Baker-Polito Administration Announces Nearly $1.5 Million In Brownfields Funding For Nine Projects
BROCKTON, MA – July 27, 2017 – (RealEstateRama) — Baker-Polito Administration announced nearly $1.5 million in Brownfields Redevelopment Fund awards to support the environmental assessment and cleanup of contaminated and challenging sites across the Commonwealth.
BROCKTON, MA – July 26, 2017 – Today, Baker-Polito Administration announced nearly $1.5 million in Brownfields Redevelopment Fund awards to support the environmental assessment and cleanup of contaminated and challenging sites across the Commonwealth.
“The Brownfields Redevelopment Fund is a critical tool that unlocks the potential of many former industrial sites throughout Massachusetts,” said Governor Charlie Baker, “transforming them into places where our communities and families can build homes and businesses.”
In Brockton, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito joined Mayor Bill Carpenter to announce the awards at a site in the city’s downtown Transformative Development Initiative District. NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts is receiving an award to conduct environmental assessments at this site in order to redevelop it into 48 units of affordable and market-rate housing and ground floor retail.
“These awards will revitalize downtowns, eliminate blight, and unlock private investment and job growth across the Commonwealth,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We are pleased to provide these resources to advance the economic development goals of communities throughout Massachusetts.”
“Giving cities and towns the ability to create shovel-ready sites is a no brainer in terms of economic development,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “These unused sites are often some of the largest in the Commonwealth and now can be transformed into housing, commercial or industrial spaces that create jobs and enliven communities.”
The Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, established in 1998, is administered by MassDevelopment of behalf of the Commonwealth. The Fund helps to transform vacant, abandoned, or underused industrial or commercial properties. In most cases, redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination and liability. In FY17, the Commonwealth authorized $45 million in capital funding for the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund.
“Since 1998, MassDevelopment has been pleased to administer the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, which has led to the creation of more than 4,400 jobs and 2,750 units of housing,” said MassDevelopment Executive Vice President of Finance Programs Laura Canter. “We are grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration and the Legislature for its support of this fund, and to Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns for partnering with us on our brownfields projects.”
“Thank you to the Baker-Polito administration for helping us provide the funds to conduct the necessary steps to better plan and redevelop our downtown and provide the necessary handicap accessible housing our community needs,” said Senator Michael D. Brady. “The Old Kresge building was a landmark in downtown Brockton and it would be great to see that area built back up to help revitalize the city.”
“The funding from the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund will help transform the area in Brockton’s TDI district into a 48 unit affordable and market-rate housing development ,” said Representative Claire Cronin. “We look forward to seeing the benefits that this revitalization will have in our community. Thank you to MassDevelopment and NeighborWorks for their continued investment in our city.”
“These funds are vital to continuing our efforts at revitalizing downtown Brockton, by ensuring healthy and environmentally safe construction,” said Representative Gerry Cassidy. “NeighborWorks is a great asset to our community and I have no doubt they will continue their hard work. Thank you to MassDevelopment and the Baker-Polito administration for investing in Brockton.”
“As a State Representative for Brockton and East Bridgewater, I am grateful for the investment by the Brownfields Fund and the administration to start the clean-up of these sites and get them back onto the tax-rolls,” said Representative Michelle DuBois.
The following municipalities and organizations received Brownfield Redevelopment Fund awards in FY17:
Brockton’s NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts, $26,000
NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts will use the award to conduct environmental assessment at this highly visible, vacant site in Brockton’s TDI District. NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts plans to redevelop this site into 48 units of affordable and market-rate housing with ground floor retail.
Lawrence CommunityWorks Duck Mill project, $334,365
Lawrence CommunityWorks will use this award to perform environmental clean up at the Duck Mill site to transform the former mill building into 10,000-square-feet of retail and 73 units of affordable rental housing.
Lawrence CommunityWorks Union & Milford Street projects, $160,509
Lawrence CommunityWorks will use the award to perform remediation required to build five units of single-family, owner-occupied affordable housing on five vacant lots in Lawrence.
Gardner’s Newvue Affordable Housing Corporation, $18,000
Newvue Housing Corporation will use the award to conduct soil and air testing at a two-story downtown block building in Gardner. Once the property is safe for occupancy, NewVue, a community development corporation, will open a career and homeownership center on the ground floor and create three units of affordable housing on the upper floors.
City of Gardner Theatre Project, $490,475
The City will use this award to demolish and perform hazardous abatement of the former Orpheum Theatre in downtown Gardner, which the City will transform into a public park and parking lot useable to downtown businesses and residents.
Town of East Bridgewater, $99,400
The Town will use this award to perform assessment and find a permanent solution for the Eastern States Steel site, a contaminated, blighted, and highly visible site.
Town of East Bridgewater, $99,700
The Town will use this award to perform environmental assessment at the Precise Engineering site, which it ultimately plans to redevelop into a commercial or light industrial use.
Town of Seekonk, $99,800
The Town will use this award to assess the former Attleboro Dyeing and Finishing site, which it is seeking to redevelop into mixed-income housing and retail that will provide access to the Ten Mile River on which the property sits.
Worcester East Side CDC, $125,000
Worcester East Side CDC will use this award for assessment of a site that will become eight units of garden-style, handicap-accessible housing for extremely low-income or potential homeless residents while they continue to receive supportive services from the Department of Mental Health.
About MassDevelopment:
MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2016, MassDevelopment financed or managed 352 projects generating investment of more than $4 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create about 8,200 jobs and build or rehabilitate about 4,200 residential units.
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Media Contact
Michelle Hillman (HED) – michelle.m.hillman (at) state.ma (dot) us
Meggie Quackenbush (MassDevelopment) – MQuackenbush (at) Massdevelopment (dot) com
