Middlesex 3 Coalition: Alyssa Sandoval, Economic Development Director, Town of Bedford

What would you tell a company looking to move to the M3 region? What really distinguishes the M3 region is the cooperative nature of the municipalities in M3, which has not only resulted in the development of the M3 Coalition as a regional business entity but also has provided a very business-friendly and can-do permitting environment for businesses wishing to locate and grow here. The wealth of entertainment, recreation, culture and housing options in the M3 region will keep companies and employees happy in the long-term once they have made the decision to locate here!

What M3 Coalition networking opportunities does your business participate in? One of the best aspects of being a member of M3 is having the opportunity to network with people from a variety of different professional backgrounds–from CEOs of large companies, real estate professionals, and municipal officials–it is a great way to meet others in different fields and find common interests and goals. M3 provides great topics for forums and roundtable discussions that are interesting and relevant to companies and municipalities, and provide ample opportunities for thought and conversation.

What types of companies are your city or town looking to attract? Bedford is looking to attract companies that are innovative and aiming for the highest level of success in their fields. We tend to attract industries in the life sciences, information technology, and advanced manufacturing sectors because we have streamlined permitting, available space that is suited to these industries, and a readily available and trained workforce. We also would like to continue to attract these businesses as well as creative and small businesses. To further this goal, Bedford just received a Massachusetts Cultural Council designation for the Bedford Cultural District in our downtown.

What is the most exciting job/project/goal for your company/city or town in 2021? Bedford is looking forward to the continued transformation of the Crosby/Middlesex Tpke. Corridor, a vision first put forth in the 2013 Bedford Comprehensive Plan and furthered by industrial zoning revisions and the 2020 Crosby Dr. Market Study sponsored by MassDevelopment. The town has made significant progress in putting the necessary infrastructure in place through the multi-million dollar Middlesex Tpke. Improvements Project as well as recruitment and marketing efforts by the Economic Development Office and supportive town leadership. We are excited to see the vision for this important district be realized this year through the following projects:

• Ultragenyx and The Gutierrez Co. (developer): 100,000 s/f GMP bio-manufacturing facility is currently under construction. This project was a designated priority development site under the Commonwealth’s Chapter 43D Expedited Permitting program in 2019.

• The redevelopment and repositioning of three large business parks on Crosby Dr. including: Redgate’s development at 40-60 Crosby Dr. for an industrial mixed-use campus; Anchor Line’s redevelopment of the CORE campus to attract life science companies; and Jumbo Capital’s Xchange Campus, home to the iRobot Headquarters. These strategically located business parks all provide easy, direct access to Rte. 3 and are less than 5 miles to the I-95 interchange.