Worcester officials worry about minority businesses in Midtown Mall taking
Photo | Brad Kane
City officials are split on the desired action at Midtown Mall.
Worcester City Councilors want to be mindful of existing businesses and tenants at the Midtown Mall on Front Street as the Worcester Redevelopment Authority begins what could be a long and complicated process to buy the property, possibly through eminent domain.
The buildings at 12 and 22 Front St., according to city officials, are more than half empty with a number of small retail stores making up most of the building's tenants.
The building is underutilized and is in need of rehabilitation, said Worcester Chief Development Officer Michael Traynor, but several councilors at their Feb. 26 meeting said the existing tenants are worried about losing their livelihood.
Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson, who sponsored a proposal for City Manager Edward Augustus to provide a report on the existing businesses and plans for relocation, said many of those businesses don't know what's going on.
The businesses are typically small and minority-owned shops paying inexpensive rent. Finding a similar location with similar rent, which is required if the property is taken and the businesses are displaced, could be difficult.
“I want to make sure we do right by those folks,” Mero-Carlson said.
The WRA voted earlier this month to move forward on the eminent domain process, which first includes a series of appraisals.
Revitalization plans
The Midtown Mall was included in the city's Downtown Urban Revitalization Plan in 2016, but the city has not been met with cooperation from the mall's owner Dean Marcus.
Michael Traynor, the city's chief development officer, said at a Worcester Redevelopment Authority meeting Marcus has been unwilling to rehab the property and has been unwilling to entertain offers from the city.
Developers have inquired about the space, and there was even one that fell a few signatures short of a deal, but nothing has happened, said Traynor.
Councilors Khrystian King, Gary Rosen, Morris Bergman, Gorge Russell and Sarai Rivera all spoke in favor of engaging the business owners throughout the process.
Augustus said councilors, the city and WRA would move prudently throughout the process, but reminded officials many other property owners downtown have invested significantly in their properties.
Those property owners deserve the city's attention, too, so their investments are worthwhile, Augustus said.
While Augustus assured a prudent action, the WRA signified at its last meeting officials should move swiftly to take advantage of the city's economic momentum.
Chairman Vincent Pedone said the process could be underway by the summer, but member Michael Angelini said action should begin immediately within the next few months.
“I want to step a little more firmly on the accelerator,” Angelini said.
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