MassEcon
August 2026
When commercial tenants are in the market for space, the site selection process comes down to more than square footage. Cost, tax incentives, access to talent, and proximity to customers were among the priorities that led Framebridge to recently execute a lease for approximately 40,000 SF of warehouse space in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Framebridge is a popular custom framing company that lets you frame almost anything, from standard photos and art prints, to jerseys, textiles, and 3D objects. MassEcon met with the Framebridge team, provided several initial real estate surveys for Western MA, and then connected the Framebridge team with Kelleher & Sadowsky to further assist with site selection and lease negotiation.
At the time, Framebridge was considering multiple states along the eastern seaboard for an additional production facility. Framebridge operates more than 40 retail locations, and this warehouse is intended to service its Northeast locations. With the help of MassEcon and Kelleher & Sadowsky, Framebridge determined that Western Massachusetts, and specifically the Greater Springfield market, offered the best combination of regional connectivity, access to skilled labor, and tax incentives. The site’s direct highway access via I-90 and I-91 placed it within a 3-hour drive of major Northeast markets, making it an efficient hub for servicing the company’s growing retail footprint.
One of the first things the K&S team did to support the site search was run a 30-minute drive-time analysis from each potential site. For Holyoke, a 30-minute drive put the property within range of both 13 colleges and universities – and a labor pool of approximately 375,000 within a 30-minute commute — a major factor in why the site was a strong fit. Subsequently, the team ran a 3.5-hour drive-time analysis to reflect Framebridge’s overnight courier loop between the warehouse and its retail locations. For Holyoke, a 3.5-hour drive put the site within range of 13 existing retail locations, with 6 more in the pipeline within that geography. This reinforced the location’s fit for distribution.
Given this analysis, the team put together a property survey identifying 12 properties that met Framebridge’s space requirements from a geography, cost, and infrastructure perspective. This list was narrowed to 5 properties for in-person tours, and following those tours, proposals were requested from two of the finalists. The team negotiated business terms on behalf of Framebridge, and shortly after, the parties moved to a fully executed lease in Holyoke, MA.
With strong support from both MassEcon, as well as the Massachusetts Office of Business Development and the City of Holyoke, the entire process took approximately 4 months – a timeline that reflects strong execution by all parties involved. After being connected by Kelleher & Sadowsky, Framebridge hired Timberline Construction. This efficiency continued throughout the planning, design, and construction process. Framebridge hired Timberline Construction to meet an aggressive move-in schedule, ensuring its operations would be up and running in time for the peak holiday season. Timberline successfully completed the design, permitting, and construction of the first phase of the production area on schedule in 12 weeks.
Framebridge’s decision to do business in Holyoke reflects a pattern Massachusetts sees repeatedly. The state’s deep talent pipeline, anchored by dozens of colleges and universities across its regions, gives companies reliable access to skilled labor, while its highway and rail infrastructure keeps that talent connected to the rest of the Northeast. Combined with targeted tax incentives and a network of regional economic development partners ready to guide site selection, Massachusetts offers a rare combination of market access and cost efficiency. For businesses weighing where to grow, Massachusetts continues to prove that it’s a strong place to both operate and expand.
