News:
Owners Developers & Managers
Posted: November 1, 2024
IREM President’s Message: Fostering community connections during the holiday season
The holidays are again taking center stage, and with them comes an opportunity for multifamily communities to connect with the businesses and organizations in their cities and towns, fostering a sense of unity and generosity during this “giving season.”
Local businesses know what it means to give throughout the year – from supporting charitable drives to sponsoring school sports teams, and much more. “Shop local” should be more than just a catch phrase. Many small stores count on the fourth quarter to make up for slumps in business during the year…and owners often go to the extra expense of decorating and ordering special seasonal stock that will appeal to customers for a short time only.
True, we live in an age when shopping online has made lives easier for some, but our local store owners depend on neighborhood trade. Shopping within the community can help boost the local economy and serve to “give back” to those small business owners who are there to meet our needs year round.
Multifamily communities can also take a page from the local business playbook by partnering with area charities to organize food, toy, or clothing drives. Property managers can take the lead by organizing volunteer opportunities for residents to participate in community service projects, like serving meals at shelters or visiting nursing homes.
No matter the seasonal celebration, be it Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, let’s all try to give of ourselves a little bit more.
And speaking of the holiday season, the IREM Boston Chapter’s annual Holiday Celebration is just around the corner on Wednesday, December 4th at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. The Holiday Celebration Event will include the new members installation, the 2024 Chapter Awards Night, the 2025 Officers and BOD’s Installation, the Year-end Dinner/Network celebration, and a US Marine Toys for Tots fundraiser. For more information, please visit www.iremboston.org
Chris Salamanis-Rivera is the 2024 IREM Boston Chapter president and vice president of learning and development at Beacon Communities, Lynn, Mass.
MORE FROM Owners Developers & Managers
Barnat Development begins work on Phase II of Holmes Beverly - construction led by NEI General Contracting
Beverly, MA Barnat Development has begun construction on Holmes Beverly Phase II, adding 52 apartment homes adjacent to the existing development near the Beverly Depot MBTA commuter rail station. The project is financed through the newly launched Holmes Opportunity Zone Fund, focused on investing in new multifamily construction projects across New England. $10 million of Holmes OZ Fund equity is paired with $21 million in long-term
.png)
Columns and Thought Leadership
Revitalized Town Centers: Retail??? - by Carol Todreas
It is now widely accepted that customers want to shop in person at physical stores. Brands know that they do better business in a physical store than just on line so they want to open stores. Demand for retail space by digital merchants, local entrepreneurs, and newly developed national chains
Retail infill strategy to activate Pawtucket’s Conant Thread District - by Gaetan Kashala
Until recently, the Conant Thread District consisted of approximately 150 acres of underutilized industrial land spanning Pawtucket and Central Falls. Today, the area is one of the most significant
Florida ruling raises bar for condo terminations and buyouts - by Michael Karsch
On October 14, 2025, in a landmark decision with significant implications for the Florida real estate market, the Supreme Court of Florida formally denied Two Roads Development’s (TRD Biscayne LLC) petition for review in its long-running case against unit owners of Biscayne 21,
IREM president’s message: Our new reality - Staying ahead of supply chain delays - by Yoany Vargas
Supply chain delays are slowing construction, ratcheting up operating costs, and extending turnover timelines across Greater Boston, directly reducing revenue and increasing the workload for multifamily and
 (1).png)