This report provides a market overview of the Mission Hill commercial district in Boston to understand existing and future market conditions. It analyzes demographic data and retail sales to define the trade area and customer base. Key findings include that the trade area population is around 21,000, primarily renters under 35 years old who rely on public transit. Residents and students represent over 75% of customers. The report also identifies anchors, clusters, and vacancies in the district and makes recommendations to improve cleanliness, safety, and attract desired businesses like restaurants and clothing stores.

1. MISSION HILL
MAIN STREETS
Market Research Overview - 2008

2. This report will provide Mission Hill Main
Streets, and its stakeholders, a variety of
quantitative and qualitative information to
understand the commercial district’s existing
and future market conditions, within the
context of greater Boston. Further, the report
will provide insight into opportunities for
business retention, expansion, recruitment,
and development.

3. Context
Back
Fenwa
Bay
y
Brooklin Dudle
e Village y
Squar
e
Jackso
n-Hyde

4. Context

5. Trade Area

6. Context: Facts & Figures
 Residential Population (2000 census): approx.
21,000
 Daytime Population Approximately 25,000
 Non-resident student population Approximately
10,000
 Area: approx. 0.75 square miles
 Major Roads: Huntington Ave, Columbus Ave,
Tremont Street, and South Huntington Ave
 Transit: Green Line E Branch, Orange Line, #66
Bus line, and #39 Bus line

7. Businesses
 90+ currently functioning enterprises (not
including home businesses)
 Concentrations in restaurant/food
service, convenience/grocery, pharmacy, pers
onal (i.e. hair salons), and professional (i.e.
banking) services
 Heavy concentration of institutional uses (i.e.
hospitals, schools, churches, not-for-profit
organizations, and public agencies) within the
district and sometimes occupying
commercial/retail buildings

8. Buildings
 More than 650,000 SF within commercial
district (does not include LMAA)
 Building Stock is predominantly “historic” in
nature (more than 50 years old) and is heavily
multi-use in design with small floor-plates
 One large scale modern-commercial
development (OBC) with a large floor-plate
 Moderate commercial vacancy rate…
 …though “under-developed” conditions do
exist on a number of parcels/properties

9. Vacancies
Location Square Footage
714 B -722 Huntington Ave 6,606
808 Huntington Ave 8,000
2-6 South Huntington Ave 4,076
12-14 South Huntington Ave 3,492
35 South Huntington Ave 4,000
81 South Huntington Ave 6,901
1443 Tremont Street 1,318
1447 Tremont Street 1,680
1455-61 Tremont Street 5,391
1596 Tremont Street 3,750
1612-(20) 1,500
144 Smith Street 2,080
Total Vacant Square Footage 48,794

10. Existing Conditions

11. Parking & Transit

12. Anchors & Clusters

13. Current Conditions
 Anchors
 Businesses (Stop & Shop, Restaurants (collectively),
BMRCC)
 Culture/Institutions (BCYF, The Mission Church, &
Library)
 Other (Green Space, Transit)
 Clusters
 Brigham Circle (anchored by OBC & BWH)
 Neighborhood Core/Tremont Street (anchored by the
Mission Church, the Tobin Center, & Sheehy Park)
 Roxbury Crossing & Terrace Street (anchored by
ORC (future), Building Materials Co-op, Diablo Glass,
& Mississippi’s)
 South Huntington (the forgotten cluster)

14. Current Conditions
 The Good
 Views
 Architecture
 Street-life/pedestrian traffic
 Green Space
 Robust Cultural & Institutional Anchors
 The Bad
 Congestion (ambulances, through/commuter traffic)
 blank walls/closed blinds
 dilapidated buildings/lots
 streetscape (litter, maintenance, street trees)

15. Trade Area

16. Trade Area Determination
 Identified a representative Sample of
Commercial District Businesses
 Interviewed/Surveyed Sample Businesses
Concerning Customer
Demographics/Geography
 Complimentary Data from Intercept Survey
 Developed a Composite Map Representative
of Contributing Data Averages

17. Trade Area Sample
AUTOMOTIVE Boston Clutch Works Crossing Auto Body LukOil
ARTS & MUSIC Diablo Glass and Metal Studios CLEANING
Joseph Sullivan Carpet Care DRY CLEANERS/LAUNDRAMATS
Hollywood II Cleaners Sofia's Alterations and Cleaners FINANCIAL
Citizen's Bank Sovereign Bank HEALTH SERVICES & FITNESS
Chi Wellness Clinic at Longwood Crossfit The Family Van
PERSONAL CARE Carmen's Beauty Salon Cut It Up Haircutters
Liz's Hair Care Nail Spa by Time PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Dahabshil (Multi-Service Center) Spinney's Insurance Agency
REAL ESTATE and PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Sunrise Real
Estate & Mortgage FOOD and BEVERAGE COFFEE SHOPS &
CAFES Butterfly Café JP Licks Mike's Donuts RESTAURANTS &
PUBS Brigham Circle Diner Flann O'Brien Pub Mississippi's
Penguin Pizza TGI Friday's The Squealing Pig PIZZA, SUBS AND
TAKE-OUT AK's Take-Out and Delivery Chacho's Pizza IL Mondo
Pizzeria Joseph's Pizzeria Kwik-E Subs RETAIL AC Hardware
Boston Building Materials Coop Martin's Beepers Tiny's Flowers of
Mission Hill Orchard Skateshop CONVENIENCE STORES AND
GROCERIES Stop and Shop WAN Convenience Pun JAB Mini
Mart LIQUOR STORES ODB Liquors Dara's Wine and Spirits

18. 2005 Trade Area Demographics
Trade Area Characteristics
Population 21,238
Households 7,508
Median Age 30.25
Avg. Persons p/ Household 2.83
Owner-occupied 14.8%
Family Households 38.4%
Non-Family Households 61.6%
Group Quarters Population 4,431
Households w/ no Vehicle 46.4%
Public Transit, Bicycle, or Walking as 88.3%
Primary Mode of Transportation

19. 2005 Trade Area Demographics
Income
Median Household Income $45,373
Average Household Income $34,018
Per Capita Income $17,860
Education Attainment
Some College/Associates 29.8%
Bachelors 21.8%
Masters or Higher 10.8%
Gender
Male 49%
Female 51%

20. 2005 Trade Area Demographics
Age % (according to 2007 intercept
survey)
Under 18 25.9% (5.8%)
18-34 26.1 (49%)
34-54 30.7 (27.9%)
55+ 17.4 (7.4%)
Race/Ethnic Origin
White 53.6%
Hispanic 15.7%
African American 20.2%
Asian 12.8%
Native Indian, Alaskan or Hawaiian or 0.6%
Pacific Islander
Other Race Alone 7.8%

21. Trade Area Demographic
Projections
2000 to 2010 residential population projection
according to the US Census is for flat to
slightly
negative growth for the overall trade area.
However, Boston (among numerous other large
urban centers) has repeatedly and
successfully corrected Census Projection
Methodology, which unfortunately does not
reach down to the tract level for estimates

22. Trade Area Demographic
Projections
Key Considerations
 1,400 + dormitory beds added within trade area
since the year 2000
 2.2 million SF of space added to the LMA area
(partially overlapping with trade area) since 2000
 2.4 million SF of additional space planned/under
construction in LMA area through 2010
 One Roxbury Crossing Proposed Development
 Nearly 500 units of new housing approved/under
review

23. Understanding The Mission Hill
Patron: Intercept Survey
 Original Survey Customers Surveyed
conducted in 2000
Residents
gathered information
from 200 customers 11.4
Students
9.5
 2007 survey
50.1
gathered information Longwoo
d
from more than 600 28.9
Employee
customers Business
Owner/E
 Identical survey mployee
format

24. 2007 Intercept Survey
Changes that would # %
increase patronage
Business Open Earlier 136 5.0
Business Open Later 255 9.3
Better Selection of 280 10.2
Goods/Services
Better Quality of 251 9.2
Goods/Services
Restaurant Delivery 208 7.6
Better Customer Service 218 8.0
Better Information 251 9.2
Increased Policing 250 9.1
Lower Prices 291 10.6
Improved Cleanliness 321 11.7
More Attractive 278 10.1
Stores/Storefronts

25. What the Mission Hill Customer
Wants
Top Ten Desired Business/Retail Options
1. Sit-down restaurants
2. Clothing stores
3. Retail stores
4. Bookstores
5. Convenient Food restaurants
6. Laundry/Cleaners
7. Cafes
8. Supermarket/Grocery/Specialty
9. Bars
10. Community/Social

26. Retail Sales (see hand out for
detail)
Retail Type
Groceries (minus beer, wine & liquor) $18,060,994
Restaurants & Taverns $73,939,963
Apparel, Accessories & Merchandise $2,807,991
Furniture & Home Goods $0
Hardware, Building Materials & $2,247,003
Garden
Office Supplies, Gifts, Stationary & $4,922,999
Novelty
General Merchandise $12,747,000
Electronics & Appliances $3,337,998

27. Retail Sales Potential (see
handout)
Retail Type
Groceries (minus beer, wine & liquor) $69,180,043
Restaurants & Taverns ($18,442,945)
Apparel, Accessories & Merchandise $36,709,016
Furniture & Home Goods $8,882,002
Hardware, Building Materials & $35,473,008
Garden
Office Supplies, Gifts, Stationary & $3,017,000
Novelty
General Merchandise $64,227,028
Electronics & Appliances $13,599,006
Total Leakage (minus $180,469,060
pharmaceuticals and institutional
sales)

28. Retail Sales Potential Analysis
 Certain Categories Currently Exceed Traditional,
Residential Expectations due to
adjacency/overlap w/ LMAA (i.e. Restaurants,
Textbooks, and Pharmaceuticals) but may still
have room for growth
 Nearly all “traditional” commercial district
categories show significant leakage (i.e. apparel,
general merchandise, home goods, office supplies
and novelties, and electronics)
 Other sales such as entertainment and
hotel/lodging, while not considered retail sales,
show market potential

29. Challenges & Barriers
 Institutional encroachment
 Fragmented market, transient populations
 High property valuations, market values for
leasing = barrier to small businesses and start-ups
 Little retail presence
 Lack of commercial/cultural anchors with strong
linkages to business (i.e. Theatre, Anchor
Stores/Attractions)
 Excessive institutional/“office” presence on first
floor retail spaces

30. Strengths
 Excellent access to large employment and student
base in the adjacent LMAA: 50,000+
 Excellent access to transit (orange line, green
line, #66, and #39 buses) and surface routes
(Huntington Ave, Columbus Ave)
 Excellent access to parks and green spaces
 Institutional Anchors (i.e. the Mission Church,
Library, MFA, BCYF Headquarters, LMAA)
 The Mission Hill business district serves a diverse
population: i.e. race/ethnicity, age, socio-
economic status, student/transient, professional,
and long-term residents/families

31. MHMS Action Strategies
 Business Member Program that incorporates high quality
technical support and advising for sustainability and growth
 Business Member Program that provides valuable and
detailed market research for members (i.e. customer
identification (a la zip codes), Claritas data, etc.
 Collective Branding/Identity
 Coordinated Calendar of Promotional Events & Activities
(substantially organized by businesses)
 Business Recruitment/Expansion targeted towards
“complimentary” and “leveraging” enterprises according to
current/project market trends
 Implementation of the Holy Trinity- Clean & Well-maintained
Storefront/Windows, Pretty Flowers/Plantings, Clear & Clean
Sidewalks

32. Top Areas for Business
Expansion/Recruitment
 Home goods, hardware
 Entertainment/Engagement (i.e. cooking school)
 Niche Retail: Artistic creative (i.e. funky t shirt
shop), Shoe store, second-hand clothing and
goods
 Hybrid: i.e. Comics/Music/Movies/Books,
Bookstore/Café/Bakery, Videostore & Inde-
Theatre, Laundry & Arcade
 Sports/Fitness/Lifestyle: i.e. Yoga Studio, full-
scale gym a la BSC, Gym/Sporting Goods Store
 Hotel/Extended Stay

33. Market Position Statement
Mission Hill is…
 The crossroads for Boston’s Medical, Research &
Academic communities
 Among the best connected commercial districts
outside of downtown w/ two rapid transit lines,
commuter rail access, multiple high-capacity bus and
shuttle routes situated between Rtes. 9 and 28
 A vibrant and diverse community representing a true
cross-section of Boston (students, young
professionals, and families)
 A neighborhood with architectural character and
amazing parks (and views) alongside restaurants,
shops, and services