Thoughts on Framingham?

[Ryan Hebert]

I lived in Framingham for a few years when I was really young, and even after moving I still spent quite a bit of time in the town. I picture its location, and I can only picture that it has enormous potential.

You have easy access to the Pike from multiple parts and subsequently commutability to both the I-495 and 128 technology belts, a commuter rail station to Boston, a growing public university, vibrant shopping at route 9, a bunch of relatively new reputable breweries, etc. It is also very close to wealthy suburbs like Wellesley, Natick, Sudbury and Wayland. Albeit to a lesser extent, it reminds me of Waltham: for a long time a rough and dirty city positioned perfectly and surrounded by Boston Brahmin towns.

Yet...property values are still low, rents are low, and it still has a reputation for being a rough now-city to live in. I'm someone interested in multi-families, so the northern half of SFHs north of route 9 doesn't interest me nearly as much as the center. I can't seem to find longitudinal crime data or property data, but what are your thoughts on it? Is this a city with untapped potential as people get priced out of inside 128, or is it too far from Boston and too suburban to move much from its current status?