A ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled for Oct. 2Â for a 90-unit housing development slated to remake a longtime industrial site in Worcester about a block from the Auburn border.
Botany Bay Construction of Worcester plans to build a mix of one- and two-bedroom market-rate townhouse-style apartments at the five-acre site. The site is the former site of Creative Paper & Packaging, facing South Ludlow Street in a large residential neighborhood.
Botany Bay unveiled plans for the site in 2017, with the city rezoning the site to allow for residential use.
The firm bought the land from the city in March for $52,500. The city seized the property, which uses the addresses of 175 James St. and 261 Clover St., by tax title in 2014. The site, long dominated by a 125,000-square-foot building that fell into disrepair, was last assessed at nearly $1.9 million.
Botany Bay has built a series of other residential developments in Worcester including Center Hill, Botany Bay, Hemlock Harbour and Millbrook apartments. It has also built Elizabeth Lane in Sterling and Flagler Village in Holden.
CORRECTION: An incorrect date was originally included for the groundbreaking.
