North Shore Priority Development Sites

Amesbury has a long history of innovation and tradition. First settled in 1645, its earliest industries included mill yards, shipping, and a robust ferry service across the Merrimack River. By the 19th century, the marine industry gave way to mills, iron works, and Amesbury’s most famous industry carriage building. The same handsome stone industrial buildings that once made nails, cloth and carriages are now filled with a diversity of manufactured products and the situation of Amesbury at a transportation crossroad of Interstate 95 and 495 gives the city a good competitive edge for both commercial and residential development.

Beverly is a beautiful destination on the North Shore with a wide variety of recreational, shopping and dining options for all tastes and styles. Located approximately 22 miles North of Boston, Beverly has a unique personality– small town charm coupled with a city identity. There is a first class public school system, two colleges, excellent access to Route 128, five commuter rail stations, a municipal golf course, and airport, making it an easy place to work or visit. Beverly’s distinctive neighborhoods are great places to live with a diversity of housing options in picturesque settings.

It has a vibrant creative community, a skilled workforce and several prominent commercial centers hosting the international headquarters of leaders in the fields of advanced manufacturing and life science. With miles of coastline, public parks and open spaces, Beverly is aptly called the “Garden City.” A strong partnership between business, government and community coupled with a thriving downtown and many business hubs, attracts a wide range of businesses to Beverly. We hope you will take the time to reach out to us with questions or take a tour!

Boxford, a town in Essex County, is located 24 miles north of Boston. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town’s population in 2010 was 7,965. Boxford is zoned almost entirely Residence Agricultural with minimum 2-acre zoning and is divided into Boxford Village (commonly called East Boxford) and West Boxford Village, corresponding to the respective East and West Boxford centers. The town is heavily forested and crisscrossed by various streams and brooks, many of which empty into the Ipswich River on Boxford’s southern border. A number of ponds dot town as well, among them Stiles Pond, Cedar Pond, Spofford Pond, Lowe Pond, Four Mile Pond and Baldpate Pond. Throughout Boxford, there are also a number of scenic hiking trails.

Small farms are interspersed throughout Boxford. Stonewalls, remnants of old farming land boundaries, meander through the area. One major farm located in Boxford is Small Oxx Farm, a branch of the main farm, Smolak’s, located in North Andover.

The town is always interested in pursuing new business opportunities.

The Town of Danvers is a family-friendly suburb on Boston’s North Shore, located about 17 miles north of Downtown Boston. With a 2015 population of approximately 27,000 Danvers is known for its excellent public school system, as well as Saint John’s Preparatory School, Essex Technical High School, North Shore Community College and St. Mary Annunciation School.

Danvers is a stable, well-run suburb with a strong tax base and a lively town center (Danvers Square), and features two industrial/research and development parks with excellent road access; the Cherry Hill Industrial Park is also directly adjacent to Beverly Municipal Airport, which provides private plane and corporate jet access as well. Danvers enjoys a naturally sheltered harbor with ocean access that is made up of four rivers: Danvers, Waters, Cranes and Porter. The crown jewel of the Town’s impressive park system is Endicott Park, a 165-acre public park that was the former estate of Joseph Peabody. The Town is served by a Town Manager, a five member Board of Selectmen, and a Representative Town Meeting.

Essex is a small, charming community on the Essex River and the Great Marsh with a proud coastal heritage.  Essex is friendly to small businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and outdoor-lovers.

Essex has one General Use District, aside from three areas with defined zoning.  Two of these areas are solely residential, the third area is the Downtown Mixed Use Zoning District which is intended to promote small business by allowing mixed-use within a single building and within the district generally, by right.  The Essex Planning Board has been steadily working to organize the Town’s zoning bylaws and has made great progress over the last two years, including tightening of standards and definitions.  The Planning Board is now working on proposals to carve out specific zones (e.g. residential, commercial, etc.) within the General Use District.

Essex has recently acquired property near the junction of Southern Avenue with Route 133 via the tax-title process and it is possible that the Town will sell that property in the near future.  The property does have a history of environmental contamination issues and would be sold as-is.  The Town is presently considering the method that might be used to sell the property.

In addition, a former package store on the Essex causeway in the heart of the downtown area at 99 Main Street (Route 133) has closed its doors and this property is for sale or lease.  A variety of possible business uses exist for this property.

Georgetown is a predominantly residential and family-oriented community with a semi-rural, small town identity, located 35 miles north of Boston. Through careful land use planning, the Town has retained much of the visual character of its rural heritage of fields and woods, balanced by a lively historic downtown and a small sector of clean industry. Georgetown has an involved, civic-minded population and an excellent school system. The Town has been successful in shaping change to protect its livability and natural beauty while accommodating growth and reflecting the community’s essential values.

Georgetown’s residential neighborhoods are primarily single-family homes. The town, with a population of 8,183, experienced a 17% population increase from 2000 to 2010. Median household income has also increased by 100% over the last two decades, reaching an estimated $101,060 in 2010. A Town Economic Development committee has been successful in identifying and attracting new light industry to the industrially zoned lands near I-95, enhancing Georgetown’s tax base.

Through wise stewardship and community commitment, Georgetown is shaping change by careful planning, protection of the Town’s resources and natural environment, effective regulation, and incentives to enhance quality of life and opportunity for everyone who lives in Georgetown.

Innovation and authenticity. It is rare to find a place that can claim one of these terms let alone both. Yet Gloucester is just such a place. In fact, Gloucester has been innovating since 1623. As America’s oldest seaport, entrepreneurs have been developing new businesses and new methods, on the sea and on land, for centuries. Gloucester is home to the flash freezing process, early marine robotics, and the first real-time Internet Seafood Auction. It is a place of natural beauty with a rich arts and cultural scene. It is a real place with a strong sense of identity—proud of its heritage and excited about its future.

Groveland is a small residential community, which retains all of the characteristics of a friendly rural town in the setting of a convenient suburb. Located in northeastern Massachusetts, 39miles north of Boston, the Town is bordered by West Newbury on the north, Newbury and Georgetown on the east, Boxford on the south, and Haverhill on the west.

The town was incorporated 1850, after spending the 17th and 18th centuries attached first to Rowley and then to Bradford. Groveland changed gradually during the 20th century from a shoe industry and textile manufacturing community, and is now almost wholly residential. Town residents have easy access to 95 and 495 and many of them commute to their jobs in Lynn or Boston. There are now about 6,400 people and about 2,100 homes in town. One long-time local official said, in describing the community, “You never feel like a stranger here.”

If you are interested in learning more about Groveland, please contact:

Rebecca Oldham, Town Planner
ROldham@grovelandma.com
(978)556-7215

Hamilton is a rural-suburban town in the eastern central portion of Essex County in eastern Massachusetts. At the 2010 census, the Town had a population of 7,764. Hamilton’s location on the North Shore, 31 miles north of Boston, provides easy access to the Atlantic seashore with its reservations, beaches and boating. The town includes many historic houses, pastoral landscapes, and old stone walls that accompany winding tree-lined roads. Hamilton also has a rich equestrian heritage, which remains strong due to the influence of the many horse farms and the Myopia Hunt Club, which holds frequent equestrian events, including polo most Sunday afternoons.

Hamilton is closely tied to neighboring Wenham, and shares a school system, library, recreation department, commuter rail station and newspaper. In 2010, the community of Hamilton Wenham was listed among the “Best Places to Live” by Boston Magazine.

Ipswich is a coastal town located in Essex County, located 35 miles north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the town’s population was 13,175. Ipswich is home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, and includes the southern part of Plum Island. Ipswich is a residential community with a vibrant tourism industry. The town is famous for many things including its clams, which are celebrated annually at the Ipswich Chowder fest, as well as for Crane Beach, a barrier beach near the Crane estate. Ipswich was incorporated as a town in 1634.

Colonists settled the City of Lynn in 1629. Early settlers relied primarily on family farming and shell fishing, although an iron works was established in the city in 1643. Leather tanning became a major industry very early on and by 1775, there were a string of tanneries along Black Marsh Brook, to the harbor. When the MBTA was extended from Boston to Salem in 1837, it went through Lynn, encouraging growth in the shoe industry and a factory district was created as well as shoe workers’ neighborhoods of boardinghouses.

The Civil War brought great prosperity to the city and further growth of the shoe factories. Even the fires of 1869 and 1889, which destroyed much of the central business district from Central Square to Broad Street, did not stop expansion. By the middle of the 19th century, the city became a fashionable Boston resort area. At least a dozen large shore estates were built and other land was subdivided for increasingly suburban residential development. When Lynn Shore Drive was opened in 1910, it encouraged the development of high rises to take advantage of the shore view.

Lynn, now the largest city in Essex County, is an urban manufacturing and commercial center, densely populated and culturally diverse. Residents are proud of the city’s long history, which parallels the history of New England as a whole.

Lynnfield is a friendly community, well known for its civic, cultural and charitable spirit. Town government and community groups rely on the town’s spirit of volunteerism. The town is primarily a residential community, with business districts located along the highways.

At the 2010 census, the town population was 11,596. Two major highways traverse the town and provide easy access to the region’s employment centers, as well as cultural, recreational and educational opportunities. Housing is primarily single-family homes, with some townhouse and apartment units. The town center is a traditional New England green, with the 1714 Meeting House the visual centerpiece of the town common.

According to the US Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.5 square miles, of which 9.9 square miles (25.6 km2) is land and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), or 5.58%, is water. The Ipswich River forms the northern border of the town, and several brooks cross through town. Several lakes and ponds dot the town, including Suntaug Lake, Reedy Meadow and Pillings Pond. A portion of the Lynn Woods Reservation is located in the southeast corner of town, and in the northwest part of town lies part of Camp Curtis Guild, a Massachusetts National Guard base that also contains lands in the neighboring towns.

Manchester by-the-Sea is a residential community wrapped around one of New England’s most picturesque harbors. Located 32 miles North of Boston, with a population of 5,136, visitors are attracted to Manchester’s beautiful beaches, quaint shops, fine dining, and historic buildings. Leisurely stroll Manchester by-the-Sea’s streets and enjoy its small-town, New England charm. Manchester-by-the-Sea has a downtown with elements that rival bigger town centers, including a train station, hardware store, supermarket and pharmacy. While the downtown has no major development sites currently available, the Town would be pleased to work with village scaled and innovative businesses interested in exploring development opportunities.

Marblehead is a coastal community of 19,808 residents, located 18 miles north of Boston. Marblehead is famous for its unsurpassed contributions to the American Revolution and Civil War. Today, its quaint narrow streets and historic 17th and 18th century buildings mirror Marblehead, as it has existed since its founding in 1629.

Marblehead is a largely residential community with many small commercial properties in the two business areas and the one industrial park

Middleton was first settled in 1659 and was officially incorporated in 1728. Prior to that, it was considered a part of Salem, and contains territory previously within the limits of Andover, Boxford, and Topsfield. The name Middleton is derived from its location “mid-way” between the important early settlements of Salem and Andover. Middleton lies in the low hills of northeastern Massachusetts. The Ipswich River flows through town, flowing from the North Reading/Lynnfield 14 line along the Peabody and Danvers borders before turning northward into town, exiting along the border between Boxford and Topsfield.

Middleton is one of the fastest growing towns in the Commonwealth and the North Shore. Middleton is just west of Interstate 95, with two very short parts of the highway passing through corners of the town before and after passing through Topsfield.

Middleton is primarily a residential community and is currently not pursuing major commercial development, but interested parties are encouraged to contact the Town.

Nahant, located in Eastern Massachusetts, is a peninsula that juts south of Lynn and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on three sides. Used in early colonial days as a grazing area for cattle, sheep and goats, Nahant became a maritime community in the 1700s with a small population devoted to fishing and, by the 1800’s became a resort mecca.

Incorporated in 1853, the town was the site of the most massive hotel complex on the Atlantic Coast and the location of an annual regatta. By the end of the 19th century, there was a visible shift away from hotels and toward residences. An era of skyrocketing growth began about 1870 and continued unabated for the next four decades with construction firms putting up hundreds of summer homes for visitors to the town. In the modern era, Nahant has protected its residential status and farming and industrial activity have disappeared.

Nahant is primarily a residential community and currently is not engaged in commercial development activity. However, the Town is always interested in speaking to businesses interested in locating there.

Newbury, located in Essex County, 40 miles north of Boston had a population of 6,666 according to the 2010 census. Newbury includes the villages of Old Town (Newbury Center), Plum Island and Byfield. Each village is a precinct with its own voting district, various town offices, and business center. While the town currently has no development sites, interested parties are encouraged to contact.

Newburyport is a small coastal, scenic, and historic city in Essex County, located 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 17,416 at the 2010 census. The town is home to an historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry. The quaint downtown shopping center includes businesses that appeal to all ages. Local businesses and restaurants surround Market Square and along State Street. During festivals throughout the year, visitors are invited to enjoy concerts, food, and entertainment. An old mill building on Liberty Street is home to other small businesses and a local farmers’ market during both the summer and winter seasons. The historic area has a charming feel and upbeat atmosphere.

The mooring, winter storage and maintenance of recreational boats, motor and sail, still contribute a large part of the city’s income. A Guard station oversees boating activity, especially in the swift tidal currents of the Merrimack River.

Newburyport is also home to an industrial park that provides a wide range of jobs.

With its premium location at the nexus of Route 128, Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1, Peabody provides easy access for employers and employees. Peabody is home to Centennial Park – one of the North Shore’s premier business parks and global headquarters of world-class organizations such as Analogic and Boston Children’s at Peabody. Peabody’s Northshore Mall offers its guests an upscale shopping atmosphere with a wide variety of over 120 specialty stores. The Mall’s newest addition, the “Promenade at Northshore Mall” boasts several new restaurants, including Bancroft & Co., Tony C’s Sports Bar & Grill and the newly refashioned Legal Sea Foods. The Promenade also features an outdoor entertainment and recreation plaza and a host of amenities designed with today’s shoppers in mind. The bustling and historic downtown has undergone a series of revitalization efforts in recent years.

Main Street has a growing commercial sector of its own, with small businesses specializing in information technology, banking and insurance, the arts, food service, sports, fitness and medicine, and more. The City’s partnership with Peabody Main Streets – powered by community volunteers, business leaders, city officials, and creative entrepreneurs – is vital to Peabody’s standing as the North Shore’s economic hub.

Peabody offers a wide variety of recreational activities available to all residents. Brooksby Farm is a city-owned apple orchard that provides year-found family enjoyment and a scenic backdrop for autumn apple picking, winter cross-country skiing, and summer berry picking. The Peabody Independence Greenway and South Peabody Trail Network provide over 5 miles of open space for walking, jogging, biking, and other outdoor activities. Peabody features 20 parks and playgrounds, three branch libraries, and a senior center considered the envy of the region.

Peabody pride is on display each year at the International Festival, which celebrates its rich ethnic diversity. Other programs available to residents throughout the year include the Summer Concert Series, Small Business Saturday, Nightmare on Main Street, Downtown Stroll and Annual Tree Lighting and Holiday Concert.

Revere is a city in Suffolk County, located approximately 5 miles from downtown Boston. Founded as North Chelsea in 1846, the City was renamed in 1871 after the American Revolutionary War patriot Paul Revere. It was incorporated as a City in 1915. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city has a population of 51,755 inhabitants. Revere borders Winthrop, East Boston and Chelsea to the South, Everett and Malden to the West, Saugus and Lynn to the 18 north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. It comprises 10.0 square miles, of which 4.1 miles are open water and wetlands. Of the 5.9 miles of developed land, 70% is used for housing.

Rockport is located approximately 40 miles northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula. It is directly east of Gloucester and is surrounded, on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean. In 2010, the population was 6,952. Today Rockport is primarily a suburban residential and tourist town, but it is still home to a number of lobster fishermen and artists. Its rocky beaches and seaside parks are a favorite place for tourists from the Greater Boston Area and Rhode Island among other places.

The entire downtown area, with its large number of restaurants and small eateries, shops, galleries and other offerings, is an attraction in and of itself, and bustles with activity just about all year. There are also boat tours that leave from the wharves here on whale watch and other excursions, and there is a very nice, sandy beach, Front Beach, which is in the village as well.

Rowley, located in Essex County, Massachusetts, is about 28 miles northeast of Boston. In 2010, the town had a population of 5,856. Rowley is bordered to the north by Newbury, to the northwest by Georgetown, to the west by Boxford, and to the south by Ipswich. Many colonial homes line Rowley’s streets, mixed in with a variety of architectural styles from all throughout American history. The town common (historically called the training place), is surrounded by many simple yet graceful old homes.

Salem is a unique community in a diverse region known for its rich maritime history, the birthplace of the National Guard and the infamous Witchcraft Trials of 1692. It is also a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly City where its residents, and over a million tourists annually, can easily visit historic architecture, unique attractions, world-famous museums and an eclectic mix of shops and dining options. With easy access to public transportation – including our own ferry – Salem is a great city to live, work and play. Many consider Salem the jewel of Massachusetts’ vibrant North Shore, and businesses here benefit from its rich mix of history, culture and natural serenity.

Salisbury is a small coastal beach town and summer tourist destination in Essex County. The community is a popular summer resort beach town and is home to the new Salisbury Beach Boardwalk, souvenir shops, restaurants, cafes, arcades and panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. The population was 8,283 at the 2010 census.[1] Parts of town comprise the census designated place of Salisbury.

Modern Salisbury is highly diverse geographically, encompassing square fifteen miles of farms, beach, marshlands and both residential and commercial space. As of the year 2000, nearly 9,200 acres make up the town’s open space, of which nearly 40% is forested, and more than a third is 21 wetland and estuary. Ten percent is in open and agricultural land, and four percent is recreational.

The Town includes four distinctly different areas: Salisbury Beach, a barrier beach with miles of beautiful sandy Atlantic Ocean beaches and salt marshes surrounding dense residential and commercial beachfront development; Salisbury Plains, featuring farms and suburban homes set in fields and rolling woodlands; Salisbury Square, a colonial village center with churches, municipal buildings and village residences; and Ring’s Island, once a colonial fishing village facing Newburyport on the Merrimack River and now supporting a neighborhood of restored antique Homes and riverfront marine businesses.

Saugus, originally settled in the 1630’s was incorporated in 1815. The town is strategically positioned within the metropolitan Boston area and centrally located among a group of communities mid-way between Boston and the Salem/Beverly area, less than 10 miles from Boston. In short, Saugus has location, location, location.

The Town is a desirable community to live in, do business in, and visit due to its convenient access to Boston and points north, its small town feel, and its healthy mixture of businesses, residences, and the natural environment.

Saugus has a wide array of natural resources from costal resources to inland habitat. Open spaces such as the Breakheart Reservation and Town owned land are well maintained and accessible. Saugus’s natural amenities, including the Saugus River, provide recreational opportunities for adults and children. The Town has a well-maintained, safe, comfortable and diverse housing stock that reflects its small Town character, while maintaining housing opportunities for diverse populations. Neighborhoods continue to retain their distinct identities and historic features of older houses have been preserved.

New business friendly zoning is providing opportunities for new economic development which will provide services to residents, provide jobs, generate tax dollars, and entice additional investment in Saugus. Future economic development will supplement the Town’s healthy retail structure.

Swampscott is a beautiful and tranquil seaside community; located 15 miles north of Boston, with amazing assets including its waterfront, open space, recreation areas, shopping districts, and regional connections. With a population of 13,787 in 2010, Swampscott is primarily a family community with relatively high incomes. The town has a wide range of housing stock options and growth as well as strong buying power. Commercial activity is focused in the historic 23 waterfront area along Humphrey Street, around the MBTA railroad station, and the large shopping district of Vinnin Square, which is shared with the neighboring community, Salem. While Swampscott is primarily built out and developed, there is much opportunity in the redevelopment of existing properties. The town’s new Humphrey Street Overlay District is meant to promote development and define a sense of place in the historic downtown of Swampscott that enhances and encourages a mix of uses, protects historic and cultural resources, and fosters a harmonious connection between the district and the natural environment of the waterside

The Town of Topsfield, Massachusetts was incorporated in 1650 and is located in Essex County. Topsfield is bordered by the Ipswich on the north, Hamilton and Wenham on the east, Middleton and Danvers to the south and Boxford on the west. Topsfield It is located about 25 miles north of Boston and is within one mile of Interstate Route 95 and US Route 1. The Town has a population of approximately 6,500 residents.

The town is a fairly compact with 13 square miles with rolling hills and winding streams, 60 miles of roadways and 25 miles of sidewalks and bike paths. In addition to the local village shopping center, there are various small businesses located principally along Route 1; however, the Town remains primarily a residential community that retains a rural character with a typical New England Town Common.

The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1636 and incorporated in 1643. Fortunately, Wenham has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery. It is a town of many open views of farmlands, lakes, woodlands and old stonewalls that accompany its winding tree-lined roads.

To complement its handsome backdrop, the community is singularly fortunate to have been blessed with an active, involved citizenry, whose major goal has always been to protect what is precious from the past while continuing to plan ahead for future generations. Wenham is justly proud of its historic past; its present responsible and responsive local government; a wealth of dedicated and able volunteers; its nearly 300 acres of parks, playgrounds and recreational lands; and its excellent regional school system. Wenham is home to Gordon College. The Wenham Village Improvement Society provides a “Free Lunch for Voters” at its traditional Saturday town meeting. A walk along Wenham’s lovely main street provides a timeless picture of beautiful old homes, gardens and yards, punctuated by friendly faces, residents say, giving one a general sense of connection to all that is right about New England small town life.

Wenham has a very small business district, made up of a few buildings that have longer-term tenants. One person owns most of the property in the “downtown”.

The town also has a potential commercial development site along Rte. 128. It is zoned residential but there have been discussions to create a possible overlay zoning to allow more of a commercial project.

West Newbury, located on the Merrimack River, had a population of 4,235 at the 2010 census. The town is located approximately 34 miles north of Boston and is bordered by Merrimac and Amesbury to the north, Newburyport to the east, Newbury to the southeast, Groveland to the southwest, and Haverhill to the west.

Over the last forty or so years, West Newbury has evolved from a rural farming town into an affluent community.

The town’s oldest continually operating farm is Long Hill Orchard. The farm has been active since 1896, and has a long and intriguing history. Today, in addition to the apple orchard, the farm is home to a popular community-supported agriculture program and farm to table dining events. There are many farms in West Newbury, including Brown Spring Farm and Long Hill Orchard, both located on Main Street. A number of other farms exist in West Newbury, including Maple Crest Farm, several Christmas tree farms, and numerous horse stables and equestrian facilities. Efforts to maintain West Newbury’s rural charm have been ongoing; the Town has purchased large swaths of land designated as Open Space by the West Newbury Open Space Committee.

The town of Winthrop is a wonderful seaside community located within easy commuting distance of downtown Boston, featuring beautiful beaches, conservation areas, a nine hole golf course and boating facilities. The town has a small commercial retail sector with room to grow and the majority of businesses in the community are independently owned, employing 5 to 20 people. The town undertook an Economic Development Strategic Plan in 2014 and re-wrote its Center Business District zoning to encourage the development of new mixed use development. The focus is to bring new retail and commercial interests to the community, while also developing newer, more urban style housing for young professionals. The town is seeking to attract new development to its Center and Waterfront and to develop a visitor and tourism based economy that takes advantage of our natural resources and attractions.

The Town of Winthrop has recently completed a master planning process for the Centre Business District and amended zoning to help streamline permitting in the Centre Business District.