The Worcester Business Development Corp., the City of Worcester, and representatives of organized labor have signed a community benefit agreement for the 51-acre development of the manufacturing-focused GreenTech Park project in Worcester.
The project will see the former Saint-Gobain Abrasives site in Worcester’s Greendale neighborhood redeveloped into pad-ready sites meant to hold manufacturing facilities. Proposed site specifications would allow for the construction of buildings ranging from 60,000 to 450,000 square feet, according to a brochure on the project’s website.
The CBA sees involved parties agree to comply with the City’s Responsible Development Ordinance, meant to ensure opportunities for Worcester residents, people of color, women, local contractors, and apprentices, according to a Monday press release from WBDC.
The agreement ensures compliance with the City’s Specialized Stretch Code, meant to help Worcester meet its goal of net-zero emissions by 2045. It includes provisions calling for monthly stakeholder meetings and informational discussions with Greendale residents.
“This Community Benefit Agreement holds true to the WBDC’s mission of creating jobs andexpanding Worcester’s tax base,” WBDC President Craig Blais said in the press release. “By committing to hire qualified local contractors and subcontractors, we’re ensuring that the economic benefits of GreenTech Park are felt right here in our community. We’re also proud to provide opportunities for a diverse workforce to play a vital role in shaping the City’s next chapter of industrial growth.”
Labor-related organizations playing a role in the CBA agreement include the Worcester Community-Labor Coalition and the Worcester-Fitchburg Building Trades Council.
“This agreement ensures responsible development that will not only create local jobs for our community members but also promote a safe working environment with good wages, ” Fred Taylor, business representative for the Carpenters Local 336 and co-chair of the Worcester Community-Labor Coalition, said in the press release. “Additionally, it will increase tax revenue for the City, helping to make Worcester a better place to work and live.”
The GreenTech Park project hopes to entice manufacturers to Worcester with its pad-ready sites, on-site rail access, and convenient access to Interstate 190.
The WBDC’s brochure cites the Worcester area’s lower cost of living compared to Boston, the region’s existing manufacturing ecosystem, and the local presence of universities and vocational trade schools.
The former Saint-Gobain campus was purchased by WBDC in November 2022 as part of its Greendale Revitalization Initiative, an effort between the WBDC and the City of Worcester to revive the Greendale neighborhood. The project was branded as GreenTech Park in March.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the real estate and banking & finance industries.
