WORCESTER — Today, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba were joined by state and local officials to celebrate the award of two grants totaling $2.3 million to the City of Worcester through the MassWorks Infrastructure Program.      The first award is for just over $1 million to support the reconstruction of Brookview Drive and the installation of approximately 2,000 feet of architectural perimeter fencing that will replace an existing deteriorated guardrail.  The second award will support the reconstruction of a segment of Spruce Street with a $1.25 million grant, which will include upgrades to underground utilities, drainage improvements, new curbing, light poles, street furniture, and trees.   “These two MassWorks awards will help Worcester continue building on its success in redeveloping key parts of the city, building new housing of all types, and creating jobs in the process,” said Governor Charlie Baker.  “Thanks to MassWorks and the One Stop, Worcester is able to unlock even more development potential, attract additional private investment, and further its goals for economic development.”   “With these MassWorks awards, our Administration is proud to strengthen our partnership with Worcester and their strategy to renew and revitalize important areas of the city,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.  “By supporting key infrastructure and roadway upgrades, we can help leverage additional private funding that will lead to new housing, new retail opportunities, and green spaces, which combined offer further proof that Worcester is truly a city on the move.”     Worcester’s two awards are part of this year’s round of MassWorks Infrastructure Program Grants announced recently and are included among 56 grants – the largest number of awards in a single year in six years – totaling $66.5 million to 50 communities.  Among this year’s MassWorks projects, 29 are reactivating underutilized sites, 27 are supporting transit-oriented developments and 29 have a mixed-use component.  Additionally, 14 communities are receiving their first ever MassWorks award.   The Brookview Drive improvements will support the Worcester Housing Authority’s efforts to encourage neighborhood engagement for the tenants in the 372 units at Curtis Apartments by creating a connection within the Curtis/Great Brook Valley neighborhoods.  The project will also lead to the construction of 18 units of new housing at the Curtis Apartments, which will include six fully accessible units, and support the WHA's larger Gateway Cities Housing Initiative and Creative Space Making Projects.    Worcester’s second grant will fund the reconstruction of Spruce Street between Green and Washington streets, as well as utility upgrades, and streetscape improvements.  These improvements will support Boston Capital Development’s redevelopment of a four-acre site at 153 Green Street.  This parcel contains the Table Talk Pie Company and is located directly adjacent to Polar Park, the newly constructed ballpark for the Red Sox’ minor league team.  Boston Capital intends to invest $150 million for a multi-phased project that will include approximately 325 – 350 units of market-rate and affordable residential housing, more than 40,000 square feet of commercial space, and green spaces.  The first phase is a planned 77-unit building with 100 percent of the units designated as affordable for households earning 60 percent or less of the area median income.   Including this year’s round, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded 326 MassWorks grants to 181 communities and has invested over $608 million in public infrastructure projects throughout the Commonwealth. These grants have directly supported the creation of 21,000 new housing units and tens of thousands of new construction and permanent jobs, while also leveraging over $13 billion in private investment.    MassWorks is a competitive program that offers cities and towns flexible capital funding to support and accelerate housing production and job growth and is the largest program in Community One Stop for Growth.  The One Stop is a single application portal and collaborative review process for multiple grant programs launched in January 2021 to make targeted investments based on a development continuum.    Including MassWorks grants, the Community One Stop for Growth program awarded $88 million for 196 projects in 122 communities across the Commonwealth in its first year.  Of the 196 projects awarded, nearly one-third were located in a rural or small town, half were located in a Housing Choice Community, and one-third were located in a Gateway City.   “We created the One Stop to offer access to a wide variety of programs through a single, streamlined process that ensures that valuable funds can be directed more effectively, to more communities, in less time,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy.  “The One Stop gives communities the opportunity to work collaboratively with us, to pursue multiple projects simultaneously and to meet their economic development goals.  Worcester has demonstrated how communities can be creative with grant funding to maximize the impact of their investments in public infrastructure.  While the first year of the One Stop has shown tremendous promise, the demand for our programs demonstrates that we can do more.”

“As designed, the One Stop enhances access to important resources and programs, which in turn allows communities to better overcome traditional barriers to economic and community development initiatives,” said Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba. “I want to congratulate Worcester on their awards, and look forward to many more communities replicating their success in the future.”   Learn more about the programs that are part of the Community One Stop for Growth application process.   “These grants represent a huge investment in the future of our City, and I am grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration for their continued support,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. “The MassWorks grants will fund projects that improve the quality of life for Worcester residents and support the continued growth of our City.”   “I want to thank Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito for this multimillion dollar investment in the City of Worcester,” said Mayor Joseph M. Petty.  “These grants will be used to improve the built-environment of our city and help create a more walkable and healthy Worcester.  Thank you to everyone who made this happen.”   

"I am very pleased that the City of Worcester and Housing Authority have been awarded this funding that allows for the development of more affordable housing throughout the city," said Senator Michael Moore. "One of the great things about our city is the people that it attracts from different walks of life, who come here looking for opportunities. Being able to provide affordable housing will only serve to attract more people, while also looking after and providing for our current residents. I'd like to thank MassWorks for awarding these grants to the city, and I look forward to seeing the results from these projects."

"I am so thrilled that the city of Worcester is receiving two MassWorks grants, both worth over $1 million," said Representative James O'Day. "The funding will assist with the reconstruction of Brookview Drive, the installation of perimeter fencing at Great Brook Valley, and improvements on Spruce Street - all important projects for the city. This funding will have a tremendous impact on the city, the local workforce, and our residents."

The full list of this year’s MassWorks grant recipients can be found here.

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