PREP, owner of the Hanover Mall, has proposed turning the existing indoor mall – which is considered “failing” with less than 50 percent occupancy – into a mixed-use, open-air lifestyle center with 297 high-end apartments. Although the retail portion of the project was approved, the residential component required variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals and approval of a site plan from the Planning Board. BG was hired to help secure these approvals and keep the project moving forward.
BG conducted in-depth intakes with a cross-section of Hanover residents to determine public sentiment. We then created marketing collateral including a project website, FAQ, and list of project benefits to distribute throughout the community. After holding a community outreach event attended by 350, BG then began a successful media relations campaign in prominent Boston-area outlets to familiarize PREP (based in Ohio) with Boston area communities and garner support for its mall revitalization project.
BG secured coverage in The Boston Globe, Bloomberg Radio, and New England Cable News. The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved the variances PREP needed to move forward to the next phase of permitting, which is still ongoing.
