Historic Redevelopment in Hyannis will include the first fiber-enabled residential units built on Cape Cod. OpenCape Corporation, the Barnstable-based nonprofit technology company that owns and operates our region's 100% fiber-optic network, has signed a letter of commitment with CapeBuilt Development, LLC to provide 100% fiber residential internet service at its 255 Main project in Hyannis.
CapeBuilt is completing its renovation of the historic Hyannis Board of Trade building at the intersection of Center Street and Main Street. On schedule for a June 1st ribbon-cutting, the building will include 10 residential units on the 2nd and 3rd floors, above 3,500 square feet of office/retail space on the 1st floor that is slated for CapeBuilt’s offices and a new neighborhood café. OpenCape is working with CapeBuilt to outfit and enable fiber connectivity throughout the building.
It is incredibly fitting that 255 Main will be the very first fiber enabled residential units on Cape Cod,” says OpenCape CEO Steven Johnston, who points out that the historic Hyannis Board of Trade building and its tenants played key roles in the evolution of modern-day Hyannis in the early 1900’s. “As we looked for ideal locations to pilot residential service, this location was an excellent fit based on our goals and objectives for the Hyannis downtown area.
Johnston notes that CapeBuilt Development is the type of forward-thinking partner OpenCape regularly seeks to collaborate with, as the redevelopment of 255 Main and CapeBuilt’s upcoming launch of construction for Sea Captains Row is part of a downtown revitalization for Hyannis that now extends to East Main Street. “The plans that Rob Brennan and his team at CapeBuilt have for connecting 255 Main to OpenCape will ensure that the residential and commercial spaces in the building will have access to one of the most sophisticated networks on the planet.
Reflecting on how access to the internet has emerged as a critical necessity during the stay at home advisory recently implemented in Massachusetts, Johnston feels that the past few weeks have shown that it will be imperative for individuals to be able to effectively work remotely in the future. “The only way that becomes truly possible is to ensure that they have access to robust, reliable and affordable internet connectivity in their homes,” he says.
For CapeBuilt President Rob Brennan, the redevelopment of 255 Main is as much about the future of Cape Cod as it is about preserving an important Hyannis landmark. “We describe 255 Main as being at the Cape’s intersection of hip and historic,” says Brennan, who describes the layout, finishes and technology in each unit as being akin to new developments in Boston, Providence or Brooklyn. “With the addition of OpenCape’s 100% fiber internet, residents at 255 Main will access the fastest internet on Cape Cod, on top of being able to walk to 40 food and beverage destinations, living just steps away from Island ferries, and enjoying easy access to some of America’s top-rated beaches,” said Brennan. “This project meets the needs and desires of young professionals and folks of any generation who are looking for a Cape-urban existence in which to live, work and play.”
OpenCape has been planning the 255 Main pilot project with CapeBuilt for the past few months, but now, as much of the country is currently working from home, it became the ideal time to announce the initiative publicly. “From the technical aspect, the equipment that we will be installing in Hyannis at 255 Main is exactly the same type of equipment that we are using on the Falmouth Main Street Initiative,” says Johnston, referring to the recent roll-out of an affordable shared gigabit business project in downtown Falmouth, a partnership with the Falmouth EDIC and Chamber of Commerce.
In a similar service structure to the Falmouth project, residents at 255 Main will have access to a shared Gigabit for less than $68 a month, (a cost that CapeBuilt is including as part of the first year rent at 255 Main), and will also have the ability to utilize VOIP phone service and the ability to stream any digital media service.
With projects such as 255 Main Street, CapeBuilt is ready to respond to the heightened significance of residential connectivity amid current events. Brennan notes that their volume of website, social media and email inquiries has dramatically increased over the past two weeks. “Folks throughout the Northeast are working remotely and reconsidering their residential options,” he says.
This collaboration is only the beginning for OpenCape in terms of supporting Fiber To The Home initiatives on the Cape, the Islands and in Southeastern, MA. “Our goal is to pick a handful of projects like 255 Main to use as examples for towns who are considering building their own fiber networks and connecting them to the OpenCape Network,” says Johnston.
OpenCape Corporation is a 501c3 nonprofit technology company headquartered in Barnstable Village at the Barnstable County Complex. OpenCape owns and operates a state-of-the-art 100% fiber-optic network built to serve local governments, businesses, and residents of Southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape & Islands and Rhode Island. For more information please visit www.opencape.org
CapeBuilt Development builds award-winning neighborhoods on Cape Cod and beyond. Its Dennis Port cottage colony, Heritage Sands, was recognized as “Community of the Year” by the National Association of Home Builders. For more information please visit CapeBuilt.com and 255Main.com
