A $3-million property deal between the Worcester Redevelopment Authority and developer Churchill James that will clear the way for the construction of a 13-story tower in the Canal District is set to close Dec. 1, said Chief Development Officer Peter Dunn at Friday morning’s WRA meeting.Â
Approved by the Worcester Planning Board in early May, the tower known as The Cove will house more than 300 residential units, 30,000 square feet of food and retail space, and a 150-spot parking garage.Â
The project is proposed by Thomas Keane and Harry DiLeo who are registered as the co-managers of both Churchill James, LLC in Worcester and The Gold Block LLC.
In their May application to the Planning Board, Keane and DiLeo listed 85 Green St, 2 Plymouth St., and 5-7 Gold St. as parts of the proposed project’s site. The Worcester Redevelopment Authority bought all those properties in June 2019 for $10, according to the Worcester South District Registry of Deeds, and are now finalizing a deal with The Gold Block LLC to sell the sites for the 13-story project.
Gold Block LLC acquired 103 Green St. from Worcester Public Market owner Allen Fletcher for $200,000 in Aug. 2020 and the former Cove Music Hall at 89 Green St. for $900,000 in Dec. 2020.Â
The developers plan to demolish the Cove building, which they will be able to do more easily once the final sites are acquired, Dunn said in Friday’s meeting. Dunn didn’t disclose the purchase price in the WRA meeting, but previously told WBJ in an interview the property sale would total about $3 million.
The project, which will involve a $110-million investment, according to the Worcester Chamber of Commerce website, is one of many around Polar Park and is located in a special taxing district designed to pay back the costs of the $160-million ballpark.
