Officials from Factory Mutual Engineering and Research Corp. broke ground yesterday for a major $7 million conference and training center at their Route 1 complex.
Situated on a scenic, wooded 30-acre tract north of the existing complex near the Neponset River, the self-contained facility will feature a five-story private hotel with accommodations for 125 insurance agents attending training sessions, alongside 24 conference rooms and modern dining facilities.
The project is projected to create 50 to 100 initial staff jobs, adding to Factory Mutual’s existing Norwood workforce of approximately 1,400 employees.
Massachusetts Governor Edward J. King joined Factory Mutual Engineering President John A. Love and George R. West, chairman of the Factory Mutual Systems executive committee, to turn the first shovels of earth in a ceremony attended by company executives, spouses, and local Norwood town officials. Praising state cooperation, President Love noted that assistance from the governor’s office in navigating state bureaucracy shaved six to eight months off the project’s timeline. Governor King hailed the new facility as an encouraging indicator for the state’s economic vitality, though he cautioned that regional challenges—such as energy cost hikes and cutbacks at the General Dynamics Shipyard in Quincy—still required attention. (Photography by Larry Welsh).
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More…
-
Underground Gasoline Tanks Excavated at Rojo’s on Route 1 Found Free of Leaks, Fire Chief Reports-August 16, 1990
Norwood Fire Chief Thomas Barry reported that underground fuel tanks removed during upgrades at Rojo’s Car Wash on Route 1 were free of leaks, with only minor piping wear detected.
-
EPA Orders 4 Out-of-State Firms and 3 Individuals to Pay $16 Million for Grant Gear Works PCB Cleanup- August 15, 1990
The U.S. EPA ordered four out-of-state companies and three individuals to pay $16 million to remediate the Grant Gear Works site off Route 1 and Dean Street.
-
Two Norwood Restaurants Lock Legal Horns Over Town’s Final Available Liquor License-August 8, 1990
With competing applications from O’Toole’s on Carnegie Row and The Great American Pub off Route 1, Norwood selectmen voted 3-1 to proceed with hearings despite legal threats from rival attorneys over zoning technicalities.
-
Suspicious Three-Alarm Fire Destroys Simoni Flowers on Route 1-August 10, 1990
A suspicious three-alarm fire destroyed wholesale buildings and greenhouses at Simoni Flowers on Route 1, drawing over 75 firefighters from five towns.
-
Eight Norwood Women Launch the Town’s First Official Bar Tour-August 18, 1989
Armed with clipboards and a rented minivan, eight Norwood women spent seven hours visiting 23 local bars in the town’s first Official Bar Tour, rating each spot on service and atmosphere.
-
Business Leaders Question “Anti-Commerce” Town Direction-August 15, 1989
Following a 2-2 selectmen vote denying a food license for a $1 million Taco Bell on Route 1, the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce warned of an anti-business trend.
-
Selectmen Deadlock on License for Proposed Taco Bell-August 9, 1989
Norwood selectmen deadlocked 2-2 on a food license for a proposed $1 million Taco Bell showcase at Route 1 and Dean Street, pitting Chairman John Kinnaly against William Butters and Gary Lee.
-
Ethnic Diversity a Source of Pride as Norwood Prepares for Comprehensive Master Plan and Zoning Overhaul-August 18, 1988
As Norwood celebrates the harmonious ethnic diversity of South Norwood, town planner Sharon Wason leads a $135,000 master plan initiative to overhaul zoning and protect residential neighborhoods.
-
Norwood Tries to Solve Two-Mile Route 1 Zoning Puzzle After Decades Without Regulations-August 17, 1988
Town planner Sharon Wason and local officials are tackling a two-mile unzoned stretch of Route 1 in Norwood, aiming to establish setbacks and landscaping rules after 20 years of regulatory gaps.
-
Developer Says Route 1 Has Become a ‘Hot Location’ for Businesses Following Opening of Galleria Mall-August 17, 1988
Galleria Realty Trust president Robert Piso and local tenants praise the retail boom along Route 1 as the Galleria by the Green shopping center nears full occupancy in Norwood.
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.