WBDC lands $15M grant for biomanufacturing park

PHOTO/GRANT WELKER The Bryan Building at the former Worcester State Hospital grounds will be demolished.

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By Zachary Comeau

The Worcester Business Development Corp. has been awarded a $15-million state grant to demolish the largest of the buildings at the future biomanufacturing park.

The funds will be used to demolish the 380,000-square-foot Bryan Building and protect the environment during the process. New Garden Park, the nonprofit entity of the WBDC, hopes removing the building will set the stage for the creation of pad-ready sites for biomanufacturing companies.

An official announcement involving Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and other local officials is planned at the site for Thursday.

Via New Garden Park, the WBDC purchased the 44-acre property from the state within the last year, according to a press release.

Land records show two such transactions within the past year involving New Garden Park Inc and the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance: a $342,557 sale in June and a $708,443 transaction in December.

The Worcester Historical Commission gave its OK for the demolition of the building, which has been vacant since 2012 when the new state Department of Mental Health Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital opened.

So far, at least one biomanufacturing company has signed on to the project: WuXi Biologics. The China-based business in June announced its intention to open a U.S. location in the biomanufacturing park, investing $60 million to do so.