2 replies to this topic

[lookinforahome]

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?

[Lowerdeck]

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.

[The Voice of Reason]

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.urbanplan...eld-t43671.html

Edited by The Voice of Reason, 09 April 2009 - 10:24 AM.