Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | May 13, 2019 | wbjournal.com C E N T R A L M AS S I N B R I E F Worcester close to securing all ballpark land V E R BAT I M Manufacturing center "Most manufacturers in Massachusetts are small companies, but they don't want to get relegated to old mill buildings and in fact, they frequently can't be." Steven Rothschild, owner of the 20,000-square-foot Armory Business Center in Worcester, which will offer up to 4,600 square feet for small manufacturers starting in July New ACL treatment "We've had about 200 patients between the ages of 13 and 35 from high-level athletes to the casual weekend athlete. They're reporting their hamstring strength is much better and patient satisfaction is much higher." Miach Orthopaedics CEO Martha Shadan on the company's clinical work for a new ACL surgery method using an implant Weed in Worcester "The last couple days have been emotional for me. Just the entire journey and looking back from how we started Good Chemistry – we're very proud." Good Chemistry Founder and CEO Matthew Huron, on opening Worcester's first recreational marijuana dispensary T he Worcester Redevelopment Authority has now voted to acquire nearly all of the properties needed for the $101-million ballpark to serve as the new home of the Pawtucket Red Sox when the team moves to the Canal District in 2021. e only remaining land needed for the project is controlled by Madison Properties, the developer building the mixed-use developments to complement Polar Park, which will soon convey those properties to the city. e WRA in April voted to authorized an agreement with landowners to acquire five properties not previously slated for acquisition. According to the city, those five new properties are part of 2 Plymouth St., 85 Green St. and 5, 7 and 8 Gold St. Along with 90 Washington St. – which was originally slated for acquisition – the WRA is paying $5.8 million for both the acquisition of those properties and relocation expenses for the businesses located on those properties. Owning the additional properties will help the city better mitigate impacts and avoid litigation, the city said in a press release. Separately, the WRA has authorized the eminent domain takings for two properties owned by ambulance company MedStar at 69 and 62 Washington St. e city originally offered $2 million for those properties. An agreement with property owners approved by the WRA says the acquisition of 90 Washington St. will have a detrimental effect on 85 Green St., which closely abuts those properties. Per the agreement, property owners Bafaro Realty Trust, Joseph Bafaro, Herbert Rasnick and 85 Green Street Trust -- of which both men are trustees -- essentially submit to the city's eminent domain taking. "With the authorizations adopted today, the Worcester Redevelopment Authority continues to move the ballpark project forward in an expeditious manner," WRA Chair Vincent Pedone said in a statement. "Assemblage of the properties needed for construction of the ballpark is a critical first step." e acquisition of 90 Washington St. will force three businesses – Table Talk Pies' offices, Auto Body Supplies and Paint, and Windstream – to relocate. At 85 Green St., which is connected with 2 Plymouth St., businesses include AIDS Project Worcester and Restaurant Superstore, neither of which will have to move. "From the start, the city has been working in partnership with us and is executing the project in a sensitive and humane way, taking into account our mission and the social services we provide," said AIDS Project Worcester's Executive Director Michelle Smith. e city last month filed eminent domain takings for 50 Washington St., 127 Washington St. and 134 Madison St., which house AMC Demolition, Paul's Auto Glass and retailer e Sublime Co. All those businesses will have to relocate. e city originally offered $1.4 million combined for those three properties. W Construction on the $101-million Worcester Red Sox stadium is sched- uled to begin this summer. BY ZACHARY COMEAU Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer

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