Boston Redevelopment Authority
Back Streets - Industrial and Commercial Industry

"The goal of the Back Streets program is to support Boston's many small and medium-sized industrial and commercial companies by creating the conditions in which they can grow and prosper, and attract new manufacturing and commercial businesses to the city."

Thomas M. Menino
Mayor of Boston

Industry Landscape
Program Details
Additional Resources
Contact

Industry Landscape

Back Streets are Boston's manufacturing, wholesale, construction, commercial services, logistics and food processing businesses. Back Streets are integral to the life flow of the City and help form the City's Economic Backbone. These businesses are important because they not only provide revenue to the city but enable flow of goods and services and provide economic diversity to Boston's economy. Back Streets businesses encourage and enable entrepreneurship while foster competitive service providers.

Manufacturing
  • Metal/chemical/high tech

  • Printing and publishing


Wholesale
  • Distribution of goods

  • Receiving and reselling


Commercial Services
  • Services for other businesses

  • Data/security/maintenance


Logistics
  • Moving/transportation

  • Warehousing/storage


Building and Contractors
  • General contracting


  • Subcontractors


Food Processing and Importing
  • Fish/meat processing

  • Production



Program Details

Boston's Back Streets program retains and grows Boston's viable industrial and commercial businesses and their diverse job base through the strategic use of land, workforce and financial resources.

The Back Streets Program provides to individual businesses and small districts a range of comprehensive industrial planning services including area and development planning services to:

1. Protect industrial land use through planning and zoning
2. Identify opportunities for expansion and development
3. Identify transit and infrastructure improvements
4. Identify public realm improvements.

Moving people and commerce is critical to the success of area businesses, and the Back Streets Program has been instrumental in researching, proposing, and aiding the execution of several enhancements to the area, including an application for infrastructure improvements utilizing potential Public Works Economic Development Program grant funding.

Back Streets strengthens the industrial and manufacturing sector's footprint in Boston with a particular focus on the Newmarket Industrial area. Strategically located at the crossroads of Boston's highways, Newmarket is where Boston works, trades and moves. Area businesses employ over 11,000 people and generate over $3 billion in sales every year.

In conjunction with GreenTech, managers of these initiatives host business hours within the Newmarket area to service business owners conveniently and immediately.

Backstreets provides the following business assistance:

Site Selection - In addition to helping you identify possible locations for your business in one of Boston's 17 neighborhoods, the Boston Redevelopment Authority offers a range of very competitive real estate. For detailed information, please contact us

Financing Assistance - The BRA offers very competitive financing to businesses large and small for a wide range of needs.

Workforce Training Workforce Development
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Boston Redevelopment Authority News and Updates

Through our jobs and community service program, the BRA offers focused training opportunities for tomorrow's workforce. Recently, the city took the lead in dedicating a quarter of a million dollars to developing green workforce capacity.

Business Advocacy - Our experts assist current and prospective Boston industrial and commercial businesses navigate the City of Boston to facilitate access to technical assistance and funding. If you're at the earliest stages of your venture, we can help you think through your business plan. Let us know your needs, and we'll walk you through the process.


Additional Resources


Back Streets staff will assist businesses in accessing information, technical assistance, workforce development, and funding.
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Contact

Salvatore DiStefano, Back Streets Manager
617.918. 4338
Sal.DiStefano.bra@cityofboston.gov

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