The Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC) recently released a study finding that the City of Worcester will need to produce 8,600 new housing units over the next 10 years to address the current residential shortage. In housing production demand, Worcester leads all other Massachusetts gateway cities, which are midsized urban communities that anchor regional economies around the state.
VHB has been working closely with property developers in Worcester to create both affordable and market rate housing that will alleviate the housing crisis with transformative, record-setting projects. Below we highlight four of the many residential projects that VHB is supporting throughout the City; all projects are at different stages of development, from recently approved, to under construction, to newly opened.
- Chestnut Place: Leading the largest office to residential conversion in Massachusetts history, Synergy Investments recently began construction to renovate the former Fallon Health office building into 198 market rate residential units at Chestnut Place, with a fitness center and pool. In a smaller four-story building attached to the former office tower, Synergy plans to develop 22 affordable housing condominiums. VHB is providing site and civil engineering services for this unprecedented project, including traffic and pedestrian planning and drainage design.
- Worcester Boys Club Renovation: WinnCompanies, a national leader in affordable housing development, teamed with VHB to create the first senior housing development in Worcester’s downtown area—an innovative adaptive reuse project that saves a treasured landmark. In the City’s first air rights construction project, Winn is currently constructing a new 64,000-square-foot building straddling a tunnel with a podium structure. Combined with the original building, the new development will include a total of 80 affordable, age-restricted apartment homes with state-of-the-art amenities, such as library reading rooms and a fitness center.
- The Pearl: HHM Cube Properties recently received local approvals to develop an 11-story residential building on Pearl Street, anticipated to replace an existing surface parking lot. When completed, the building will feature 139 new units, including studios, one-bedrooms, and two-bedrooms, 18 of which will be affordable for households earning up to 60% of the area’s median income. The site’s ground floor will have an indoor pool and will be available as retail space.
- Alta on the Row: Real estate developers Wood Partners collaborated with VHB to build a high-end, 370-unit residential community featuring best-in-class services, including a rooftop lounge, grilling stations and firepits, and an on-site dog park. In the heart of Worcester’s “Restaurant Row,” the development offers residents a wide range of dining and entertainment options. VHB provided land use planning, engineering, and analysis services for this project, which recently opened to residents.
“The City of Worcester has been at the forefront of pro-development and pro-housing initiatives, including fostering robust school systems and utility infrastructure to accommodate continued growth,” said Worcester Director of Land Development Brittany Gesner. “City staff, commissioners, and board members have been particularly supportive of residential projects, allowing the residential development community to increase housing supply in pursuit of alleviating the ongoing housing crisis.”
VHB continues to support the transformation of Worcester with these residential projects, along with several more in pipeline at early conceptual planning stages, to build communities where residents can thrive.
Learn how VHB is helping address the housing shortage across New England with precedent-setting projects.
