Massive theater chain National Amusements—operator of 1,500 screens—has acquired a temporary corporate headquarters in Norwood, purchasing a 64,542-square-foot office building located at 846 University Ave. for $9.4 million. The move accommodates the company while its longtime Dedham headquarters is demolished to make way for the ambitious Legacy Place lifestyle mall project.
According to real estate brokerage NAI Hunneman Commercial of Boston, which represented the buyer, the University Avenue property proved an ideal fit for a seamless transition due to its close proximity in neighboring Norwood. CB Richard Ellis/New England represented the seller, real estate company Maric Inc. Built in 1985, the modern office building had remained vacant since New York Life Insurance relocated to 690 Canton St. in Westwood over a year prior. National Amusements spokeswoman Wanda Whitson did not immediately disclose specific timelines regarding the length of the temporary stay.
The relocation is driven by the large-scale redevelopment of National Amusements’ 47-acre parcel at the southern end of Route 128 in Dedham. Partnering with developer New England Development of Newton (owners of the Chestnut Hill Mall and builders of The Shops at Five in Plymouth), the site is being transformed into Legacy Place, a 600,000-square-foot open-air lifestyle center anchored by a 16-screen National Amusements multiplex, along with marquee retailers such as L.L. Bean, Anthropologie, and New England’s largest Whole Foods Market. Project developers are targeting upscale shopper demographics, noting that approximately 204,000 residents with an average household income of $88,000 live within a five-mile radius of the Dedham property, with a grand opening anticipated for the following fall.
Simultaneously, Legacy Place faces regional retail competition from rival developers proposing the massive 4.5-million-square-foot Westwood Station project nearby on University Avenue in Westwood. There, Boston-based Cabot, Cabot & Forbes has accumulated 135 acres of industrial land to plan over 1 million square feet of shops, offices, and housing.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
More Norwood Business History
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Endurance, enthusiasm, and a whole lot of wheels came together at Roll-Land as approximately 30 dedicated skaters successfully completed a grueling 24-hour skate-a-thon, raising at least $3,200 for the Jerry Lewis telethon drive in the fight against muscular dystrophy. Marathon Success and Community Spirit Kicking off at 6:00 p.m. Monday, the marathon concluded at approximately…
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Swampland Transformed Into Norwood Country Club Golf Course-August 29, 1975
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Fate of South Norwood’s Dealers’ Cafe Rests on Upcoming Hearing-August 21, 1975
With the Dealers’ Cafe closed since winter, the state ABCC will review its license status while Norwood Selectman William F. Butters pushes to transfer the permit to Route 1.
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Norwood Entrepreneurs Launch Innovative Video Home Inventory Service to Ease Insurance Claims-August 20, 1975
Utilizing cutting-edge audio-video technology, Norwood’s Michael Cardaci Jr. and Christopher McKinnon founded Panvidicon Video Assurance Co. to catalog home possessions for insurance claims.
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Norwood Selectmen Fight State Over Iron Horse Outdoor Liquor License-August 21, 1974
Norwood selectmen resist a state ABCC mandate to grant an outdoor liquor license to the Iron Horse’s Mida Piazza Garden.
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Norwood Selectmen Mandate Uniform Meter Rates for Local Taxi Companies-August 8, 1973
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Seeds Of Vast Industrial Development Planted-July 10, 1973
On July 10, 1973, the industrial committee in Norwood underwent a significant reorganization, appointing local developer Robert L. Rizzo as chairman and establishing a five-member steering committee to promote business and industry within the town. ⠀ The committee’s primary focus was to advance a plan for “garden-type industrial development” on a large parcel of land…
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Norwood Plastics Firm Starts Full Operations-This Day In Norwood History-July 21, 1969,
The dawn of a new era in Norwood’s industrial landscape unfolded on July 21, 1969, as the Gamma Platics Corporation embarked on its full-scale manufacturing operations. Nestled at 370 Lenox St., this pioneering plastics firm was poised to revolutionize the industry with its custom injection molding services. At the helm of this innovative venture stood…
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Polaroid Begins Production At Norwood Complex-July 9, 1969
In 1969, Polaroid began producing goods in their newly constructed facility on the former Forbes Estate in Norwood.
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Polaroid Corporation Conducts Site Studies on 220-Acre Forbes Estate in Norwood and Westwood-August 8, 1967
Partnering with landscape architects Sasaki, Dawson and Demay, the Polaroid Corp. is actively surveying its 220-acre Forbes Estate in Norwood and Westwood to draft revised facility and manufacturing plans.
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