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EDC urges creative reuse of land; members voice concerns about warehouse-heavy development
Summary
During a review of development applications members warned that warehouse uses produce lower economic value per square foot and urged landowners and developers to consider vertical or mixed-use designs and stronger demand signals from businesses.
The Essex Economic Development Commission reviewed pending development applications that propose industrial or warehouse uses and recommended the town consider more imaginative, higher value uses of available land.
A committee member said warehouses yield low economic return per square foot compared with office or mixed-use development and encouraged landowners to design buildings that could be expanded vertically so offices or customer-facing businesses could be added above warehouses. "In terms of, like, economic value per square foot, these warehouses are really low value add to the community," the committee member said.
Members discussed how the EDC can influence outcomes: rather than attempt to block legally permitted development, the commission agreed to provide advisory comments to the planning commission and select board and to generate market demand signals by recruiting businesses (for example, elevator technicians or other trades) through a proposed business advisory group.
