–THE MOST GENEROUS MAN IN BRAINT

Posted in: Millis


?–THE MOST GENEROUS MAN IN BRAINTREE F.X.MESSIN

FIRST THERE WAS CAMPANELLI THEN FLATLEY
AND NOW FX MESSINA

BUILDING SUCCESS A LIFE OF SUCCESS A HARDSCRABBLE CHILDHOOD INSTILLED IN BRAINTREE DEVELOPER THE VALUE OF HARD WORK

In the late 1940s, finances forced Francis X. Messina to drop out of Braintree High School for a job as a construction laborer. Ever since, he has worked seven-day weeks to grow F.X. Messina Enterprises Inc. Messina is planning six residential and retail projects. So far, he's built about 2,000 housing units, 3 million square feet of industrial space, and 1 million square feet of retail in five suburban shopping centers from Braintree to Hartford. Messina, a licensed pilot in his 70s who is shopping for a helicopter, talked about his career with Globe correspondent Susan Diesenhouse.
Q. What are you developing now?
A. We just completed Turtle Crossing, a 201-unit 40B [affordable housing] condo [development], and next month will start site prep for a 136-unit 40B, Reservoir Crossing, here. In June, we'll finish building Casino Wharf in Falmouth Heights: a 200-seat restaurant and eight condos, $1.5 [million] to $2 million. By September, we'll finish Liberty Place, 12 condos here priced up to $750,000. In Rocky Hill, Conn., we're building Horizon Commons, a 170,000-square-foot shopping center.
Q. How did you get started?
A. I was working as a laborer for Cassoli Brothers, a Braintree builder, and got them to buy a dump truck. I thought they should buy a second but they didn't want to. So, with $350 I saved and $350 I borrowed from my boss and guys at work, I bought a truck and rented it back to Cassoli. I saved more money to buy industrial land around town. With two high school friends, I put in roads and buildings. I sold five acres to Coca-Cola for a warehouse distribution facility and with the cash bought more land. Sometimes we sold land to raise money but we've held most of it. Pieces we bought for $1,000 an acre now go for $500,000 and we're still developing it. I stayed in Braintree because it's a good location. . . . I was born and raised here; I know it.
Q. When did you get into residential?
A. In the 1950s, me and the late Frank Marinelli built $9,800 houses for veterans who put down $500. Then in the 1960s, I did custom ranch houses with one-car garages on old farms I bought. In the 1970s, we built Braintree Village [formerly known as Monatiquot Village], a 324-unit affordable rental complex with loans from the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency. Now, we're building luxury condos and just did a 40B condo project. So far, about 10 percent of our units have been for low-income people.
Q. Did neighbors resist the affordable housing?
A. Back in the '70s, people probably hated us for it. Even if they lived a mile away, they didn't want to be near housing with 25 percent low-income tenants. But later, the divorced mother or retired couple realized it helped them, too.
Q. Why risk the scorn of neighbors?
A. I was determined because I was a poor kid. My father died when I was 1 and my mother when I was 6. My sister, Grace, raised five boys I was the youngest so we didn't get put in an orphanage. I'm grateful and know what it's like to be on welfare. Grace once took me to city hall to get free shoes but I wouldn't wear them.
Q. What's been the most satisfying project?
A. In the 1980s, we renovated my old high school into 58 rental apartments, The Landmark. It was 99 percent complete when a fire gutted it. I was sick and considered tearing it down. But we got so many letters asking us to rebuild I had no choice. The condo market went soft so we rented. Now that the market's back, I won't sell. It means too much to a lot of people.
Q & A / FRANCIS X. MESSINA, FOUNDER, F.X. MESSINA ENTERPRISES INC.

By HE WHO WILL NOT BE DESTURBED
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  • megimoo
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Mister Braintree Frank Messina


Hollis playground opens
thanks to Mister Braintree Frank Messina

Tobin, along with Trish Murrin, Kathy Norton, Denise Queally, Sharon Joyce, Deb McMartin, Maureen Cawley-Gerety, and Karen Carey, spearheaded the playground project.
Tobin thanked the community and businesses for contributing to the playground.
He expressed special appreciation to developer-- Frank Messina-- for assisting town employees, community service personnel, and M.P. Masonry with their volunteer work during the final stages of building the playground.


''This is cool!'' shouted one child as she ran through the playground.
Donations of any size are joyfully and gratefully accepted!

We gratefully acknowledge the Phase I contributions of: Frank Messina
M.P. Masonry
Community Preservation Fund
Hollis Trust
Gardener's Guild
MEETING OF THE BRAINTREE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Ms. Kiley then spoke about the failed debt exclusion and the enthusiasm of Liberty parents. Three committees have been formed. Businesses have been approached for donations, and Mr. Frank Messina has pledged--- $50,000--- towards a Liberty Building Fund. Parents are contacting their employers and associations for contributions or matching funds. Pledge sheets have been circulated among parents and Liberty?’s third annual golf tournament will be held on Saturday, June 11. Arrangements have been made with a car detailing business that will rebate $50 back to the school with a purchase of $150. Liberty students are excited about holding a penny drive, and two girls in the primary grades asked that donations be made to the Liberty Building Fund in lieu of their birthday presents.
megi lives here too! amazing

wow.good for you.frank reports top poster dwells in this realm as well.

By THO
um',satan on line 1,frank

he would like to discuss delivery of your soul;says its his fair and square.
and NO he does not want to talk with your lawyer AGAIN!HE ALREADY IS CONFERENCING IN ON THIS CALL.

By one who knows the truth
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