Robert Halpin, Framingham town manager
If one were to list the economic development factors working in Framingham's favor today, Town Manager Robert Halpin would certainly make the cut.
Halpin has aggressively worked to give the town a business makeover since he was hired in 2012, to the delight of local elected officials. In September, the Board of Selectmen voted to extend his contract through June 2018.
With Framingham's rich diversity and proximity to Boston and Worcester, Halpin said the town manager job was instantly appealing. But coming into the role, he was aware of Framingham's disadvantages as well. He said businesses viewed the town as a difficult place to permit projects, such as expansions, and the relationship between the business community and Town Hall needed work. So Halpin set out to change that.
“I think the paramount thing is just the importance of time. The old saying is, time is money,” said Halpin, who has served in municipal management roles since he graduated from college in the late 1970s. Halpin holds an undergraduate degree in community planning and management from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and a master's degree in public administration from Suffolk University. Prior to coming to Framingham, he was town manager in North Andover.
To remake Framingham's image, Halpin worked with other town officials to identify several priority development sites under the state's Chapter 43D law, which allows for expedited permitting of business construction projects. Within those sites, adopted by the Planning Board, the town ensures that all permitting will be complete within 180 days.
Since then, the town has been able to deliver — in some cases, ahead of schedule. The benchmark projects, according to Halpin, were TJX Cos.' expansion of its headquarters at Speen Street and Cochituate Road, which was permitted in under 50 days, and a retrofitting at 15 Pleasant St. Connector, known as the “upside down building,” which took less than 60.
And in January, HeartWare, a Framingham-based medical device firm, expanded its offices on Old Connecticut Path after the company had initially looked at space in other towns because, according to Halpin, their broker believed Framingham couldn't permit the project fast enough to fit HeartWare's needs.
“We went from being written off in October or November to delivering the goods in January,” Halpin said.
Now, attention has turned to downtown. Halpin said he's worked with stakeholders, including developers and small-business owners, on plans to rezone the area in a way that will encourage foot traffic. Historically, town officials have viewed the area “through the lens of a low-density residential suburb,” Halpin said. But today, a higher-density lens is required, he said. The zoning change will require voter approval in the fall.
“You can be a low-density residential suburb and you can have an exciting downtown and if we're all successful , we can have the best of both worlds,” Halpin said.
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