Clients: Local Communites

City of Attleboro Economic Development Organization Study
Summary: The City of Attleboro is in the process of reforming the organizational structure of its economic development agency. The ultimate goal of this reform process is to determine the best possible utilization of staff and resources. This study of the organizational structures of five economic development agencies in Massachusetts is an important component of the reform process. The study provides organizational models that can serve as useful guides for members of the reform committee. Organizational flow charts for each of the five agencies are presented and an analysis of the relative advantages and disadvantages of each structure is included. Members of the committee will find this study to be a valuable resource when developing an organizational structure that will address the unique economic needs and goals of the City of Attleboro.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Technology as an Economic Catalyst in Rural and Depressed Places in Massachusetts
Summary: A new term has emerged in the latter half of the 1990s: The Digital Divide. On the favored side of the digital divide are prosperous communities with state-of-the-art information technology (IT) infrastructure. An efficient and competitively priced IT infrastructure not only fosters the formation of new electronic businesses, but also enables more mature segments of the business world to integrate the Internet into their operations and sales strategies. An affluent and well-educated populace not only provides the skilled labor pool that these businesses need, but also can afford the hardware, software, and service delivery needed to use the Internet themselves. All of these factors give these communities an advantage in attracting investment by New Economy businesses.

In case studies of four Massachusetts communities, we looked at how municipal and community leaders are struggling to cross the digital divide. Our four communities included two cities (Lynn and New Bedford), a district within a larger city (Roxbury), and a rural region (Franklin County). Though these four communities vary in size, population density, geographic area, demographic characteristics, and regional economic resources, each exhibits chronic patterns of economic distress related to the decline of manufacturing and other key industries. All four have personal and household incomes below those in the state as a whole, and all face a shortage of the highly educated workers that high-tech companies seek.

Erving Master Plan
Summary: This study presents information on Erving's economy and main economic issues. It begins with an analysis of demographic, labor, and employment statistics, then discusses some key issues that pose challenges to and provide opportunities for future development. Recommendations are included for taking action to address challenges and to seize opportunities. Goals and objectives were created using the responses received from the 1997 FCCDC Economic Development Survey as a guide.

Usher Plant Revitalization Plan, Erving, MA
Summary: This project looked at the redevelopment of an old Brick Mill in Erving, Massachusetts. The study includes a site description, environmental site assessment, deconstruction of the site, potential re-uses and green building techniques.

A View to a Mountain: Easthampton Wires Project
Summary: The purpose of this project was to examine the feasibility of submerging the overhead utilities that run along Main, Union and Cottage Streets that create the downtown district of the City of Easthampton. To achieve this purpose, our team investigated the steps involved in submerging utilities and how the City of Easthampton might go through this process. This report detailed the research of the utilities, the affects of the move, and its possible consequences.

Berkley Open Space and Recreation Plan
Summary: The Open Space and Recreation Plan of Berkley was the result of careful thinking, planning, research and distillation of the wishes of town's residents through the years. The major value underlying the goals was to preserve open space for wildlife habitat and residential recreational enhancements of our community's quality of life. The converse is also true. If Berkeley were to build homes and commercial sites as some of the neighboring communities have, many residents would feel a distinct decrease in their quality of community life. The three major goals of this plan are: to preserve the country character of Berkley; to protect the precious resources of air, water, soil, and habitats and to provide public access to the rivers, forests and fields.