Renowned wholesale bakery to move into space nearly six times its current size; Jessica’s expects to more than double workforce to nearly 200 within a year

 North Andover, Mass., July 30, 2010 - Ozzy Properties, Inc., a premier property manager in the Merrimack Valley, today announced that Jessica’s Brick Oven, Inc., a longtime wholesale bakery serving customers throughout New England, has signed a multi-year lease at Ozzy’s Osgood Landing facility here.

 Jessica’s Brick Oven, which currently is located in an 11,000-square-foot facility in Woburn, will occupy 63,000-square feet of space to accommodate its expanding bakery operation. Nabil Boghos, owner of Jessica’s Brick Oven, said he expects to move into Osgood Landing by late August or early September. Terms of the lease were not disclosed.

 Boghos said he was drawn to Osgood Landing in part for its prime location. “The most appealing thing to us was the excellent location of the building,” he noted. “A lot of my distributors are located in the Merrimack Valley so it was critical for us to choose a location that met that criteria. Osgood Landing more than fit that need.”

 Jessica’s, which offers nearly a dozen categories of hand-crafted artisan breads such as Tuscan breads, focaccia breads and other specialty breads, will make the breads at the Osgood Landing premises. It currently distributes its breads throughout New England in specialty shops and supermarkets including Stop & Shop and DeMoulas/Market Basket.

 Boghos also noted that the new facility will allow him to increase Jessica’s workforce from its current 75 employees to nearly 200 within the next year. Jessica’s plans to hire a range of positions, including IT workers, accountants, sales support, bakers and custodians. Boghos attributes the success of his business on consumer demand for more healthy foods.

 ”People are more health conscious about what they’re eating,” said Boghos, who bought the 13-year-old company two years ago with his wife, Rose. “Consumers are looking for healthier food products and all of our breads are all-natural products with no chemicals and no yeast.”

 Ozzy officials are pleased to have Jessica’s Brick Oven as a new tenant.

 ”We’re thrilled to welcome Jessica’s Brick Oven to Osgood Landing,” said Orit Goldstein, president of Ozzy Properties. “This is a top-flight organization that has made tremendous strides in recent years. And we know that Osgood Landing has the necessary infrastructure and amenities that will allow Jessica’s Brick Oven to grow for years to come.”

 Boghos agrees. “Orit Goldstein and the entire Ozzy Properties team have been tremendous to work with,” said Boghos. “The terms were favorable to what I was looking for and I really like the fact that we have room to expand.”

 Osgood Landing was formerly occupied by Lucent Technologies. Ozzy Properties acquired the facility in 2003 and continues to redevelop the property for multi-tenant use.

About Ozzy Properties, Inc.
Ozzy Properties, Inc., formed in 1994 in Andover, Mass., is a premier property manager in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts. Ozzy currently has 2.5 million square feet of office space and 100 residential units under management in the Massachusetts communities of Andover, North Andover, Lawrence, Boston and Methuen. Ozzy’s strength lies in its ability to significantly improve underutilized, distressed or foreclosed properties, and then return them to the rental market at aggressive rates. For more information, visit www.ozzyproperties.com.

CPower, Inc. cites prime location, tenant mix as attributes;
Osgood Landing continues to attract green technology companies 

North Andover, Mass., July 2010 - In keeping with its growing portfolio of green technology tenants, Ozzy Properties, Inc., a premier property manager in the Merrimack Valley, today announced that CPower, Inc., a top energy management services company, is relocating to Ozzy’s Osgood Landing facility in North Andover.

Financial terms for the deal were not disclosed. CPower, which is headquartered in New York City, will occupy just over 4,000 square feet of office space on the third floor for this regional office. About 25 employees will work at the location, which will be used as a software and project management office.

CPower, which has about 100 employees at various locations nationally, delivers targeted energy management services and solutions that enable companies to optimize their facilities and operations through strategic energy reduction initiatives, and earn market payments for those reductions.

North Andover officials noted that the arrival of CPower continues Osgood Landing’s growing reputation as a facility for energy-focused companies.

“A lot of leading-edge alternative energy companies are located at Osgood Landing, which has established itself as a sound resource for emerging companies,” said Curt Bellavance, community development director for the town of North Andover. “CPower’s arrival is further proof of Osgood Landing’s draw on a variety of companies. It is truly becoming a leading center for green technology organizations.”

In addition to CPower, Osgood Landing is home to green technology companies such as Nexamp, Inc., a clean energy advisory services company; PanelClaw, Inc., which develops mounting solutions for photovoltaic modules; and Baystate Biofuels, a renewable energy company. 

Ozzy officials are pleased with CPower’s arrival, noting that they add yet another green technology dimension to the mix.

“We’re thrilled to welcome CPower to Osgood Landing,” said Orit Goldstein, president of Ozzy Properties. “CPower is a true energy pioneer that has a deep understanding of energy management technologies. We’re confident that our facility will provide them with the resources they need to continue to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.”

Osgood Landing was formerly occupied by Lucent Technologies. Ozzy Properties acquired the facility in 2003 and continues to redevelop the property for multi-tenant use.

Contact: Jason Kauppi

617-489-0077

jkauppi@kauppi.us

Ellen J Keller

978-681-5004 x113

ekeller@ozzyproperties.com

For Immediate Release

Massachusetts start-up will open doors in summer 2009 creating jobs and boosting the state and local economy.

North Andover, MA  – May 14, 2009 – Baystate Biofuels, LLC (www.baystatebiofuels.com) is taking the final steps necessary to officially open its doors and start delivering a green energy, petroleum alternative to the region.  With a lease signed with Ozzy Properties Inc., construction of the biodiesel terminal at Osgood Landing in North Andover will begin by end of May 2009 with product ready to sell by summer’s end.

“I am thrilled that Baystate Biofuels has decided to make North Andover its home,” said State Representative David Torrisi.  “In a time of economic uncertainty, the creation of green job opportunities for the constituents of my district will provide much needed support.  I am very excited to watch the growth of Baystate Biofuels as a distributor of renewable fuel alternatives in our state.”

Baystate Biofuels’ North Andover terminal will be the first full-scale commercial facility dedicated to biodiesel distribution in Massachusetts.  It will utilize existing storage tanks at Osgood Landing, an office and manufacturing complex made up of nearly 2 million square feet that was formerly occupied by Lucent Technologies.

Baystate Biofuels will distribute biodiesel to oil companies to blend with petroleum diesel for use in automobiles and home heating to fulfill the requirements of the Clean Energy Biofuels Act of 2008.

The state’s Clean Energy Biofuels Act requires 2 percent biofuel as a component of all diesel fuel and home heating fuel sold in the Commonwealth.  The required percentage ramps up to 5 percent by 2013.  Massachusetts is the first state in the nation to require biofuel in home heating oil.

Baystate Biofuels will be able to compete year long with retail prices of diesel and winter wholesale prices of heating oil.

“We are proud to be the greenest, most sustainable wet fuel distributor in the United States, leveraging existing infrastructure to cut down on waste and minimize environmental impact,” said Jesse Reich, Ph.D., the CEO of Baystate Biofuels.  The company will use solar-powered photovoltaic cells to provide green electricity for the distribution terminal and plans to harnesses excess steam from a nearby construction waste-to-energy plant to keep the biodiesel in storage tanks hot.

Using biodiesel as opposed to petroleum products reduces greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 78.5%.  “This is terrific news both for our economy and the environment,” said State Senator Steven Baddour. “Baystate Biofuels is a real leader when it comes to renewable energy, and this will be a real boost to North Andover and to the Commonwealth as a whole.”

Another benefit of Baystate Biofuels launching its operations will be the creation of green jobs to an area of the state that recently lost 16,000 jobs.  Congressman John Tierney, who was an original co-author of the Green Jobs Act, applauded the company’s efforts stating, “Another benefit of companies like Baystate Biofuels launching operations now will be the likely creation of green jobs to an area of the state that recently lost significant numbers of jobs. It is precisely these types of initiatives that can help bolster our communities’ workforce in the global green economy. America can and should be at the forefront of this movement. It clearly seems Baystate Biofuels understands that.”

The company is planning a July kickoff event for potential customers to tour the facility and learn how Baystate Biofuels can help them fulfill the requirements of the Clean Energy Biofuels Act of 2008.

About Baystate Biofuels, LLC

Baystate Biofuels is a renewable energy company working to combat global warming and the effect of shrinking oil reserves. We produce and distribute alternative fuels and promote green energy production. The energy content of our products is comparable to petroleum-based products and our products work in existing equipment. Our economically sound, bio-derived alternatives to petroleum products reduce environmental impacts from combustion and provide opportunities for the communities in which we operate. We are a sustainable ASTM-grade biodiesel production and distribution company with a footprint in USA, China and Ghana.  From more information, please visit www.baystatebiofuels.com or email info@baystatebiofuels.com.

About Ozzy Properties, Inc.

Ozzy Properties, Inc., formed in 1994 in Andover, Mass., is a premier property manager in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts. Ozzy currently has two million square feet of office and retail space and 100 residential units under management in the Massachusetts communities of Andover, North Andover, Lawrence, Boston and Methuen. Ozzy’s strength lies in its ability to significantly improve underutilized, distressed or foreclosed properties, and then return them to the rental market at aggressive rates.

North Andover property manager announces deals with three facilities;
Combining workforce agencies under one roof to benefit center users, job-seekers

Lawrence, Mass., Jan. 01, 2009 – Ozzy Properties, a premier property manager located in North Andover, announced that it has renewed leases with two workforce-related agencies and signed a fresh lease with another organization at its beautifully renovated Heritage Place facility in Lawrence, enabling professionals and job-seekers alike to benefit from the consolidated location.

The lease signings were hailed as a success on many fronts, particularly in light of the fact that the commercial real estate market continues to slump in the recession. However, Heritage Place, a 300,000-square-foot building housing nearly three dozen tenants, is substantially leased.

The City of Lawrence’s Department of Training and Development and the Valleyworks Career Center, both tenants since 2002, renewed their leases. The Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board, previously located on Island Street in Lawrence, moved to the new site in December. The lease agreement extends for five years and the three agencies occupy 18,760 square feet of first class office and training space.

Fred Carberry, director of the Workforce Investment Board, which is the oversight entity for the Valleyworks Career Center, is pleased with the new location. “Relocating to Heritage Place has improved our level of communication with Valleyworks,” said Carberry. “We’re always looking for ways to save time and money and this new location gives us the opportunity to share resources that we were previously unable to achieve. The consolidation improves the functionality of the entire system.”

Arthur Chilingirian, executive director of the Valleyworks Career Center, lauded Ozzy’s Heritage Place facility for its location, access to public transportation and proximity to major highways. “This facility enables us to centralize our activities, which is a benefit to both the organizations and officials we deal with as well as job seekers using the center’s resources,” said Chilingirian.

The career center, which occupies about 17,000 square feet, has provided nearly 9,000 job seekers during the past six months with access to resources such as computers, copiers, telephones and other research materials. “This is a spacious and efficient resource for job seekers,” noted Chilingirian.

Orit Goldstein, President of Ozzy Properties, said that the three organizations reviewed other potential building sites before ultimately signing leases with Ozzy.

“We’re very pleased that three important agencies agreed to sign leases with Ozzy Properties,” said Goldstein. “The Valleyworks Career Center, the Workforce Investment Board and the city of Lawrence’s Department of Training and Development are critical agencies making a significant impact on people’s lives and we’re proud to have them at Heritage Place.”

Heritage Place is a 300,000 square foot commercial facility located one half mile north of Andover’s Shawsheen Square, in South Lawrence, MA and right off I-495’s exit 41.  Enjoying our new ownership and a comprehensive renovation, this facility is once again home to many of the economic engines of the Merrimack Valley.

The lease signing follows other significant announcements by Ozzy Properties during the past year. Last fall, Ozzy announced a lease with Fire Pro Incorporated at its Osgood Landing facility in North Andover. And last summer, Ozzy Properties earned the distinction of having the largest privately owned solar array in Massachusetts installed on Osgood’s Landing roof.

Osgood Landing, an office and manufacturing complex made up of nearly 2 million square feet, was formerly occupied by Lucent Technologies. Ozzy Properties acquired the half-century-old building in 2003 and is in the process of reconfiguring it for multi-tenant use.

North Andover property manager currently producing the most solar power of any privately-owned facility in Massachusetts

North Andover, Mass., June 2008 – Ozzy Properties, a premier property manager, today announced that its Osgood Landing facility has earned the distinction of having the most solar power of any privately-owned photovoltaic array in Massachusetts, an important development as companies increasingly see the value of alternative energy sources.

Nexamp, Inc., a North Andover renewable energy company that delivers a broad range of turnkey solutions that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for businesses, governments, and homeowners, recently installed two solar arrays on Osgood Landing’s roof.

“Ozzy Properties has the vision to understand that alternative energy sources are critical to the future success of businesses regionally and nationally,” said Daniel P. Leary, president and chief operations officer for Nexamp, Inc. “We are very pleased to have installed these in what truly is a groundbreaking day for the state.”

Leary noted that the arrays were built with more than 95 percent of components manufactured in Massachusetts, including Evergreen Solar, Solectria Renewables, and PanelClaw. National Grid has subsequently approved the interconnection for the building’s second array.

The building’s photovoltaic panels currently produce more than 170 kilowatts of capacity, equivalent to powering the equivalent of almost 200 homes on a sunny day.  The array feeds clean power directly into the building, offsetting the amount of “brown” power that must otherwise be purchased from the utility.

Orit Goldstein, president of Ozzy Properties, said the installation is beneficial  for environmental and financial reasons. “We are proud to be on the forefront of a growing business environmental movement and are confident that our efforts will spur other companies to take similar actions,” said Goldstein.

Additionally, Goldstein said, Nexamp installed the arrays below cost projections and Ozzy expects to see a return on its investment in less than five years before enjoying 20 years of free power from the sun. “The notion that we can do something that is environmentally sound while also achieving a financial benefit is particularly appealing,” said Goldstein.

Osgood Landing, an office and manufacturing complex made up of nearly 2 million square feet, was formerly occupied by Lucent Technologies. Ozzy Properties acquired the half-century-old building in 2003 and is in the process of reconfiguring it for multi-tenant use.

Ophir nearly doubles space with move to former Bell Labs facility in North Andover; company makes lenses used in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan

North Andover, Mass., December, 2007 – Signaling a new beginning for the former Bell Laboratories building here, Ophir Optics, Inc. has signed a multi-year lease with Ozzy Properties to occupy a 32,000-square-foot space on the grounds of Osgood Landing.

Ophir Optics’ arrival marks the first tenant to occupy space in Bell Labs’ research and development facility at the 1600 Osgood St. site in North Andover. Ophir manufactures lenses and optical components for use in infrared optical systems, including night vision equipment used in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Although the majority of Ophir’s current customers are defense-related, there are a growing number of non-military uses such as homeland security, automotive night vision and industrial applications.

Dennis Cope, president of Ophir Optics, heralded the new facility. “Ophir has grown rapidly over the past few years and the Osgood Landing location provides us with the room for continued expansion,” said Cope “This site clearly allows us to become more strategic with our planning and manufacturing needs.”

Ophir Optics, founded in 2003, currently employs 72 workers at a 19,000-square foot building in Wilmington. Cope expects the company to employ about 100 by the end of 2008.  Cope said a deciding factor in choosing Osgood Landing was the site’s significant electrical capacity since Ophir’s manufacturing requires more electrical power than most companies.

Cope noted that the Osgood site has the necessary power for future growth and has the advantage of supplying electricity from two separate power feeds. Also, the facility can switch from one feed to another in case one has a power outage. “Maintaining our operations on a continuous basis without being shut down is critical for us,” he said.

As Ophir grows, it expects to add new employees with experience in optics, computer numerical controlled machining, thin film coatings and quality assurance.

Osgood Landing, an office and manufacturing complex made up of nearly 2 million square feet, was formerly occupied by Lucent Technologies. Ozzy Properties acquired the facility in 2003 and is in the process of reconfiguring it for multi-tenant use.

NAI Hunneman Commercial of Boston served as the broker on the deal and Evan Gallagher, Jim Boudrot and Steve James were the brokers. Hunneman cited numerous attributes to the lease signing, including ideal location and solid infrastructure. “The location of the building was very attractive to Ophir as 1600 Osgood has great highway access and the site is a middle ground for their employee base,” noted Gallagher.

Ozzy Properties President Orit Goldstein said Ophir’s arrival represents a positive sign for other companies considering moving to the facility in the future. “We’re very pleased that such a high-end and well established company such as Ophir Optics would move to our facility,” said Goldstein. “That is testament to the fact that our infrastructure and building space are second to none and increasingly relevant in our global economy.”

Curt Bellavance, community development director for North Andover, said Ophir’s arrival may spur additional businesses to move to the facility. “The town is very excited that a company of Ophir’s caliber has decided to come to North Andover,” said Bellavance. “We are positive that Ophir will be happy with their decision to move to Osgood Landing and we expect many more businesses will choose to do business at Osgood Landing.”

North Andover, MA – The redevelopment of one of the most significant commercial/industrial manufacturing properties in the Merrimack Valley region has officially begun with the sale on September 3rd of the former Lucent Merrimack Valley property.  The property was acquired by a group managed by Andover based Ozzy Properties.

The acquisition is the third major adaptive reuse project undertaken by Ozzy Properties, and its president, Orit Goldstein.  She has previous success in redeveloping Dundee Office Park in Andover, Massachusetts and most recently, Heritage Place in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Mrs. Goldstein, who has spearheaded this campaign, commented  “This is a vital turning point for this facility and ultimately for the economic health of the region.  We are committed to responsible redevelopment and reuse of this property that will result in long lasting benefits for the entire Merrimack Valley.”

The property consists of over one and a half million square feet of space situated on 169 acres North Andover, and has served as a major employer within the research and manufacturing sector for several decades.  1600 Osgood Street, LLC hopes to revitalize the facility, with new tenants, and take advantage of the modern office, manufacturing, research and development, and warehousing facilities.

The transaction is the result of more than 18 months of hard work and would not have been possible without the support of the entire Merrimack Valley community.  Robert Halpin, of the Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council, played an essential role in assisting with various state and local agencies to explore the adaptive re-uses of the property, including the state brownsfield redevelopment program.  Michael Rosen of Devine, Millimet & Branch, PA, counsel for the acquiring developer, believes that the property’s potential could result in tremendous benefits for the region. “The highest and best use of this property is to redevelop it as a center for commercial and industrial manufacturing.  This property has played an important historical role over several decades in driving the Merrimack Valley region’s economy.”

Ozzy Properties has also received significant legislative support from State Senators Tucker and Baddour, as well as State Representatives Feingold and Torrissi during this long process.

Joseph Bevilacqua, President of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, has been an ardent supporter of the project and has been vocal in his desire to maintain jobs and attract new companies to the Merrimack Valley.

Gaylord Burke, Executive Director of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC) wrote that if the facility, “…were able to employ even half of its previous levels, it would still have tremendous beneficial results for the region including direct and indirect job creation, increasing the local tax base, increasing the Regional Gross Product, and helping to preserve open space.”  Mrs. Goldstein reports that discussions are currently underway for the facilities reuse, and that they hope to attract several major companies as tenants in the very near future.  Based upon the condition of the property, which has been updated, renovated and significantly improved over the years, and its unique adaptability to a wide variety of commercial uses, they fully expect to be successful in keeping current businesses within the Merrimack Valley, as well as attracting new businesses from outside of the region.

Local, regional, and state economic developments officials have agreed that the 169-acre site has a number of assets that make it an excellent prospect for immediate reuse, including:

• close proximity to Route 495, the junction of Routes 93 and 95, the Lawrence Municipal Airport, commuter and freight rail lines, commuter bus routes;
• state-of-the-art mechanical infrastructure;
• forty-one acres of parking with more than 6,000 parking spaces;
• recently renovated full-service cafeteria, high tech, fully automated 250-seat auditorium, executive conference rooms, and closed circuit television system;
• in excess of 1.5 million rentable square feet, including 954,000 square feet of manufacturing space, 301,000 square feet of office space, and 112,000 square feet of warehouse space;
• centrally located in the Andover/Lawrence/Haverhill area, the population and geographic center of the region.

1600 Osgood Street, LLC was assisted in acquiring the facility by Attorney Michael Rosen, of Devine, Millimet & Branch, P.A.; Steven Druth of Druth Commercial Real Estate, Inc.; and Vanasse, Hangen, Brustlin, Inc. as its engineers.  Financing for the project was made available by Banknorth, N.A.