Patriot Partners, a Massachusetts-based real estate developer, tapped BG to market an open-air lifestyle center at the former Raytheon site in Burlington and win approval of permits at Town Meeting. Unlike traditional malls, lifestyle centers are not built around anchor stores or a “big box” store, as the properties feature an open-air, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere designed to reflect the character of the Town and its neighboring communities.
BG introduced an aggressive grassroots public relations campaign to consolidate support from Town officials, key constituencies and Burlington residents to acquire approval at Town Meeting. BG also launched an interactive project website that provided access to all project information in a centralized location. To help communicate the right look and feel, BG also crafted a creative branding campaign around the Center. BG developed all collateral materials to augment and support the outreach campaign which paved the way for a summer 2005 groundbreaking.
Working closely with community leaders, BG developed a partnership with the community and created a groundswell of support. A strategic media outreach campaign also garnered positive editorials from the Burlington Union and Daily Times Chronicle in the days prior to Town Meeting. Other key media placements in the Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal and Banker & Tradesman generated positive visibility for the development and Wayside Commons was ultimately approved by Burlington Town Meeting with 75% of the members voting in favor of the project.
