Foreclosures have become an issue of national priority. As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 the federal government has allocated funds under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties. Main South CDC is working with the city of Worcester to apply the Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed properties. The Main South CDC hopes to acquire 5-6 foreclosed properties within the next year. Through this revitalization effort the Main South CDC plans to revive foreclosed properties by putting each unit back into productive use, mitigate blight associated with abandoned properties, and stabilize housing values in the area.





Another important project underway is the rehabilitation of 1 Wyman Street, a mixed use property consisting of two commercial units and six residential units. This property was one of the Main South CDC’s first redevelopment projects. The Main South CDC has already renovated two storefronts with the assistance of Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA) funds, and it is now concentrating its efforts on the six attached rental units that will be converted into condominiums. This affordable housing project was undertaken this past summer and is scheduled to be completed in the winter of 2009. This particular project requires an extensive labor force, allowing the Main South CDC the opportunity to contract local labor and utilize Main South CDC’s own construction crew. Employing the local labor force is a reliable way to stimulate economic growth, as well as give back to the community.





One of the most recent projects that the Main South CDC has undertaken is the acquisition and renovation of a foreclosed single-family house located at 189 Beacon Street that will tie in to its newly constructed residential corridor consisting of sixteen units. This project is scheduled to be completed in May of 2009. The Main South CDC elected to work with YouthBuild-Worcester, which operates through Training Resources of America (TRA), to renovate this unit. YouthBuild-Worcester is one of 225 YouthBuild programs nationwide designed to assist youth between the ages of 16 through 24 that grew up in low-income households. YouthBuild focuses on developing educational and career skills, G.E.D. assistance, and a variety of other skills for future job obtainment. All of the youth accepted into the program are “high-risk” and display “multiple barriers to employment”. The crew working this particular project site consists of 16 youth who underwent a rigorous 3 week intake process in order to be accepted. This thorough assessment, demonstrating the students’ abilities to be on time, work well with others in a team, peacefully resolve conflict, and maintain a positive attitude, requires that each individual candidate meet “incredibly high standards.”



In addition to reaching out to marginalized youth, YouthBuild also places a large focus on sustainable construction and rehabilitation. The group working at 189 Beacon Street reuses as many materials as they can, and works to manage their resources as responsibly as possible. For example, debris are separated and all recyclable materials are sent to Conigliaro Industries in Framingham, MA, to be made into recycled products. The primary architect and teacher of YouthBuild-Worcester, Larry Halley, explained that “this kind of business and renovation is integral in the creation of green industry.” Each unit is redesigned to “sustain itself” as much as possible, given the resources available to each work group.





The Main South CDC has received a U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Cleanup Grant, as well as funding from the City of Worcester Brownfields Revolving Loan Program, and the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, for the cleanup and development of the property at 93 Grand Street. The property encompasses 1.7 acres and is located within the former Crompton and Knowles Loom Manufacturing Company.

Back to Development Projects