Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates More Than $18 Million Through Community One Stop for Growth

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates More Than $18 Million Through Community One Stop for Growth

Gardner, Mass. – Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration joined state and local officials in Gardner to celebrate awards through Community One Stop for Growth, including $18,704,674 for 37 grant awards through the Underutilized Properties Program. 

These grants were included in the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s recently announced $161 million for 313 grant awards to support local economic development projects in 171 communities across the state. The Mass Leads Act, a far-reaching $4 billion economic development bill that Governor Healey signed into law this fall, reauthorizes several programs in the Community One Stop for Growth, including $90 million for the Underutilized Properties Program.  

“Revitalizing underutilized properties is essential for driving economic growth in our communities,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These investments will create new opportunities across Massachusetts by transforming neglected spaces into housing, businesses and public spaces.” 

“The Underutilized Properties Program is an important initiative for unlocking our cities and towns’ economic potential,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This funding will support 37 important projects like elevator repairs, child care space expansion, historic site preservation and more. We are excited to see how these projects will help address the critical needs of our communities.” 

“Through Community One Stop for Growth, we’re building stronger communities throughout Massachusetts,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “By redeveloping blighted and vacant properties, we are fostering an equitable economy for future generations and ensuring that every community has the right resources to succeed.”  

“These state grants directly enhance our communities with new housing, shops, restaurants, workspaces, and other amenities in what were once underutilized or vacant buildings,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “MassDevelopment is proud to administer the Underutilized Properties Program on behalf of the Commonwealth and is grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and Legislature for their continued support of this high-impact economic development tool.” 

The Underutilized Properties Program, which is administered by MassDevelopment, targets underutilized, abandoned, or vacant properties by supporting efforts that eliminate blight, increase housing production, support economic development projects, or increase the number of commercial buildings accessible to individuals with disabilities. The program offers grants ranging from $50,000 to $1,000,000 for capital improvements and predevelopment activities, including building stabilization, roof repair, HVAC system improvements, tenant improvements, and compliance with building codes and safety regulations.  

This year’s awards will fund improvements to 37 properties in 23 communities. The town of Dunstable, town of Northbridge, and Winchendon's Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center are receiving One Stop grants through the Underutilized Properties Program for the first time. Of the 37 applications awarded, 59 percent are located in a Gateway City, 43 percent are located in an MBTA Community, 49 percent are located in a Housing Choice Community, and 11 percent are located in a Rural Community. Since the program was created in 2021, it has supported 145 awards for a total investment of more than $64 million. 

“It’s very exciting to see how Gardner has been revitalized through hard work on the local level and the use of funding from the One Stop Awards,” said State Senator Peter Durant, R-Spencer. “The city is reinventing its downtown area with new vision for housing and commercial spaces in buildings that might otherwise have become eyesores. The city should be very proud of these projects.” 

“The City of Gardner is happy to host today’s grant announcements for the Underutilized Properties Program and celebrate the successes of the One Stop for Growth program. Gardner has seen firsthand the ways that the UPP Grants truly change the face of a community and bring new life into areas that were once viewed as dead and rundown,” said City of Gardner Mayor Michael J. Nicholson. “The UPP Grants we’ve received in previous years and the HousingWorks Grant we received this year are making substantial positive impacts - transforming blight into promise in the heart of our Downtown. Funding like the awards that were announced today help both revitalize our communities and combat the need for increased housing production across the Commonwealth. I’d like to thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their continued investment in our communities to build a stronger Commonwealth.” 

Underutilized Properties Program Awards 

Adams Theater LLC, Adams - $276,048 
Adams Theater LLC will use this grant to revitalize its historic theater. 

Elmer's Community Center Inc., Ashfield - $381,232 
Elmer's Community Center Inc. will use this grant to restore the historic and underutilized Elmer's building. 

Union Theatre Plaza LLC, Attleboro - $419,500 
Union Theatre Plaza LLC will use this grant to revitalize its historic theater. 

Hyde Square Task Force, Boston - $783,369 
Hyde Square Task Force will use this grant to redevelop Blessed Sacrament into 55 units of affordable housing for income levels between 30-80 percent AMI, as well as a performance space for community benefit. 

Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, Boston - $579,533 
Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation will use this grant to transform the former Dorchester Savings Bank to a commercial space to support arts, culture and community-oriented uses. 

Children's Services of Roxbury, Boston - $500,000 
Children's Services of Roxbury will use this grant to transform two underutilized buildings and a vacant structure in Nubian Square into an economic development center. 

CommonWealth Kitchen, Boston - $150,000 
CommonWealth Kitchen will use this grant to optimize space expanding its co-manufacturing capacity. 

157 Centre Street LLC, Brockton - $444,000 
157 Centre Street LLC will use this grant to install an elevator for a vacant building with 28 housing units next to the commuter rail and bus station. 

Housing Assistance Corporation, Dennis - $158,400 
The Housing Assistance Corporation will use this grant to convert a former nursing home into transitional housing for more than 70 families. 

Town of Dunstable, Dunstable - $50,000 
Town of Dunstable will use this grant to convert the Union School Building into a space that will be leased for community spaces, childcare centers, artisan studios and/or shared workspaces. 

CitySpace, Easthampton - $501,830 
CitySpace will use this grant to complete Phase II of the Old Town Hall addressing accessibility improvements to make the venue accessible to all. 

Durfee Trust Limited Partnership, Fall River - $558,400 
Durfee Trust Limited Partnership will use this grant to convert a former bank into 22 market-rate, one-bedroom apartments. 

MassCan Capital LLC, Fall River - $250,000 
MassCan Capital LLC will use this grant towards the adaptive reuse of Globe Mill into over 80 market-rate residential units. 

Royal 545 Main Street LLC, Falmouth - $669,955 
Royal 545 Main Street LLC will use this grant to renovate a former nursing home into 67 fully furnished units of affordable workforce housing for year-round and seasonal employees. 

Watch Us Grow LLC, Fitchburg - $875,408 
Watch Us Grow LLC will use this grant to redevelop eight market-rate apartments and one retail space on the ground floor at 347 Main Street. 

Prime Real Estate Investment LLC, Fitchburg - $839,000 
Prime Real Estate Investment LLC will use this grant to convert the second and third floors of the Bethel Building into 14 two-bedroom and two one-bedroom apartments. 

The Community Builders Inc., Greenfield - $2,763,260 
The Community Builders Inc. will use this funding towards the structural reinforcement of the Putnam building for affordable housing in a mixed-use building. 

Franklin Community Cooperative, Greenfield - $250,000 
Franklin Community Cooperative will use this funding towards the structural reinforcement of the Green Fields Market building to expand its flagship grocery store. 

Creative Haverhill, Haverhill - $470,000 
Creative Haverhill will use this funding to redevelop the former Cogswell School into art spaces offering a creative experience for all income levels. 

Wrights Block, Holyoke - $400,000 
Wrights Block will use this funding to convert its upper floors into 19 new mixed-income apartments. 

345 DWIGHT ST LLC, Holyoke - $114,000 
345 Dwight Street LLC will use this grant to redevelop Hotel Hamiliton with multiple retail and service businesses on the ground floor, workforce and market-rate housing on three floors, and a rooftop restaurant. 

BroadwayCanal-1 LLC, Lawrence - $525,000 
BroadwayCanal-1 LLC will use this grant to construct 120,000 square-feet of space for light manufacturing and small business. 

RG Realty LLC, Lowell - $450,000 
RG Realty LLC will use this grant to convert 635 Middlesex Street into a housing and business space. 

New Royal LLC, Lowell - $500,000 
New Royal LLC will use this grant to convert a historic theater into 17 units of housing and retail space for Sophia's Greek Pantry. 

Westmass Area Development Corporation, Ludlow - $892,000 
Westmass Area Development Corporation will use this grant to stabilize buildings at Ludlow Mills for new commercial space. 

City of New Bedford, New Bedford - $250,000 
City of New Bedford will use this grant to redevelop New Bedford Textile School into transit-oriented housing. 

Green Mile, New Bedford - $147,000 
Green Mile will use this grant to redevelop 105 Ashley Blvd into nine new affordable rental units. 

Town of Northbridge, Northbridge - $750,000 
Town of Northbridge will use this grant to renovate the Aldrich School Early Childcare Center to create 85 new childcare slots of which at least 50 percent are for families receiving vouchers and public subsidies. 

Allegrone Companies, Pittsfield - $626,732 
Allegrone Companies will use this grant towards Wright Building Block Phase II, which will convert the building into 14 mixed-income housing units and two storefronts. 

Elegant Stitches Inc., Pittsfield - $315,450 
Elegant Stitches Inc. will use this grant to expand its facility on 15 commercial street from 2,500 square-feet to 22,000 square-feet. 

McCaffery Interests Inc., Springfield - $500,000 
McCaffery Interests Inc. will use this grant towards the pre-construction of converting Colonial Block into 63 apartment units and ground floor retail. 

MPZ Development LLC, Springfield - $250,000 
MPZ Development LLC will use this grant towards the pre-construction of converting Brightwood School Apartments into 57 units of senior rental apartments. 

Hope for Youth & Families, Springfield - $160,000 
Hope for Youth & Families will use this grant towards the pre-construction of its arts center that will provide free programs to Springfield youth. 

12 Porter Street Development LLC, Taunton - $616,926 
12 Porter Street Development LLC will use this grant to repair a 144-year-old building at 12 Porter Street that will have 10 rental units. 

True Diversity Inc., Taunton - $228,914 
True Diversity Inc. will use this grant to revitalize The Loft in Taunton's Whittenton Village into a Clean Energy Community Resilience Hub, which will include a workforce center and event space. 

Northcounty Group Inc., Taunton - $100,000 
Northcounty Group Inc. will use this grant to revitalize the commercial space at 74 Weir Street. 

Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center, Winchendon - $876,717 
Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center will use this grant to redevelop the Streeter and Poland schools for the creation of 44 one-bedroom units of affordable veterans housing.