Firm takes account of Worcester, and likes what it sees

He calls it a “hub-and-spoke” strategy: one central location (in Quincy) and several smaller outlying offices, including in Newton and Cranston, R.I. The firm also has three offices in Connecticut. And it’s looking to double the size of its downtown Boston office, currently at One International Place, potentially by moving into a new tower. Coming soon: a Merrimack Valley outpost.

Then there’s the 5,000-square-foot Worcester office. Two of his partners live in the Worcester area, in Shrewsbury and Holden, and two new recruits joined the firm because they knew about the office opening, which will take place around the end of the summer.

Renstrom, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute alum who is Blum’s Massachusetts managing partner, has had his eyes on New England’s second-largest city for a while. Perry, a Holy Cross graduate, has also been talking up the city’s merits.

Renstrom wants to open the Worcester office to draw talent from the region’s workforce and to make a run at some 350 to 400 potential clients in Central Massachusetts. (Blum’s focus is on firms with less than $300 million in annual revenue.)

He says he’s been impressed with the vibe that he picked up while meeting with businesspeople, particularly at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s hard to get into a [chamber] meeting now,” Renstrom says. “It’s standing room only.”

The pending relocation of the Pawtucket Red Sox has sparked excitement in the city. But redevelopment downtown has been moving at a good clip lately, regardless of any sports team’s arrival.

“You go and look at the real estate,” Renstrom says. “Every one of those buildings is being revitalized to Class A status. . . . There’s real momentum.” — JON CHESTO

It sure has been a busy month for the offshore wind industry in Boston.

First, the wind turbine manufacturer MHI Vestas held its grand-opening party for its US headquarters. Then came the event for the German utility EnBW, which wants to develop wind farms in the United States. And finally, developer Vineyard Wind showed off its new Boston office, on Arlington Street, at an event last week.

The first two events were held to coincide with the US Offshore Wind conference earlier this month in Boston.

MHI Vestas is basing its US operations at the CIC co-working space at 50 Milk St. in downtown Boston. For now, the company is starting with three people, but CEO Philippe Kavafyan expects that will grow to 10 to 15 soon. He was joined by state Representative Pat Haddad of Somerset for the ribbon-cutting.

EnBW North America, meanwhile, opened its office on Summer Street in Fort Point. Bill White, the company’s regional managing director, joined his former colleague, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Stephen Pike, for the ribbon-cutting. Four people work there now, but the number will grow once EnBW wins a federal lease area.

Vineyard Wind, meanwhile, is much further along: It doesn’t just have a lease, it has contracts with Massachusetts utilities to build an 800-megawatt offshore wind farm. About 80 people work in Vineyard Wind’s Boston office today. (Vineyard Wind is a joint venture owned by Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.)

MHI Vestas will supply the turbines for the Vineyard Wind project, though much of the work will be done in Europe and the products shipped to Massachusetts. The goal is to start construction within the next year and finish within two years.

Kavafyan, the MHI Vestas CEO, says that’s a fast-track, compared to the four-year timeline that is more typical in Europe.

The speedy timing persuaded Kavafyan Massachusetts is serious about jump-starting this industry.

“The US market is a significant opportunity for us, for putting up massive quantities of offshore wind clean energy,” Kavafyan says. “It’s clear to us you don’t want to be coming in too late. You have to jump on the train.” — JON CHESTO

Although a Gumby-like robot called Marty recently started roaming the aisles at the local Stop & Shop, the supermarket business might not be the first industry that comes to mind when you hear the phrase “high tech.”

But executives at Stop & Shop’s European parent, Ahold Delhaize, hope to change that perception.

Ahold Delhaize held a grand opening last week for its technology office at 10 Granite St. in Quincy, across the street from Stop & Shop headquarters. About 200 information technology workers will be based in the 30,000-square-foot office. These are mostly existing jobs, primarily people who worked at the Stop & Shop main office or in other parts of the Ahold Delhaize empire.

The space also includes an innovation lab and will provide technology services for Ahold Delhaize’s chains, which include Hannaford, Giant, and Food Lion.

The list of attendees included Quincy Mayor Tom Koch, State Senator John Keenan, and Quincy Chamber of Commerce CEO Tim Cahill.

A spokeswoman says it was a coincidence the event took place the same day that Ahold Delhaize announced a management shakeup: Stop & Shop president Mark McGowan will step down and be replaced by Giant Food president Gordon Reid in late July.

Cahill hopes Ahold Delhaize’s Quincy expansion will inspire other tech companies to give the Granite City a look. He says the company is trying to up its game as it competes head-to-head with Amazon.

Ahold Delhaize is currently trying to fill some 70 IT positions — in Quincy, Chicago (home of the company’s Peapod delivery service), and in other East Coast locations.

No word on whether someone named Marty will apply. — JON CHESTO

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E-mail Bold Types at boldtypes@globe.com.