Two major retail centers - Colony Mill Marketplace and Center at Keene - have taken a step forward since Burlington, Mass. commercial real estate service firm KeyPoint Partners, LLC took over property management and leasing for the properties last September.
Colony Mill Marketplace is an 1800s mill converted to lifestyle quality retail and office units. The Center at Keene, a converted railroad station with a unique roundhouse, houses national and regional retailers on the first floor, with offices on the second floor. These two prominent local shopping venues had languished somewhat in recent years, with many vacant spaces and maintenance issues which the community had been watching with concern. However, once KeyPoint Partners took over, immediately addressing the physical challenges and launching a dedicated leasing effort to sign new merchants, the reaction of tenants, customers, and community leaders has been very positive, according to Bob Hayes, vice president of property and asset management at KeyPoint Partners.
"Our leasing team has been working closely with the mayor and city officials to attract quality merchants. We've made our best effort to retain all existing facility staff. We've made significant improvements to buildings and grounds, including new signage," Hayes said. "We've added a new food services vendor, Nan's Italian American Deli, to the Colony Mill Food Court. And we supported several well-attended holiday events, including the very popular Santa visits."
KeyPoint leasing associate Dave Hough has so far inked deals with Little Zoe's Pizza, which took 1,255 s/f at the Center, and Environmental Alternatives Inc. which has leased 4,192 s/f.
"We're talking to several other potential tenants, and working on renewing the leases of several existing tenants," Hough said. "I'm also working with our management team to accommodate the growth of several current tenants who want to expand in the centers."