The need to update aging facilities, as well as competition coming from once-dormant urban rivals, is compelling many suburban office parks to invest in the trappings of more urban settings.
According to an article by Jay Fitzgerald, "owners and developers across Eastern Massachusetts are seeking to reinvent the suburban office park, taking a page from urban revitalization that transformed old mill and factory buildings into mixed-use developments of housing, retail, and office spaces."
The article cites examples (with renderings and status updates in some cases) of suburban office park renovation projects along Interstate 495 and Route 128 in Massachusetts, including:
- Marlborough Hills: the former Hewlett-Packard campus in Marlborough
- Northwest Park in Burlington
- Wells Avenue Park in Newton
- New England Executive Park in Burlington
- Elmwood Park: the former headquarters of data storage giant EMC Corp. in Hopkinton
FULL STORY: Developers take steps to reinvent suburban office parks
Plans for Nashville’s First Chinatown Underway
Developers are working on a new cultural commercial development that will offer unique Asian architecture, culture, shopping, restaurant, and retail services to Nashvillians and visitors from surrounding cities and states.
Seattle Downtown Plan Expands Permitted Uses
The Downtown Activation Plan shifts from Euclidean to form-based zoning to encourage more commercial development.
CNU Report Outlines Incremental Steps for More Walkable Suburbs
Transforming suburban sprawl is a massive undertaking, but these small steps can help communities understand their needs and assets and develop clear, actionable goals for the future.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research