Bridgewater, Mass. hopes to cut residential property taxes, shorten lengthy commutes and reduce unemployment by attracting new businesses. The local town manager recently spoke about the lack of commercial development in the area. Michael Dutton (Bridgewater Town Manager) outlined the challenges that Bridgewater faces and described a few potential solutions.
The town has plenty of developed residential land but not many commercial zones remain available. Dutton explained that the town must find ways to incentivize development and help businesses use land more efficiently, according to WATD-FM. By adding more commercial businesses to the area, the town could then lessen the tax burden of the residential communities.
The town manager stated that they will “work with developers to come up with ways that could be beneficial for them [businesses] to relocate to Bridgewater and we’re constantly looking at ways we can do things better in order to promote commercial development.”
Modular construction could help Bridgewater transition more commercial businesses to the area in a more efficient manner. A property owner can set up a prefabricated strip mall or office building and start renting units to businesses in very little time. This strategy also benefits developers and their communities by allowing for earlier occupancy.
Prefabricated commercial buildings come in many shapes and sizes. They range from neighborhood convenience stores to large hotels. In addition to offices, many modular office buildings feature a kitchen, meeting area and waiting room. A prefabricated apartment complex can quickly add safe, affordable housing to any locale. Other options include modular banks, bus stations and medical centers.
Although workers build prefabricated structures in factories, buyers can easily request custom styles and features. For example, a customer in Bridgewater might ask for extra insulation, or siding that matches the color of nearby buildings. Modular construction accommodates specific needs and consistently helps developers save time and money.
Construction in the wintertime may seem like a huge task;
however, modular homes and buildings can be built in cold climates very
quickly. Because the majority of construction occurs in a climate-controlled
factory environment, modular construction offers the flexibility to be built at
any time.
Modular homes and commercial buildings have been a popular choice in
construction because sections are factory built for better quality control.
Traditional construction is subject to delays due to climate changes that could affect wood, steel and
other building materials. With modular construction,
the majority of the work is done off site with little to no delays caused by
weather. This means that there are fewer timeline restrictions, allowing modular
construction to occur year round. This is particularly beneficial in areas such
as North Dakota and Montana, who experience
several months of cold weather.
Under normal restrictions due to weather, traditionally constructed buildings could
take years to complete. Modular projects can be completed up to 40 percent
faster due to the indoor construction method. This efficient construction method is useful for an array of industries including education, healthcare,
business/office, retail & hospitality, corrections & public safety, government
and housing & lodging.
Cold weather and/or freezing temperatures that
would normally affect production or halt it completely doesn't affect modular building projects, making them a perfect choice for cold climate areas.
