Engagement
Building Community
At National Development, we are committed to the celebration and advancement of communities – communities in which we invest, develop and operate – as well as our own National Development and Cranshaw Construction community. Check out the following videos that illustrate some of the cool ways we’ve enlivened our communities with events, art, appreciation and our spirit of giving back.
2021
Day of Service
In September 2021, approximately 60 employees volunteered their time for a Day of Service with Heading Home, a local provider of emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing for low-income homeless families. National Development has a long-standing relationship with Heading Home, which serves nearly 1,500 homeless people in the Greater Boston area. Teams spent the day gardening, painting, cleaning, beautifying and setting up a brand new apartment home at several locations in Boston. This Day of Service is one of many volunteer opportunities planned throughout the year with several non-profit organizations.
2020
Coming Together During the Pandemic
National Development is grateful for its on-site staff that kept residents housed, offices running and construction sites moving during the COVID pandemic. In a time of great uncertainty, our community came together, adapted and supported each other in new and unexpected ways.
2019
Creating Workplace Communities
National Development is committed to enhancing the tenant experience at the many office properties we own and manage in Greater Boston. Our tenant engagement initiative, launched in 2018, is focused on strengthening workplace community and culture through events and experiences that bring people together. Through a series of complimentary programs based on food, fun and fitness, our goal is to make the workplace a more collegial and enjoyable environment, supporting our tenants in their quest to attract high-quality talent.
2019
Underground Mural Project 2019
Following the success of the inaugural installation in 2017, the 2019 Underground Mural Project brought nine additional murals to the park. Featuring local, national, and international artists, this powerful and impactful public installation is one of the largest examples of street art and infrastructure engagement in New England. Highly acclaimed by Murray Whyte, the Boston Globe’s leading art critic, the project is recognized as “a showcase for street art that puts Boston’s best alongside the best in the world.” Underground is also home to many small and large scale public events including a weekly summer fitness series and Boston’s first Donutfest.
2019
United Way 2017
At the 2017 Real Estate Leadership Breakfast, The United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack County honored National Development with its annual Norman B. Leventhal/Edwin N. Sidman Real Estate and Building Industry Leadership Award. The award is a tribute to a firm’s professional and philanthropic impact on the Greater Boston community.
2019
Underground Mural Project 2017
In September of 2017, nine large murals added color and vibrancy to the newly completed seven-acre urban park Underground at Ink Block. The inaugural installation, curated by Street Theory, features works by Cey Adams, Andrew Balboa, Don Rimx, Ewok, Hoxxoh, Imagine876, Marka27, Percy Fortini Wright, Problak, Thy Doan, Upendo, and Vyal One. Underground has received local and national attention from local press, travel guides, street art enthusiasts, and event producers. The project won a national AIA Honor Award for its unique design.