Worcester Public Market opens with a splash
Photo | Thomas Grillo
On hand for the grand opening of the Worcester Public Market were (from left) State Sen. Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester), Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, developer Allen Fletcher, and Mayor Joseph Petty.
Thursday’s debut of the Worcester Public Market looked more like a Hollywood premiere.
There were lines and searchlights seen a mile from Green Street in Kelley Square in the city’s Canal District.
In an emotional speech, Allen Fletcher, the project’s developer, fought back tears as he told the audience he may not be able to speak.
“I was just a guy with a project idea and had no idea how to do it,” Fletcher said. “But I had lunch with (developer) Ray Quinlan, who agreed it could be done. Everyone from the city pitched in, and the rest is history. It was fun to come to work and see the collaborative spirit that made it possible.”
In addition to the 20,000-square-foot market, the project includes 48 lofts on the second, third and fourth floors of the building.
The half-acre vacant lot has had five owners in 16 years. In 2004, Ai Automotive Corp. sold the parcel to Bruce Smick Realty Corp., an entity managed by Pamela Massad of Westborough, for $800,000.
Two years later, she flipped it for $910,000 to the 152 Green Street LLC., a division of Sarazen Corp. in Framingham. In 2015, Sarazen sold the lot to the Harding Green LLC, managed by Fletcher, for $900,000. Last year, Fletcher created Canal District Partners and purchased it for $1 million.
Last spring, Fletcher took out a pair of mortgages on the property totaling $17.4 million. His corporation borrowed $15.6 million from Country Bank and $1.8 million from MassDevelopment, the state’s economic development and finance agency.
The anchor tenant for the ground-floor businesses which includes more than two dozen eateries including Wachusett Brewing Co.
City Manager Edward Augustus, who was master of ceremonies for the three-hour event, said the city was happy to provide tax relief on the housing portion of the project and partnered with the state on infrastructure improvements in the district. The city provided Fletcher a 10-year tax-increment financing deal, which will save him an estimated $838,000 off of his tax bills.
“Just look around here and see the energy and enthusiasm,” Augustus said. “How many of us have gone to Portland, Maine for a day trip or a weekend because we want to do something different. Guess what? People from Portland and other places will come to Worcester to spend time and spend some money and talk about the amazing things that are going on here. We will continue to keep the momentum and energy going. It’s Worcester’s time ... We deserve this. It’s our moment.”
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito could hardly contain her enthusiasm.
“Just think, it's a wet, cold, winter night, and you’re all here,” she said. “Just think what a warm, summer baseball night will feel like around here. I am so proud of Worcester, the heart of the commonwealth.”
Polito said when she tours Western Massachusetts or even Boston, people ask her what’s going on in Worcester.
“We’ve believed for a long time in who we are, and now many others are believing and seeing what’s happened and here,” she said.
Every speaker singled-out Jay Ash, who served as Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development under Gov. Charlie Baker until 2018. The North Shore resident was on hand for the opening.
Fletcher, Polito and the city manager praised him for his efforts to make the project happen.
Ash waved and acknowledged the kind words.
“Jay Ash has been an unbelievable partner with the city. He's out of office and came to celebrate with us,” said Augustus.
Curt Leiden, co-owner of Legacy Deli & Bagel, was distributing samples as a line formed about his corner space in the mini version of Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
“We got a call from Allen who invited us to take space, and we were eager to be a part of this,” Leiden said. “There’s a vitality here. There are apartments upstairs. There will be more coming across the street, and Polar Park is under construction nearby. This is real.”
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the MassDevelopment loan was for $18 million. The correct amount is $1.8 million.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments