[oliver]

Good article about Worcester & Lowell downtowns:

http://www.massinc.o...500&pub_id=1771

[Monticello-1827]

Nice to see that something is happening in downtown Worcester! I went to WPI and we'd occassionally trek over to the outlets. I remember making fun of the place because the floors were covered in carpet, I always thought that was kind of odd for a mall. Anyway, hope the project livens up that area!

[oliver]

http://www.wbjournal...ity_square.html

Negotiations between the city and the developer are ongoing in a very slow pace. It seems like there are some issues they cannot agree on. I guess it is unlikely that construction is starting anytime soon.

Worcester "A city on the move" is moving in snail pace.

[cloudship]

Unfortunately, it's the same story in Worcester - they have big talk, but they have little dreams and faith. They are so stuck on the mindset of trying to protect themseles from what in the back of their minds they think is going to be a big failure that they refuse to take enough risk for the project to come out successfully.

[oliver]

City and Developer finally came to an agreement:

Worcester Telegram, April 26:

“WORCESTER— It took longer than originally hoped, but the city has finally reached agreement with the developer of the $563 million CitySquare redevelopment project… CitySquare, the largest public-private redevelopment outside the Boston-Cambridge area in the state’s history, involves razing portions of the 20.2-acre former Worcester Common Outlets mall property and replacing it with a mixed-use district with retail, housing, office and entertainment space components. It also calls for extending Front Street to Washington Square. ...Mr. Park said it is anticipated that demolition of the now vacant mall and construction of new buildings will begin toward the end of this year. He said the project timetable will be spelled out in the development agreement.”

I can’t wait to see the wrecking ball!

[oliver]

Article in Boston Globe (10/01/06) about Worcester downtown developments:

http://www.newcitysq...obe_10_1_06.pdf


The deal has been signed by the city and developer (Worcester Telegram 10/27/06):

http://www.telegram..../610270656/1116

This post has been edited by oliver: 27 October 2006 - 08:10 AM

[The Voice of Reason]

oliver, on Oct 26 2006, 09:54 PM, said:

Article in Boston Globe (10/01/06) about Worcester downtown developments:

http://www.newcitysq...obe_10_1_06.pdf


The deal has been signed by the city and developer (Worcester Telegram 10/27/06):

http://www.telegram..../610270656/1116

So is this project actually happening?

I hate worcester and only stop there because a friend is getting her masters there, but would definately be more inclined to explore more if this gets built.

She has moved so I have not driven directly into downtown for about a year now. anyone know?

I did notice massive construction on a Umass Med school building.

[cloudship]

The project isn't really happening yet. They have had problems landing tennants, in turn that means they have not met the minimum requirements to get funds. Some people in City Hall are rather anxious to bulldoze the place. So what they are offering to do is to give them enough matching funds to tear down the place.

Personally, I don't think that is going to be any more of a benefit. It wont' draw more investors, and will end up looking worse and creating more problems with rodents and such. The only benefit I can find in it is that it might just say to people the project isn't going to work and try for something new.

[The Voice of Reason]

cloudship, on Feb 13 2008, 04:32 PM, said:

The project isn't really happening yet. They have had problems landing tennants, in turn that means they have not met the minimum requirements to get funds. Some people in City Hall are rather anxious to bulldoze the place. So what they are offering to do is to give them enough matching funds to tear down the place.

Personally, I don't think that is going to be any more of a benefit. It wont' draw more investors, and will end up looking worse and creating more problems with rodents and such. The only benefit I can find in it is that it might just say to people the project isn't going to work and try for something new.

It would be a shame if this did not happen. A project of that scale would completely change the core of Worcester, and that would generally be a good thing. I am hoping the continued use of Worcester as an extended bedroom community to Boston will keep this alive long enough to survive this credit crisis. I suppose progress can not be rushed. We see the same thing in Hartford.

[cloudship]

Won't be any bigger than Med City, or the Centrum, or renovating the mall in the first place. Ultimately it's not the projects that matter, it's the people. Projects are only as good as the people they can bring in. I don't think an empty lot is going to bring in any more people.

I hate to see it get torn down, then left barren. which I fear is most likely the case. It's not like it will be virgin ground you can simply pave over or build fresh on, you will have to consider the existing foundation and everything els e(including some spurs of the canal) which are down there. I'd rather see them do it right the first time.

[Lowerdeck]

If all else fails, tear down the mall and extend the common for a little while. Return the street grid back to normal. Let developers later on come and do something with the land when the economy turns better. If CitySquare doesn't work out, let something else come in its place when time is more appropriate.

[cloudship]

Restoring the street grid isn't going to be easy. You have some pretty heavy foundations there, you have buried canals (many of the private extensions off the canal are poorly documented), you have a lot of already existing fill to work with, and you have two towers which are remaining standing in the way. I am worried some people have a bit glorified ideas of how connected the area will be. Adn what are you extending it to - a huge divided road? Elevated train tracks?

[Lowerdeck]

Upon further inspection... you're right. They tucked the mall in the middle of all those office buildings. I hadn't realized there wasn't much room for any street between the other structures there.

Then again, Shrewsbury Street and the rotary goes under the railroad bridge into W Cntr Blvd which goes to Main anyway.

[cloudship]

Lowerdeck, on Feb 16 2008, 12:42 PM, said:

Upon further inspection... you're right. They tucked the mall in the middle of all those office buildings. I hadn't realized there wasn't much room for any street between the other structures there.

Then again, Shrewsbury Street and the rotary goes under the railroad bridge into W Cntr Blvd which goes to Main anyway.

It can be a bit confusing with the curves. So I don't think you are going to get clear views. Now if there was a streetscape, which actually draws attention, I think that would be much better - it would lead the person to Main St. But an Empty lot I am not so sure would.

I have to admit I am very curious about the canal through that section. The actual canal runs under the very corner of the train station, and just west of the railroad track. However, off of the canal, many companies had their own little side canals. They found a few while constructing both the Galleria and the Centrum. It would be interesting to know what is under there and what could be done with it.

[Lowerdeck]

cloudship, on Feb 16 2008, 04:54 PM, said:

It can be a bit confusing with the curves. So I don't think you are going to get clear views. Now if there was a streetscape, which actually draws attention, I think that would be much better - it would lead the person to Main St. But an Empty lot I am not so sure would.

I have to admit I am very curious about the canal through that section. The actual canal runs under the very corner of the train station, and just west of the railroad track. However, off of the canal, many companies had their own little side canals. They found a few while constructing both the Galleria and the Centrum. It would be interesting to know what is under there and what could be done with it.

I remember something about trying to get pieces of the canal back, put some sort of waterfront district around it. But wasn't that supposed to be nearish Kelley Square?

[cloudship]

Yes, and that part is still going, albeit very slowly. The section they are talking about it along Harding Street, which is basically built over the old canal. In the summer they have a canal fest, where they have a small replica of what it might look like. It's smaller than you would thing, but I think it would be a great thing. From hading st the canal runs straight under the corner of the railroad station, straight down under Med city to the parking lot in front of where the Honey Farms is on Worcester Center Blvd. This would put it pretty much right up against the bermed railroad tracks, kind of running between them and WCB.

This would take a bit of redoing, but I think it might be an idea to try and either unbury or recreate that section of canal. Move the road a little further to the west (maybe trim that corner) and use that as a feature area. I would examine if it would be possible to do something better with those tracks - make them more appealing, maybe a well designed viaduct or something that could tie in with Washington Square. Then use that whole area as a kind of square, and develop the periphery of it. If you put in an attractive feature - a grand fountain, perhaps, it might draw interest between the two towers to Worcester common.

[Lowerdeck]

So I managed to catch an article which says progress may finally be going to happen at CitySquare. Unum is floating the idea of relocating to the site, which if made official would give the site a tenant and get the project started.

While on one hand, this company already has operations in Worcester... at least now something can be done with the Common Outlets. That is of course, if things go as planned.

http://www.telegram....N...&source=rss

[The Voice of Reason]

good find and great news!!

[cloudship]

Definitely a good sign. But I would not be making any plans on this just yet. This is just interest right now - nothing formal.

I would not be surprised, however, if the project itself takes on a whole different look. For that matter, I would not be surprised if Berkley simply gives up the whole thing to Unum, and Unum takes over the project.

[jeepcj85]

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!!