Volume 3 - Number 38 | September 17, 2001

Medical Malls Boost Economy Throughout Massachusetts By Richard Schmidt Once the intersection of industrial and commercial life in their communities, urban centers throughout Massachusetts have never really recovered from their golden age decades ago when vibrant storefronts and manufacturing plants, large and small, filled urban buildings.

Successful Public Architecture Requires Strong Planning Through Public Process By Charles N. Tseckares Whether it’s a park, a public facility or a private development, architecture is ultimately for the people. It is seen and experienced by all, and thus, everyone feels like they have a say in the design.

Real Estate Portfolios May Offer Companies Strong Financial Solutions if Used Properly By Drew O’Malley As corporate credit markets have tightened recently, companies are searching for alternative ways to raise capital for growth opportunities, reduction of high-cost debt and stock repurchase programs.

Check and Balance Banker & Tradesman's political cartoon.

Checks on Predatory Lending Continue to Evolve By Anna DeSimone Conventional home-purchase mortgage lending to low-income borrowers nearly doubled during the past seven years.

Marketing Key to Securing Listings in a Tough Market By Aglaia Pikounis By Aglaia Pikounis Want to know how to turn a $150 investment into a $370,000 home sale? Realtor Nelson Zide may be the one to tell you how.

Statistical Snapshot The median sales price of residential property in Franklin County increased 14.6 percent to $112,000 in July, compared to a median price of $97,750 in July 2000.

Shelburne in Focus Not everybody needs to live in the big city to be happy. Some people prefer to live their lives in a more rural town where the neighbors all know each other, crime isn’t a problem and the pace is generally much slower.

People

Family Ties

E-mail E-mbarassment: Etiquette or Common Sense? By Matthew Ferrara

Volunteer Made Career of Homeownership Advocacy By Michelle Forcier Anderson

BID Proposal Is Debated for Boston’s Downtown Crossing By Joe Clements By Joe Clements For fashion lovers and the idle rich alike, Boston’s Downtown Crossing has probably never looked as good as it has in recent weeks.

National Catastrophe Mars Annual Realtor Convention By Aglaia Pikounis By Aglaia Pikounis To say that the 2001 Massachusetts Association of Realtors Convention and Trade Expo will always be remembered by the 600 participants would be a tremendous understatement.

Banks Keep Calm, Spearhead Relief Efforts By Michelle Forcier Anderson By Michelle Forcier Anderson The jolt may have momentarily stopped the financial heart of the country but businessmen and women, especially around Massachusetts, were determined not to let Tuesday’s gruesome terrorist attacks prevent them from living their American lives.

City Council Committee Ponders Fate of Household Finance Corp. By Michelle Forcier Anderson By Michelle Forcier Anderson The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now has vowed to stamp out predatory lending and asked a number of Boston City councilors to join their fight against accused predatory lender Household Finance Corp.

Real Estate Board Challenges Project Review Payment Bill By Joe Clements By Joe Clements Legislation letting the state’s conservation commissions make developers pay for third-party project review is being challenged by the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, but officials for the trade group insist they do not have a problem with the idea – just its potential breadth.