Fitchburg State University’s downtown revitalization project, ReImagine North of Main, received a $417,270 grant from the Gov. Charlie Baker Administration.
The funding will go toward entrepreneurship development and commercial vibrancy in Fitchburg’s downtown, according to a Tuesday press release from the college.
The ReImagine North of Main project is a collaborative initiative headed by FSU President Richard Lapidus to develop Fitchburg and reactivate vacant storefronts. Partners of the effort include the City of Fitchburg, the nonprofit NewVue Communities, Fitchburg Art Museum, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corp., and the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency.
The Baker Administration funding is part of the $20-million Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant Program to address communities struggling with economic growth. This year, it was dispersed across 62 organizations in 17 communities across Massachusetts.
Fitchburg State received a $475,000 award in December for rehabilitation of the city’s theater block, as well as some smaller grants in March 2021 for small business support.
