Major Requirements Give Boost to Suburbs

LEXINGTON, MA-Spring remains more than a week away, but the suburban Boston office landscape is already sprouting hefty prospects that portend a busy leasing season. Sources tell GlobeSt.com that Citizens Bank has a requirement between 150,000 sf and 200,000 sf that would consolidate its South Shore operations and possibly select Rhode Island offices, while VistaPrint is said to be seeking upwards of 400,000 sf to facilitate its surging platform.

“They are growing rapidly,” one source says of VistaPrint in calling the firm “a great Massachusetts story.” The need follows a 2006 lease of 165,000 sf at Two Ledgemont Center in Lexington now serving as the digital imaging company’s headquarters. Aided by DTZ FHO Partners principals Joseph Fallon and Brian Hines, VistaPrint has reportedly been mulling options along Route 128 north from Waltham and up to the Sun Microsystems campus in Bedford.

Acquired last summer by Nordic Properties and the Nordblom Co. for $212 million, the 158-acre Sun campus has 800,000 sf of existing space and the ability to add another 570,000 sf, making it among a handful of parks in Greater Boston that could accommodate VistaPrint’s super-sized needs. Nordblom officials and Hines were unavailable to discuss the rumors.