UP|Massachusetts

How can regular folks afford the NW suburbs?

NCMike1981 — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 06:17:50 +0000

Here are pics of the two major shopping areas of the Athol/Orange area of MA where I lived circa 2002/2003:

Hannaford Shopping Center:

Orange Wal-Mart:

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How can regular folks afford the NW suburbs?

NCMike1981 — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 21:05:48 +0000

I lived in MA for a year and a 1/2 in 2002/2003 and the only part of the state where cost of living is even somewhat comparable to the urban cores of NC is the western 1/2, although there are pockets of extremes even out there. I wasn't in the market for buying a home when I was there, just renting, but I think even 2 bedrooms in Worcester, which many folks consider to be the western edge of the Boston metro averaged like $1000+ a month 7/8 years ago....and Worcester isn't that pretty in my opinion. I ended up in the Athol/Orange area, about 75 miles west of Boston in a small struggling former mill town where 2 bedrooms were like $600-$700/mo. It seems to me like in MA you pay for location, even if the property itself is ancient and in need of total renovation. The Springfield area isn't bad pricewise but that's way out there north of Hartford. Good luck with your search!

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How can regular folks afford the NW suburbs?

paletexan — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 04:20:39 +0000

I have been considering a move to the Boston Metro area in proximity to my suburban office and the city; the areas of Winchester or Lexington seem attractive geographically. However, it's near impossible to find a decent newer single family home under 750k. It appears as if the area is more expensive than comparable metro neighborhoods in California!

I would love to get some local opinions on how to afford housing in the area; and if there are nearby, more affordable alternatives.

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Urban Land Institute proposes 20 story tower in Springfield

NCMike1981 — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:10:37 +0000

I always remember seeing downtown on the interstate when I was either coming to/coming from Athol/Orange to NC and thinking how much potential it had. I think it would be great for downtown to get a new office tower and some investment! nice pic btw...

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Urban Land Institute proposes 20 story tower in Springfield

prudence — Fri, 07 May 2010 01:02:50 +0000

Urban Land doing a Riverfront Study focuses on a parking lot next to the Memorial Bridge stating it would be a good spot for a 20 story residential tower with River views.

Urban Land Institute Springfield

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PROPOSED: Mohegan Sun Casino

HartfordTycoon — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:30:42 +0000

Good to see they are getting a head start on this stuff.

WWLP.com

PALMER, Mass. (WWLP) - There are preliminary plans in the works to upgrade the corridor from a proposed casino to downtown Palmer.

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PROPOSED: Mohegan Sun Casino

HartfordTycoon — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:22:05 +0000

So apparently there is going to be a huge showdown in Mass over where the Casinos are going to be built. It seems that the state should to try to bolster Western Mass more than it has in the past and not cannibalize its expected eastern casinos with one in central mass. If I were Palmer I would also press the fact that Palmer may have a train line running through it in the near future connecting it to CT, NYC, Upstate NY, Vermont and Canada as a huge potential benefit for locating a casino there instead of Milford.

Springfield Republican

BOSTON – The Mohegan Sun’s proposed Palmer casino could face strong competition for a state license from a proposed gambling resort in central Massachusetts, largely because state legislators may allow only one casino outside of Boston.

Mohegan Sun is moving to demonstrate that the proposed $600 million casino in Palmer – instead of one proposed for Milford in central Massachusetts – would generate the most sales from slot machines and other games for the state as a whole, a finding disputed by the developer of the proposed Milford resort.

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PROPOSED: Mohegan Sun Casino

HartfordTycoon — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:03:25 +0000

I just wanted to make a note that with the New Haven-Springfield line coming there is expected to be a push for Springfield-Boston line that would include a stop in Palmer. If this casino is built and people from all over New England can get to this casino by train it will be a huge game changer. I know that I will probably never again drive the dark road from Hartford to the SE CT Casinos again if this becomes the reality.

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PROPOSED: Mohegan Sun Casino

HartfordTycoon — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:26:51 +0000

Hartford Courant

The Mohegan Sun's prospects for opening a casino in Massachusetts improved this week as chief rival Foxwoods Resort Casino sought to keep a development in Pennsylvania from collapsing.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives voted Wednesday to legalize resort casinos and slot machines, a step that could pay off for Connecticut's Mohegan tribe.

The Mohegan Sun's owners have planned a casino for western Massachusetts, while Foxwoods focused on a Philadelphia project that recently lost a new investor who had been expected to save it.

Looks like this is getting pretty close to happening.

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Worcester highly rated as one best "value" cities

Lowerdeck — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:13:48 +0000

CVS and Walgreens are everywhere, and strangely enough always near each other. On Stafford St., they're down the street from each other. On Lincoln St., they're across the street. Park Ave., same thing. You'd think they could separate a little more. But they grow like weeds. But that is anywhere...

CVS was next to the Price Chopper in Webster, then Walgreens moved in to a new building where Kunkel Buick once was... the next block over from the CVS. So CVS had to get their new shiny stand alone store.

A little further south, they're building a CVS in Putnam. I'm expecting a Walgreens to sprout up shortly nearby. And in Dayville just the opposite. Walgreens is being built now, but I wouldn't be surprised if CVS took the old McDonalds on Route 12.

The pharmacy problem is everywhere, as New England continues to succumb to the box store philosophy that plagues the rest of the country.

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Worcester highly rated as one best "value" cities

oliver — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:02:59 +0000

cloudship, on Jul 23 2009, 07:55 PM, said:

I agree 100%. I was talking smaller concerning the population. Providence of course is much more of a city.
Just compare Shrewsbury street to Federal Hill. Even though everybody in Worcester prefers to Shrewsbury street as Worcesters "restaurant district" it is not more than an arterial road with a collection of restaurants (OK, now they planted some trees).

The only collection of nice buildings with somewhat the feel of density is around Main street downtown. I hope for Worcester that the demolition of the Mall (if it ever happens) can bring some life back to the city center. Thats the only possibility it has to become at least an average small city. Final having a canal in the "canal district" of course would help a lot as well, but I doubt if this ever happens.

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Worcester highly rated as one best "value" cities

cloudship — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:55:16 +0000

oliver, on Jul 23 2009, 12:06 PM, said:

Don�t think so, as I am a foreigner and was new in the US naturally most of my friends where foreigners or at least people from other cities. Everybody disliked it and one of the main topics was how to get away as soon as possible (one reason I always had to look for knew friends as everybody who by accident moved in was on the way out again.

That is an interesting point about Worcester. It is of two minds, really. One is a small town, local yokel blue collar kind of people, the other is a heavily immigrant population, more upper lower class or low middle class immigrants who move to Worcester first and then spread from there. So while it has population, it is not really such a city except in terms of being a dense collection of triple deckers.

oliver, on Jul 23 2009, 12:06 PM, said:

Thats true and it is a personal choice, I lived in Madrid, Berlin, now in Mexico City, yes I do prefer wold known cities, just because of the choice they have to offer. But there are plenty of beautiful small cities, most of them in Europe, but many examples as well in the Americas. But to stay close, Providence is smaller than Worcester and Providene is a nice place, I see why people choose to live there.

Providence is not really smaller than Worcester. Area wise, population maybe, but Providence itself is more of a city. Worcester is much looser - more of a collection of people than a real city mindset.

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Worcester highly rated as one best "value" cities

oliver — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:06:05 +0000

[quote name='Lowerdeck' date='Jul 20 2009, 11:33 PM' post='1080122']
Detroit?

Don�t know Detroit, if so, I am glad I don�t, but Springfield MA and Harford CT aren�t much different either.

Your personal opinion.

Don�t think so, as I am a foreigner and was new in the US naturally most of my friends where foreigners or at least people from other cities. Everybody disliked it and one of the main topics was how to get away as soon as possible (one reason I always had to look for knew friends as everybody who by accident moved in was on the way out again.

By the sounds of it (forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm only assuming here): you only seem to want to be in premier, world known cities like Boston, New York, Miami, DC, Chicago, etc... That's fine and dandy, personal opinion.

Thats true and it is a personal choice, I lived in Madrid, Berlin, now in Mexico City, yes I do prefer wold known cities, just because of the choice they have to offer. But there are plenty of beautiful small cities, most of them in Europe, but many examples as well in the Americas. But to stay close, Providence is smaller than Worcester and Providene is a nice place, I see why people choose to live there.

But Worcester isn't going to be one of those places where things change on the snap of the fingers.

Yep, and thats exactly the problem I have with Worcester. Because of its small size it should be easy to change fast, it is a lot more difficult to reinvent something big. I�ve lived in Worcester for about 9 years and I disliked it from the beginning. But then you heard about all these projects that never happened and you were thinking. Yes, maybe it will change, maybe it will get better. But it seemed like for every good thing happening, 2 things were closed (think about the only alternative cinema, that disappeared). When I left Worcester finally it wasn�t a bit better then when I moved there in the first place. 9 years and nothing, but nothing happened (besides a few new pharmacies, which Worcester must have one per 10 residents). In 9 years cities that were destroyed by war or earthquakes have been rebuilt, Worcester needs 50 years to rennovate a shopping mall.

But well... there's no point of even finishing this argument. We're just gonna disagree anyway. You don't like the place, we get it. Fine. I was born in Worcester, spent many a time there, want to see the place do better and want to actually be there more often for when things are going on. So I want to have some optimism toward the place.

I am generally an optimistic person and I sure hope that Worcester one day will be different, I may visit it again in 15 years, lets see if it will have changed or if it just will have 15 new pharmacies.

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QCC in Southbridge

Lowerdeck — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:53:22 +0000

Can't hurt trying anyway. I'd imagine there must be enough students at Quinsig from Southbridge, Sturbridge, Charlton, Dudley, etc... to at least run a few classes there. I can definitely see QCC doing better than Bay Path in Southbridge. And if people were going to Worcester already for classes, public transit (lack thereof) may not be an issue.

Lately I've been in Southbridge at least once or twice a week, and from time to time I run across people who are staying at the hotel and conference center - mostly military contractors from the south. The place is slowly doing good for the town.

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QCC in Southbridge

cloudship — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:19:57 +0000

Today QCC opened up their branch campus in Southbridge. Right now they are using some space in the Southbridge Hotel and Convention Center for enrollment services, for students to take placement tests, and to sign up for classes. they hope to be fully moved into the 5 Optical building (the small 3 story structure just behind the hotel) for fall classes.

How do you think they will do down there? Will it make a positive impact on the community? Southbridge is known for being a depressed area. A large number of current QCC students come from the south county area and this would be a closer option than the Worcester campus. Hopefully Quinsig will be able to deliver education to many of those in the area. However, there is no public transportation in Southbridge, and Baypath College was located in some odf the same space and has since vacated. Do you think they will succeed, and what do you think they could do to increase their chances of success?

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Worcester highly rated as one best "value" cities

Lowerdeck — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:33:35 +0000

oliver, on Jul 20 2009, 06:28 PM, said:

Detroit?

Quote

- Average salary: who cares, there is nothing in Worcester to spend your money on. No shops downtown, nothing to do at all. To spend your money you have to drive at least to Boston or better to NYC.

~

- Culture??? Is there any culture in Worcester at all. Oh yes, there is a small art museum, which is to be honest surprisingly nice for a town like Worcester. But visit it and you�ve seen it. Afterwards its again, driving to Boston or better NYC for culture

~

Honestly I wouldn�t call Worcester a city. Its a town and definitely not a nice one.

Your personal opinion. Granted I haven't explored as much of Worcester as I could, but there's something going on if I chose to do something in Worcester. Granted there's more, and usually better in Boston and NYC - but they are larger and by default more buzzing cities. And let's face it, people in Worcester County make more money than in many other parts of the country. Also a higher cost of living, high property values, high taxes. But that just comes with the territory. When you're in or near a popular big city (Boston), of course everything is gonna be high cost.

By the sounds of it (forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm only assuming here): you only seem to want to be in premier, world known cities like Boston, New York, Miami, DC, Chicago, etc... That's fine and dandy, personal opinion. Even the Forbes article is the opinion of someone. Worcester isn't going to be for everyone, nor is wherever you are, or wherever I am.

And as for the "nice" comment: of course, it's an old mill town that hasn't quite figured out how to become something different in the 21st century world. There's all the colleges and the biomed industry yes, but there is more that could be done. There are crummy parts of town few should venture into, but that's common sense and in most cities. Worcester's got Main South, Great Brook Valley, and handful other spots that most with any clue of the city know better to keep away.

Quote

It is no walking city at all. It has a small downtown, but nobody in his right mind walks there. They are talking about rebuilding the downtown for the last 2 decades, but would that project turn it into a city. I doubt it.

This is the only legitimate criticism you made in the entire post.

Yes, Worcester is not perfect. There have been better days, and there are many flaws. Its own history shows it has never really been one coherent unified city. Then the lack of it being a walking city, lack of culture compared to other places, downtown being mostly vacant outside business hours, the food cart rules, the crime riddled parts of town, the snail like pace of redeveloping the Common Outlets site, etc... But Worcester isn't going to be one of those places where things change on the snap of the fingers.

But well... there's no point of even finishing this argument. We're just gonna disagree anyway. You don't like the place, we get it. Fine. I was born in Worcester, spent many a time there, want to see the place do better and want to actually be there more often for when things are going on. So I want to have some optimism toward the place.

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Worcester highly rated as one best "value" cities

oliver — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:28:30 +0000

Thats wicked funny. I wonder if the forbes guys who wrote this ever visited Worcester (or maybe they have real estate for sale there). I cannot imagine any place on earth less disirable to live in than Worcester Mass (and I lived there for almost 9 years).

- Population: 783,800 - thats not Worcester, thats about whole New England
- Average salary: who cares, there is nothing in Worcester to spend your money on. No shops downtown, nothing to do at all. To spend your money you have to drive at least to Boston or better to NYC.
- Crime: I don�t know, I found the city pretty scary considering its small size.
- Culture??? Is there any culture in Worcester at all. Oh yes, there is a small art museum, which is to be honest surprisingly nice for a town like Worcester. But visit it and you�ve seen it. Afterwards its again, driving to Boston or better NYC for culture

They forgot to talk about the climate, isn�t it snowing in Worcester 300 days a year? Honestly I wouldn�t call Worcester a city. Its a town and definitely not a nice one. It is no walking city at all. It has a small downtown, but nobody in his right mind walks there. They are talking about rebuilding the downtown for the last 2 decades, but would that project turn it into a city. I doubt it.

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Worcester highly rated as one best "value" cities

Lowerdeck — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:18:03 +0000

On the front page of Yahoo this afternoon, an article in Forbes about the best value cities in America. Ranks average salaries, unemployment rate, crime rate, culture. Worcester was ranked fourth in the nation on the list, ranking top in culture and 9th in avg. salary.

I guess it forgot to mention cost of living, but then again Worcester is a far better bargain than Boston.

Nice to have some recognition for Worcester. However it counts the entire MSA in the survey - so if it's Worcester or all of Worcester County (including Webster, Leominster, Fitchburg, etc...) is another question.

Top on the list was Manchester, NH. The only other New England city was Springfield at 46.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/13/cheap-cit...eap-places.html

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Pizza, the arts community, and what it means to be a city

jeepcj85 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:40:50 +0000

haha thanks man....thats me outside The Dive! Even in that location I still had to get 2 restaurants to sign off. Im glad they did but if one had said no...even if they dont hold the same hours as me...i wouldve been forced to move! We are still working on trying to get the vendor law repealed or at least changed to something a bit more reasonable. Right now its a 250 foot buffer. Any place that serves food within that zone has to sign off for the vendor to operate. Its bullcrap...but its also a trend around the country. I too am a small business and they need to realize that.

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Worcester's Midtown Mall

Lowerdeck — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:54:39 +0000

Well, if Worcester would still like to remain in the 50s - at least it's nice that some neighborhoods wish to improve themselves. The Canal District and Shrewsbury Street are areas out of towners want to head to. If downtown wants to become the next rising neighborhood in Worcester, good for them. Let the rest of the city do its tailspin if it wishes.

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Worcester's Midtown Mall

cloudship — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:49:00 +0000

The link is here: Mall not a delight to council eyes

Correct - it goes between Front Street and Mechanic St, just across from - Norwich I think it is? Used to be a bit of a hangout, than a bad hangout, haven't been in there for years. One of the problems is it is really narrow, and part is basement - not very safe feeling.

In a perfect world, I would love to see a food court, ala a miniature Quincy Market, go in there. The Student Union was already proposed - was supposed to go in City Square. Before the big plans for the project, there was supposed ot be a whole corridor of college offices, with a student center. Neve materialized, and only Quinsig ever showed up.

Not sure how I feel, though. I am still very skeptical of City Square, and even more skeptical of downtown. I think the problem is at this point simply not the right mentality in the city - be that the city council or the population. They just want what isn't self sustaining - you can't recreate the 50s.

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Worcester's Midtown Mall

Lowerdeck — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:40:05 +0000

Did anyone here catch an article in the T&G in the last few days about possible redevelopment (or renovation) of the Midtown Mall? I caught it sometime in the last few days and don't remember much now.

I really don't even know where this is. My guess is Front Street across from City Hall and the Common, that block between Main and Commercial.

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Pizza, the arts community, and what it means to be a city

Lowerdeck — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:22:44 +0000

There's not too much I can say on the arts issue, since I have not yet read this weeks WoMag. Nor am I hugely interested in the arts.

However the street vendor thing is a bunch of bull. I don't see why the city would hurt potential business like this, and there is a market. How many spots will be available for vendors if people nearby say no? I could see this making sense on Shrewsbury St. or other areas with a lot of brick and mortar restaurants, but not the entire city.

All I know is, at least I'm grateful for the hot dog guy outside the Dive Bar. Several times it's been nice to have there.

Worcester is a strange, disconnected, and under-potential city indeed

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Pizza, the arts community, and what it means to be a city

cloudship — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:26:27 +0000

In this past week's Worcester Magazine, there is an article about a street vendor in Canal District, who is unable to sell anything because a neighboring shop refuses to sign off on a require permit allowing him to operate. The city requires street vendors to get permission from every brick and mortar business in the area before they can operate. Obviously, even one business which is looking for an easy way to keep competition out can prevent him from selling.

The main story of this issue is the arts community in Worcester, or in particular, the lack of a cohesive arts community. Worcester artists tend to operate in isolation - there is no strong cohesion, no concerted effort to drive the arts in the city. While there are some very talented artists in the city, and some very successful ones, the arts tend to operate in the shadows.

These two separate stories are indicators of a deeper common issue, namely that the City of Worcester quite frankly, doesn't want to be successful. Many cities across the country struggle to promote themselves. Worcester, on the other hand, actively tries to curtail it's growth. In the Shrewsbury Street area, and area which despite attempts to control development has become something of a restaurant scene, we still have neighbors trying to curtail the nightlife and return the area to a functional but utilitarian neighborhood.

Worcester is a collection of small mill towns, which together have joined in name as a city but still identify themselves as small individual neighborhoods. It is still chasing an early 20th century ideal of the working city in a time when that no longer exists in the world, and arguably never really existed except as rose colored nostalgia. The, the city still tries to fight the street scene, instead focusing on small service businesses and the 9-5 work day. Creativity and design are seen as lesser values than labor driven industry.

Worcester has a lot of potential. There are great neighborhoods, there are great spaces, there are great buildings waiting to be revived. But the city, and by the city I mean not just the leaders but the people themselves, need to stop chasing the factory life. It is unsustainable, and is leading to the struggles the city faces economically and fiscally. For it's own sake, the city needs to come to terms with todays world and start seeing itself as a city and not a town.

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PROPOSED: Mohegan Sun Casino

Lowerdeck — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:29:58 +0000

This is not anything really new. Mohegan Sun has been looking to put something in Palmer now for years. They have been in contact with Palmer for years. I'm surprised they hadn't opened this office already.

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PROPOSED: Mohegan Sun Casino

HartfordTycoon — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:26:44 +0000

The Mohegans have opened up a field office in Palmer in anticipation of MA legalizing gambling. I'm not really of any opinion on this. I guess if MA wants gambling it might as well be one of our CT operators running it.

Hartford Courant

GAMBLING EXPANSION
Mohegans Open Marketing Office In Palmer, Mass.

By ERIC GERSHON | The Hartford Courant
May 19, 2009

Mohegan Sun just expanded its turf in western Massachusetts � by about 500 square feet.

The Uncasville casino's owner, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, opened a marketing office Monday in downtown Palmer, the economically depressed town where it wants to develop a "mini-Mohegan Sun" on 150 acres already under lease.

The tribe is trying to position itself as the developer of choice for a casino there if the Massachusetts legislature legalizes gambling. The legislature rejected a plan to license resort-style casinos last year, but the recession has helped to revive interest.

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Plymouth Rock Studios

Frankie811 — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:01:34 +0000

Plymouth planners green light studio bid. The developers expect to break ground on the $550 million project this summer. Construction on the actual studio facilities would not begin for several months after the initial site work begins.

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archiv...mp;p_product=CT

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Worcester City Square

Lowerdeck — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:12:16 +0000

The Voice of Reason, on May 1 2009, 11:18 AM, said:

Be patient. it is only a matter of time before some form of High speed rail is built as per Obamas plan. As of now it would go through Worcester to Springfield. This will certainly help springfield as one of the hubs, but the fact that it will connect Worcester and Boston means the commute between the two citys will make Worcester easier to get to from Boston than Framingham. I think not only will the Worcester airport grow, but the office and housing markets will take off.

Yes, that'll be another great huge boost.

Looks like 10 years from now, Worcester's got great potential to retake the #2 city in New England spot. Between a potential high speed connect to Boston (I can see it likely non-stop or one stop too) and downtown redevelopment with CitySquare and whatever else might pop up once the economy rolls again - really exciting times.

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Worcester City Square

The Voice of Reason — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:18:20 +0000

Worcester City Square

Lowerdeck — Fri, 01 May 2009 05:01:32 +0000

According to the T&G today (4-30), Front St.'s extension will be delayed three years as it's been pushed to part two of the project.

Meanwhile public money to demolish the mall won't happen until June, when the lease with Unum is officially signed.

Source: http://www.telegram.com/article/20090430/NEWS/904300634

Slow and steady progress, better than nothing.

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Springfield Seeking 2 Riverfront Development Proposals

HartfordTycoon — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:00:54 +0000

Springfield has a ton of potential if you ask me. Now with the probability increasing that it will serve as a High Speed Rail hub, developers need to take a second look at it. I think with better connections to Boston established, it's proximately to Greater Hartford, and high concentration of educational institution in Western Mass, Springfield may finally be on the verge of real substantial and sustainable improvement.

Springfield Republican

SPRINGFIELD - With more than 100,000 cars traveling by the city daily, Springfield officials hope to catch the eye of potential developers for two riverfront properties along West Columbus Avenue.

The Springfield Redevelopment Authority, in coordination with the city, released two formal solicitations last week, seeking new uses for the former site of the York Street jail and the Visitors Information Center building. The visitors' center plans to relocate to the nearby Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame center by July 1.

Brian M. Connors, the city's acting chief development officer, said Monday both sites are prime locations for development adjacent to the heavily-traveled Interstate 91. More than 100,000 cars travel that route daily, he said.

"The visibility we get there is a huge selling point," Connors said.

The city wants to "build on the successes we've seen" along the riverfront, including the Hall of Fame, the Rivers Landing-LA Fitness project, various restaurants, and the Hilton Garden Inn, Connors said.

"It's probably the most prime location in the city right now," Connors said. "We are hopeful it's a unique opportunity to be near a one-of-a-kind attraction like the Hall of Fame. The challenge is the economic climate today and how that will affect the interest."

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno recently said the city expects to have "very strong competition for both of these sites."

Springfield Republican Editorial - Is it Primetime for the Riverfront?

Is it prime time for the riverfront?
by The Republican Newsroom
Tuesday April 28, 2009, 6:00 AM

When grand ambitions for the redevelopment of Springfield's riverfront bump up against the reality of a tough economy, it's helpful to remember the Realtor's motto: Location, location, location.

In the midst of this recession, a prime location remains a singularly competitive advantage as the city begins a full-court press to find developers for two riverfront parcels near the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Springfield and Worcester Development

The Voice of Reason — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:20:56 +0000

Lowerdeck, on Apr 7 2009, 11:34 AM, said:

Big thing in Worcester right now is CitySquare, which looks like it finally might get started. Plan is to tear down the Common Outlets mall downtown, replace it with office, retail, and residential. Got a big corporate client (Unum) to take a significant amount of office space in the project, so it should advance soon with demolishing the old and eventually building part one of the complex.

Don't really know much about Springfield, I rarely go out to western Mass.

Springfield has hjack and spit going on from what I read.

Even 2 years ago there was not really anything happening.

Sadly, Springfield is just too far in la la land to get any drive out of a good econemy, and in a down econemy is definately struggling. There were a few positive moves that I posted in these forums a while ago, but I would not count on any real construction for a long while in Springfeld. it is more and more turning into a suburb for Hartford. If the city could get more decent housing downtown it has some very good potential, but untill that happens it will continue to sputter through time.

Worcester at least has Boston to feed off of, and if it can get some nice efficent rail service to downtown Boston I think it would really pick things up in that city.
I still have my doubts about the big city square thing because untill the market changes, and the project can be really fully built out, there will be no residential, and truely residential is what will make or break that project.

so in short, all New England cities are in the same boat. If you have downtown residential you are doing OK (Hartford) if you have lots of downtown residential you are doing quite well (Providence/New Haven/Boston) If you have very little downtown residential you are struggling and likely doing anything you can to get some downtown residential (Springfield/Worcester/Waterbury/Norwich)

This is the coolest thing Springfield might get
http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/Court-Sq...eld-t43671.html

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Springfield and Worcester Development

Lowerdeck — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:34:22 +0000

Springfield and Worcester Development

lookinforahome — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:44:59 +0000

Hey all, new to this forum. I'm interested in what's going on in both of these cities, so I figured I'd combine them. So what's the status on developments going on around these two cities?

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Worcester City Square

jeepcj85 — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:50:17 +0000

Its enough square footage to release public money for demolition and infrastructure, such as ne roads and utilities.

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Worcester City Square

Lowerdeck — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:37:59 +0000

I'm guessing since there's a major tenant in one of the buildings, part/all of the old Common Outlets mall will be torn down.

I'm hoping with the project getting under way and the economy improving, once they get the ball rolling more will come and follow.

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Worcester City Square

The Voice of Reason — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:14:24 +0000

So does this mean the whole project will get done or are they going to build just one building?

As a total project I think it will be a great success, but I worry about individual pieces not having the same effect.

Its a shame Hannover can not just move downtown and take up all the opffice space.

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Worcester City Square

Lowerdeck — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:25:46 +0000

At least soon there will finally be progress. Something there has been long overdue.

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Worcester City Square

jeepcj85 — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:51:07 +0000

The lease ended up at 195000. From what I read, the deal is for building H, which is on the corner of Mercantile(new street) and Foster, approximately where the old Bijou Cinema and Applebees now stands.

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Worcester City Square

jeepcj85 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:08:12 +0000

A deal with unum for 175000 Sq ft has been reached with an announcement tomorrow!! This is more than enough leased space to trigger the release of public demolition/infrastrucure money!!

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