MassWorks grants have funded a range of infrastructure improvements and local economic priorities, enabling the development of more than 2,200 new multi-family housing units, and generating $1 billion in new private investment.
MassWorks 2016 Award Recipients
Adams - Hoosac Valley Service Track Extension Project - $2.6 million
MassWorks funding will allow Adams to extend the Adams Branch rail line of the Hoosac Valley Service Track south, by roughly one mile. The track extension will provide a new, direct link between the downtowns of Adams and North Adams, via tourist train service offered by Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum. The project leverages over $5 million in public matching funds, including $600,000 in equipment provided by MassDOT for this project, and strengthens the Berkshires’ regional tourism economy.
Avon - West Main Street Reconstruction - $965,000
Avon will reconstruct West Main Street, a major inter-community connector roadway that serves the surrounding communities of Randolph, Holbrook, and Brockton. This road safety project will complement recent water and utility upgrades.
Boston - Jackson Square Infrastructure Improvements - $3.4 million
Boston will make a number of public infrastructure improvements around the Jackson Square MBTA station, including new pedestrian walkways and bike paths linked to the Orange Line station, a new public road, sewer line improvements, and a new 3,000-square-foot community plaza. MassWorks infrastructure improvements will unlock Phase III of the Jackson Square redevelopment project, allowing Jackson Square Partners LLC to invest $62.6 million in the construction of two new mixed-income housing properties. The private development project will create 144 new housing units, including 72 affordable apartments, and 2,400 square feet of retail space.
Boston - Makerspace Infrastructure - $3 million
This grant will help create a state-of-the-art facility with workshop space and equipment.This is to help bridge the gap between the creation of business concepts and the development of commercial options.
Brockton - Downtown Parking Improvements - $10 million
Brockton’s $10 million MassWorks grant will unlock the second phase of the city’s Enterprise Block development, by funding the construction of a new municipal parking garage. The new 474-space municipal garage will allow for the immediate development of 111 new housing units, and create new capacity for further investment in Brockton’s downtown. The Enterprise Block is a transit-oriented housing development by Trinity Financial, and permitted under the state’s Chapter 40R smart growth housing incentive program. The redevelopment of Brockton’s Enterprise Block advances the vision of the city’s Transformative Development district. The downtown parking upgrades complement downtown streetscape improvements funded through a 2015 MassWorks grant.
Charlemont - Town Bridge Repair Project - $949,000
Charlemont will use MassWorks funding to make critical repairs to three of the Town’s 46 bridges. This rural road safety project will address weight-rating limitations, allowing for greater commercial traffic circulation and improving emergency vehicle access. The project is regionally significant to the Towns of Heath and Rowe.
Chelmsford - Cushing Place Improvements - $370,000
Chelmsford’s $370,000 MassWorks project will construct a portion of the Beaver Brook Walk, build a pocket park, and provide public parking and landscaping along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. The public infrastructure improvements will unlock $15 million in private investment in the Grist Mill Apartments, a 54-unit market-rate rental project in the Town’s Center Village Overlay District.
Chelsea - Gateway Center Infrastructure Improvement Project - $2 million
The $2 million MassWorks grant to the City of Chelsea will fund Phase 5 of the Gateway Center Infrastructure Improvement Project, addressing water, roadway, and streetscape infrastructure deficiencies throughout the City’s Everett Avenue Urban Renewal Area. MassWorks funds will rehabilitate surface and subsurface infrastructure bordering the Chelsea Lofts, a fully-permitted, 692-unit, mixed-use development. The Chelsea Lofts development will transform a vacant industrial parcel less than one-quarter mile from the future Silver Line Gateway, and generate $200 million in private investment.
Chesterfield - Smith Road Improvements - $983,750
Chesterfield’s $983,750 MassWorks award will fund the reconstruction of Smith Road. Smith Road is of regional significance to the neighboring Towns of Cummington, Goshen, and Worthington. This rural road safety project will reduce response times for emergency vehicles, and will improve access to the Chesterfield-Goshen regional elementary school.
Fall River - City Pier Improvements - $1.6 million
Fall River’s MassWorks grant will revive the blighted and previously contaminated City Pier. Fall River’s waterfront has experienced significant private reinvestment in recent years, and City Pier is the last developable parcel on Fall River’s waterfront. MassWorks-funded improvements to water and electric utilities will compliment over $2.5 million in public funds already invested in the pier, and enable the private development of a pre-permitted marina and restaurant to move forward.
Foxborough - Foxborough Boulevard Traffic Circle - $625,000
Foxborough will use MassWorks infrastructure funds to construct a traffic circle at the intersection of Foxborough Boulevard and Forbes Boulevard. The public infrastructure will help advance Forbes Crossing, a $40 million commercial development project that will feature new retail, restaurant and office space, and a new 139-room hotel.
Greenfield - $7.5 million
Greenfield's $7.5 million MassWorks award funds the construction of a new public parking garage.This will support continued downtown development in the Town’s Bank Row Urban Renewal Area.
Groton - Four Corners Infrastructure Project - $2.07 million
Groton will construct a new wastewater collection system that will support immediate commercial development at the Town’s Four Corners Village, as well as new industrial expansion in Groton and Ayer. Current wastewater infrastructure in the area has constrained existing businesses from expanding. New wastewater capacity will also support efforts by the Town of Groton to create a walkable, mixed-use village on 16 acres of former National Grid property.
Haverhill - Merrimack Street Transformative Redevelopment Initiative - $8.9 million
MassWorks funds will continue Haverhill’s efforts to revitalize its Merrimack Street corridor, opening greater access to the Merrimack River, and supporting two new economic development projects in the city’s Transformative Development district. Public infrastructure funds will support the second phase of the Harbor Place development, which will feature 35 market-rate housing units, as well as a 10-story mixed-use development by the Lupoli Companies. MassWorks funding also supported the first phase of the Harbor Place development.
Lancaster - North Lancaster Water Infrastructure Project - $341,058
MassWorks funds will advance the Town of Lancaster’s North Lancaster Water Infrastructure Project, which will include the installation of a new water line to North Lancaster, the installation of a distribution main, and the construction of a water storage tank and metering station. The water infrastructure is critical to support two private developments, the Lancaster Technology Park, and Lancaster Crossing. The $341,058 MassWorks grant will advance design, engineering and permitting for the water infrastructure project.
Lee - Forest Street Reconstruction - $1 million
The Forest Street Reconstruction Project is a full-depth reclamation of the road, which runs from Rte. 20 in Lee to Tyringham. The road requires substantial reconstruction to provide safe passage for regional school district buses and public safety vehicles.
Leominster - Downtown Leominster Revitalization Project - $2.5 million
Leominster will upgrade water and sewer infrastructure in its downtown, and make roadway and sidewalk improvements that support private investment in the City’s downtown. MassWorks infrastructure funds will support downtown housing development, including the redevelopment of the former W. S. Reed Toy Company mill into 36 units of market-rate housing.
Lowell - Thorndike Street Improvement Project - $2 million
MassWorks funds will allow Lowell to upgrade a section of Thorndike Street, adjacent to the Gallagher Intermodal Transportation Center, in support of the city’s Thorndike Exchange project. The Thorndike Exchange is the redevelopment of an underutilized mill into a mixed-use, transit-oriented project that that will include 152 residential units, new restaurant space, and nearly 32,000 square feet of commercial space.
Ludlow Mills Riverwalk - $429,500
Ludlow's $429,500 MassWorks award will improve pedestrian safety and provide historical markings along the Ludlow Mills Riverwalk. This Riverwalk project will reconnect the community with the Chicopee River for the first time in 160 years. It will do this by redeveloping the former Ludlow Manufacturing and Sales Company buildings to become residential, commercial, and industrial units.
Lynn - Waterfront Infrastructure Improvements - $1.2 million
Lynn’s MassWorks-funded project will make intersection and roadway improvements, and install a new water line connection, in support of new housing development along the city’s North Harbor district. The public infrastructure will allow Lynn to transform its waterfront into a vibrant, livable, and accessible mixed-use district, and unlock a 348-unit residential development on the city’s former Beacon Chevrolet site. Construction on the private development is expected to begin in the Fall of 2017.
Marlborough - Apex Center of New England Improvements - $3.05 million
Marlborough will use $3,050,000 in MassWorks funds to make infrastructure improvements along Rte. 20, including new turn lanes and upgraded signals, in support of the Apex Center of New England. The Apex Center will feature two new hotels, 200,000 square feet of entertainment and retail space, 110,000 square feet of new office space, and six new restaurants, bringing new amenities to the region’s residents and employers.
Millville - Central Street Transportation Improvement Project - $1 million
Millville’s rural road safety project will reconstruct a major collector road in the Town’s center, reducing flooding hazards, complementing a recent intersection reconstruction, and utilizing a Complete Streets design approach that will increase connectivity to the town center for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.
New Bedford - Union Street Improvement Project - $2.5 million
The City of New Bedford will upgrade infrastructure along Union Street, advancing private investment in the City’s Transformative Development district. MassWorks-funded streetscape investments will advance a $10 million private investment by the Columbus Group, to redevelop a vacant building in the district into a 68-room boutique hotel. New Bedford is supporting the development of the new hotel with a 15-year tax increment financing agreement, valued at $606,000.
North Adams - Greylock Mill and Community Infrastructure Improvements - $2.1 million
North Adams will use MassWorks public infrastructure funds to provide essential public parking, pedestrian access, and site safety measures that will facilitate the redevelopment of Greylock Mill. The transformation of Greylock Mill, an abandoned 240,000-square-foot mill on a brownfield site, into a vibrant, mixed-use development, will generate $20 million in private investment, and create a new event space, small-scale food production space, restaurant space, a hotel, and 23 new housing units.
North Adams - Extreme Model Railroad and Contemporary Architecture Museum - $250,000
MassWorks will grant $250,000 to support planning efforts for the Extreme Model Railroad and Contemporary Architecture Museum, a permanent museum that would build on existing cultural assets in North Adams and create a family-friendly destination that pays homage to the area’s roots.
Northampton - Pleasant Futures Improvements - $2.5 million
The $2.5 million MassWorks award will allow Northampton to make infrastructure repairs and improvements along its lower Pleasant Street corridor. Pleasant Street is the gateway to the City’s downtown, featuring more than 100 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The infrastructure project implements the recommendations of a recent master planning exercise, and supports two substantial mixed-use affordable housing developments that will create 125 new housing units, add 8,800 square feet of commercial space, and generate an immediate private investment of over $30 million.
Orange - Innovation Infrastructure - $200,000
MassWorks funding will support the construction of a new public parking area. This will serve as the primary parking area for a new public fitness trail. The grant will finance design, engineering work, the demolition of two existing buildings, earthwork, paving, drainage and other construction activities.
Phillipston and Petersham - Petersham Road / Popple Camp Road Reconstruction Project - $1.3 million
The Towns of Phillipston and Petersham will collaborate to reclaim and repave 4.8 miles of local arterial roadways that connect the two towns’ centers, and provide direct access to Rtes.101 and 32. This rural road safety project will improve response times for regional emergency services and improve roadway conditions for town residents and visitors.
Revere - Revere Beach Parkway Transit-Oriented Development - $3.6 million
MassWorks will fund a series of public infrastructure improvements in Revere, including water, sewer, and utility upgrades, as well as new street and sidewalk work, to unlock the redevelopment of six acres of abandoned former commercial property along Revere Beach Parkway. Public infrastructure funds will enable TransDel Corporation and Gate Residential to make a $90 million private investment in the construction of 220 housing units, and a new 132-room hotel. The new development at 205 Revere Beach Parkway is located less than one-quarter mile from the Beachmont MBTA station; public infrastructure funds will improve safety and traffic conditions along Revere Beach Parkway, and enhance pedestrian connections to Beachmont Station and Revere Beach.
Salem - Bridge Street and Boston Street Complete Streets Enhancements - $3.5 million
Salem will make Complete Streets enhancements to the area around Goodhue, Bridge and Boston streets, enhancing multi-modal connections to downtown Salem and Boston Street businesses, and unlocking the $40 million redevelopment of the former Osram Sylvania industrial site into 117 housing units. MassWorks funds will advance the housing, economic development and community revitalization objectives outlined in the City’s North River Canal Corridor Master Plan.
Shirley - Main Street Bridge Improvement Project - $725,000
Shirley will make necessary repairs to the Main Street bridge over Catacunemaug Brook, ensuring the continuity of roadway connections between the Town’s public safety buildings, and the surrounding community. The Town of Shirley is providing $82,700 in matching funds.
Somerville - Union Square Infrastructure Improvement Project - $13 million
Somerville’s multi-year MassWorks award will provide the critical water and sewer infrastructure necessary for the redevelopment of Union Square. The City of Somerville will match the state’s infrastructure funds with $25.7 million in local funding. Together, the state and local water and sewer infrastructure funds will enable Union Square Station Associates to invest $200 million in private funds in the first phase of the redevelopment of Union Square, delivering 400 new units of mixed-income housing, and 180,000 square feet of new commercial space. The 700,000-square-foot development is the first phase of the larger $1 billion, 2.3 million-square-foot redevelopment of Somerville's Union Square. Construction on phase one is expected to begin in the fall of 2017.
Stow - Lower Village Traffic Improvement Project - $850,000
The Town of Stow will make Complete Streets improvements to its Lower Village, improving traffic circulation, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and drainage in the area. Streetscape improvements will improve access to local businesses and provide connectivity to 203 new housing units nearby. The Town of Stow is providing $400,000 in matching funds.
West Brookfield - Cottage and Lake Streets Reconstruction Project - $1 million
West Brookfield will make streetscape improvements to three roadways -- Cottage Street, Lakeview Avenue and Lake Street -- that connect West Brookfield Center and the Town Beach. Improvements will increase pedestrian safety and accessibility by implementing traffic calming measures, constructing new sidewalks, and improving intersections. West Brookfield is providing $114,000 in matching funds.
Westfield - Springfield Road Traffic Improvements - $1.9 million
Westfield will make necessary improvements to Rte. 20, in compliance with MassDOT’s Complete Streets standards, to increase public safety and promote private investment nearby. The public improvements will support the redevelopment of an abandoned auto dealership that will create 50 new jobs and retain 70 jobs. The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission has identified the 10-acre redevelopment site as a priority development area.
Weymouth - Weymouth Landing Smelt Brook Daylighting - $1.6 million
MassWorks funds will allow Weymouth to make public infrastructure improvements, including the day-lighting of Smelt Brook, associated utility work, and the construction of a new stream-side walkway and pedestrian plaza. Infrastructure funds will support the construction of a $22 million mixed-use transit-oriented development, featuring 84 apartment units and ground-floor retail, in the village of Weymouth Landing.
Worcester - Main Street Improvement Project - $2.3 million
Worcester’s MassWorks grant will advance the City’s ongoing efforts to create a walkable urban area along the Main Street Central Business District, by making streetscape improvements that encourage private investment in the City’s downtown. MassWorks funds will leverage $7.5 million in federal, state and local funding already invested to create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly Main Street district. Streetscape improvements in Worcester’s Transformative Development district are consistent with the goals of the City’s Downtown Urban Revitalization Plan, and will advance the redevelopment of the nearby CitySquare development.
Worcester - Stearns Tavern Improvement Project - $100,000
MassWorks funds will support the relocation of the 204-year-old Stearns Tavern, one of the oldest structures in the city of Worcester, from Webster Square, to a City-owned vacant lot that was once home to the Coes Knife factory. The project will enable the Seven Hills Foundation to occupy the first floor of the repurposed tavern, while operating a café and other workforce training programs for individuals with disabilities.
Wrentham - Ledgeview at Wrentham Water Main Replacement - $2.2 million
Public funds will provide the water infrastructure necessary to support Ledgeview at Wrentham, the redevelopment of a 53-acre parcel abutting Rtes. 495 and 1. The 660,000-square-foot mixed-use private development project will include 240 housing units, an assisted living facility, two internationally flagged hotel brands with a total of 160 rooms, three restaurants, 20,000 square feet of retail, and 24,000 square feet of new office space. MassWorks infrastructure funds will generate $112 million in private investment.