Site Readiness
The Site Readiness Program, administered by MassDevelopment, aims to increase the state’s inventory of large, well-located, project-ready sites; to accelerate private-sector investment in industrial, commercial, and mixed-use projects; and to support the conversion of abandoned sites and obsolete facilities into clean, actively used, tax-generating properties.
Eligible Applicants include municipalities, municipal agencies or authorities, economic and industrial corporations, economic development authorities, and nonprofit entities.
What makes a good project?
MassDevelopment will be accepting applications for funding in the eligible use categories described in the program guidelines and summarized below:
Site Preparation
- Site Concept Plans – Including feasibility and planning studies in addition to concept-level master planning.
- Site Market Studies – Including broker consultation, market analysis, and development of marketing materials.
- Site Acquisition and Related Tasks – Including costs of property acquisition, title analysis, surveying, and legal fees.
- Demolition
- Construction of Site-Related Upgrades – Including utilities and roadways.
Predevelopment and Permitting
- Engineering Documents – Including design and pricing of on- and off-site access and infrastructure improvements.
- Pre-Permitting and Permitting – Including assistance in reviewing existing zoning, permitting, or other regulatory issues as well as in undertaking pre-permitting activities. Also includes studies related to specific site issues including traffic, historic resources, rare species, utilities, etc.
- Pro-Forma Development
- Due Diligence Activities – Including Phase I environmental review and existing conditions analysis.
Review Criteria
- Community support for industrial development (43D/Priority Development Area designation may serve as an indicator)
- Consistency with the existing municipal master plan and/or regional plans
- As-of-right zoning or an affirmative statement from municipality to seek as-of-right zoning.
- Regional impact and regional appropriateness
- Property size and scale of development (the program is targeting a minimum of 50,000 square feet of developable space)
- Level of potential of private investment on the site
- Benefits enabled (including new permanent and construction jobs created)
- Site access (proximity to highways and/or rail)
- Site control
- Appropriateness of location (including proximity to housing and known off-site impacts)
- Marketability of the site (active interest a plus)
- Availability of matching funds from landowner and/or local contribution (including, but not limited to, tax increment financing or other financial commitments)
Grant Terms and Conditions
Grantees are required to execute a standard grant agreement. The agreement provides that in most instances, the grant will be repaid from any net land sale proceeds, long-term lease revenue, or refinancing proceeds. If a grant does not result in new revenues, there is no repayment obligation.
How to Apply
The Site Readiness Program is part of the Community One Stop for Growth, a single application portal and collaborative review process of community development grant programs that makes targeted investments based on a Development Continuum. For those projects selected, MassDevelopment will be part of your team – providing our expertise and project management skills.
