Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | February 18, 2019 | Worcester Business Journal 5 B R I E FS Tree House Brewing buys Conn. farm for $1.6M Tree House Brewing Co. is now trying its hand at farming. e internationally ranked Charlton brewery announced in February plans for the Tree House Orchard & Farm Fermentory. e company said it now owns and operates 100 acres of farmland including 60 acres of agriculturally prime soil, grazing pasture for cattle, a produce and flower program, and apple trees. Tree House didn't detail the location of the farm. However, a Woodstock, Conn. town clerk confirmed an entity registered to the Tree House founders -- Pride and Purpose LLC -- purchased the 93-acre Devon Point Farm property for $1.6 million in February. Convert Greendale Mall to commercial space Greendale Mall in Worcester, assessed for about $13 million, is being put on the market by property owners C-III Capital Partners of Texas, which purchased the property via foreclosure auction in 2016 for $11.8 million. The mall is now mostly vacant with 17 active stores and 26 empty spaces. The mall is within a federally recognized opportunity zone and could provide tax advantages to investors. When polled online, the plurality of WBJ readers see the mall as becoming home to several small offices or one large industrial space. F L AS H P O L L What would be the best use for the Greendale Mall? Mass. opioid deaths fall for second straight year e Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported in February opioid deaths fell for a second straight year in 2018. e state confirmed or estimated 1,974 opioid overdose deaths last year, a drop of 82, or 4 percent, from 2017 and a decrease of 125 deaths from 2016. Still, more than five Massachusetts residents died on average each day of opioid overdoses last year. Rome Furniture in Gardner to close e 74-year-old Rome Furni- ture Center in Gardner is selling its 60,000-square-foot building as the company is going out of business. e 562 Main St. building, the former home of furniture manufacturer CH Hartshorn, boasts four floors at nearly 14,000 square feet each. A property flyer on the company's website lists possible uses including condos, restaurants, shopping and other uses. e property was last assessed for $446,000. Tree House Brewing in Charlton A school. The mall could be renovated instead of Worcester building a new school. 25% "The mall can be converted to a mixed-use property. The space can be occupied by several small professional offices, some retail such as a post office, general store, dry cleaner, coffee shop, restaurants and a gym." "The location of the build- ing could be very valuable to a tenant that desires visibility to thousands of vehicles daily that travel Gold Star Boulevard and Route 190." "It could be a nice addition to a biotech campus, as it is fairly close to [Worcester Polytechnic Institute]." Tuesday, June 11, 2019 2:00 - 5:00PM DCU Center, Worcester A special WBJ event forum The state's newly regulated cannabis industry has taken off like a rocket, and is expected to generate in excess of $1 billion by its second year. Opportunities abound for local entrepreneurs and innovative businesses looking to grow new revenue streams by creating cannabis-related businesses or services to support this important new sector. Whether you're impressed or concerned by the rapid growth of the Cannabis industry in Massachusetts, and want to know more about how to profit from its future, you'll want to attend this special forum. In this forum we'll bring together some of the leading industry experts to provide insight and information to business owners, entrepreneurs, municipal officials and other professionals interested in the latest happenings, trends and opportunities with Cannabis in our region. Cost: $55 Pre-registration required. To register or for updated information visit: www.wbjournal.com/cannabis Interested in becoming a sponsor or exhibitor? Contact Mark Murray, Associate Publisher for more information at 508.755.8004 ext. 227 or mmurray@wbjournal.com Commercial or industrial. The mall could be home to either several small professional offices or one large firm. 31% Housing. An innovative developer could take advantage of the unique space. 19% Retail. It can still function as a mall with the proper tenants. 25% Continued on Page 6

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