corporation today announced that they have signed a 
purchase and sale agreement for the Mill complex located at 146 Main Street 
in Maynard, Massachusetts. 

Franklin Lifecare Corporation is a for-profit, Massachusetts-
based company that was formed specifically to create an integrated elder 
care campus at the Mill site. The campus, which will be renamed Mill Pond 
Village, is expected to be developed in accordance with a master plan that 
would ultimately provide housing, health care, education and medical 
research services for the elderly. The development of Mill Pond Village is 
projected to take five years and cost between $20 million and $50 million.

Digital and Franklin Lifecare expect to close on the purchase of the site 
by early November. Current Mill employees will continue to be relocated to 
other Digital-owned facilities with the expectation that two-thirds of the 
Mill will be vacated by the end of December. Digital has arranged to lease 
back space from Franklin Lifecare during the interim.

Anthony J. Bongiorno, president and CEO of Franklin Lifecare Corporation, 
commented, "We are very excited to have acquired the Mill property for this 
development. The principals of Franklin Lifecare bring years of experience 
and expertise in the areas of real estate development and construction, 
project financing and health care services to this project. But just as 
important, we are an organization composed of individuals with roots in 
this area. As a result, we are sensitive to the traditional values and 
needs of the town of Maynard and we are proud to embark upon this project 
that will bring a new use to the Mill site by creating a residential 
village that will also serve as a center for a continuum of specialized 
elder services."

"The Mill has played an important role in the history of both the town of 
Maynard and Digital," said Nancy Salustro, Digital's Mill Reuse Program 
Manager. "It has had two full and useful business lives: first, as a source 
of production for the Assabet Mills and American Woolen Company and second, 
as headquarters for Digital Equipment Corporation. We are pleased that this 
ambitious project will introduce yet another use for these buildings."

Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in open client/server 
solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information 
systems. Digital's scalable Alpha AXP platforms, storage, networking, 
software and services, together with industry-focused solutions from 
business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global 
marketplace.
                                   ####

Note to Editors:  Digital, the Digital logo and Alpha AXP are 
                  trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation.

CORP/95/649