“Blake Block” Bedford, MA

Located in Bedford Center across from the Town Common, the “Blake Block”, as it is known locally, is long overdue for renovation. With Brown & Brown’s assistance, a Special Town Meeting in June 2007 allowed for a rezoning of the property with an overlay district known as “Town Center”. This new district will allow the owner to permit and create the development of a mixed use program of office, residential, restaurant and retail uses.

Brown & Brown drafted the Warrant Article for the Town Center overlay zone, worked with the property owner and project team through a number of “pre-permitting” meetings with the Planning Board and Historic District Commission, orchestrated the petition for Town Meeting and championed the effort through the voting process. With the zoning in place, the next steps include design work, public meetings with the local Planning Board and Historic District Commission and coordinating with other local officials to permit a new Bedford Center for which residents and the property owner can be proud.