City agrees to sell former courthouse for $1.2M for housing, retail
File photo
A New Hampshire developer plans to redevelop the former Worcester County Courthouse into apartments and retail space.
The city of Worcester has agreed to sell the former Worcester County Courthouse to a New Hampshire developer that specializes in historic properties for $1.2 million, according to a statement from City Manager Edward Augustus’ office.
Brady Sullivan Properties LLC plans to convert the building into a projected 115 market-rate residential apartments along with 3,000 square feet of retail space, the city announced Thursday. The entire building will be preserved through construction and all of it will be renovated, the statement said.
“This is a huge win for Worcester,” Augustus said. “I’m pleased we were able to preserve this beautiful historic building and put it in our tax rolls so quickly.”
Augustus said redevelopment of the former court house, vacant since 2007 when the current courthouse opened downtown, “will pave the way for even more development” in the Lincoln Square area.
The City Council must approve the sale, which is on the agenda for its March 24 meeting.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the former courthouse measures about 250,000 square feet, with the original portion of the building dating back to 1845. It sits on a 4.28-acre parcel at the corner of Main and Highland streets. Since it closed, its windows have been boarded up and the shrubbery had become overgrown.
Previously owned by the state's Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) as a surplus property, the courthouse was to have gone up for auction in early 2011. But after receiving just one bid, the auction option was shelved. The city took over the property last August after buying it from the state for $1.
Not long after, inquiries in the property picked up when the city received at least four letters of intent from interested developers, according to Michael Traynor, the city’s chief development officer.
If the City Council approves the sale, proceeds of the sale will be split between the city and state.
Traynor said the Brady Sullivan plan for the building is “huge step” for the continued revitalization of Lincoln Square.
“With this project, we will continue to build on the momentum of the highly successful Voke Lofts Apartments, adding even more vibrancy and life to the area,” Traynor said.
Brady Sullivan Properties has another project in Worcester; the company is completing a renovation of the historic Junction Shops Mill into apartments and condominiums in the Main South neighborhood, according to the city.
“We are very excited to have the opportunity to rehabilitate the courthouse, which we consider to have tremendous potential for residential units. It is a beautiful, well-built structure that Brady Sullivan is committed to preserving as an historic landmark,” said Shane Brady, principal of Brady Sullivan.
Brady Sullivan estimates the project will take 12 to 14 months to complete.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments