Worcester Business Journal

16 Worcester Business Journal | June 10, 2019 | wbjournal.com F O C U S A R C H I T E C T U R E & C O N S T R U C T I O N A redevelopment Projects slated for vacant Lincoln Square buildings would transform the area and help connect disparate parts of Worcester BY ZACHARY COMEAU Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer TRINITY W ith a few more years of planning and at least $170 million, three very differ- ent redevelopment projects at a trio of the city's historic and long-vacant buildings at one of the city's most high-profile intersections could dramatically transform a major gateway in Worcester. ose three historic buildings – the Worcester County Courthouse, the Lincoln Square Boys Club and the Worcester Memorial Auditorium – are either underway on a development project or slated for a rehabilitation in the coming months and years. If all three are successful, city officials hope the projects could bring together three disconnected areas of Worcester each with their own economic progress of late. e Highland Street, Main Street, and Gateway Park areas and respective higher education institutions have all been separated by what City Manager Edward Augustus calls a Berlin Wall. "By putting these [Lincoln Square buildings] into active reuse, we're hop- ing this will bring the energy that exists in those three corridors in a way that adds to the walkability and fludiness at the intersection of these neighbor- hoods," Augustus said. The redevelopment catalyst e most promising of the three projects is the $58-million, 117- unit apartment project to fill the 246,000-square-foot courthouse by Boston developer Trinity Financial. Construction began this spring. Trinity purchased the building in 2017 for $1.3 million, about a year aer New Hampshire Brady Sullivan Prop- erties developer pulled out of a similar project at the building. e building has been on the market since it closed in 2007 when a new courthouse was built on Main Street. e building is the only of the three currently undergoing a comprehensive redevelopment project, and Trinity executives say this project could end up making the other two work. "We hope this continues the work and revitalization already happening there and bring the other buildings back," said Michael Lozano, a senior project manag- er with Trinity. Lozano estimates around 200 people will be living in the former courthouse, which will help increase foot traffic. As the first developer to make head- way on actual construction, Lozano said Trinity would be happy with just about any use in the Auditorium or Boys Club. "e idea is to get people out on the streets and living and working there at all times of the day," he said. A complicated $94M project A few months before Trinity Financial emerged as the courthouse developer, Worcester began working with Boston historic property reservation firm Archi- tectural Heritage Foundation to explore a possible reuse of the courthouse's neighbor, the Worcester Memorial Auditorium. e building, devoid of meaningful activity since 1999, could be overwhelm- ingly transformed for a modern use, but due to historic property restrictions and the building's sheer size, the project could be the most time consuming. AHF has now become a developer, proposing to renovate the building into a collaborative $94-million digital arts center and e-sports venue for the bur- geoning video game industry with the help of Becker College in Worcester. "It's a gem, frankly, but a little bit of a complicated gem," said AHF President Sean McDonnell. e project, in its infantile planning stage, is the most ambitious, as it calls for a 300-seat IMAX-style theater, a 2,000-seat performance space in the main auditorium, restaurants, and space for e-sports events and digital arts entrepreneurs. Becker College, previously rumored as a possible tenant due to its growing e-sports progam, reached out to AHF to look at the building as an e-sports venue. Aer some research, McDonnell and his firm agreed. "ey impressed upon us that there was an incredible opportunity happening in that market that we didn't see," he said. However, AHF is at least two years away from doing any work, as partners and funding must be obtained, according to a deal between the firm and the city. e auditorium, referred to colloqui- ally as simply the Aud, was built in 1931 to honor the 9,000 Worcester residents who fought in World War I. As such, the structure is arguably the most historic out of the three, hosting performances, film viewings, basketball games and high school graduation for decades. "It's a gorgeous building," said Augus- tus, recalling his high school graduation held in the main auditorium. "You can't just go in there and gut it down. You have to keep historic elements there, but you also have to try to make it something that has modern day uses." Over the last decade, the city has opened up the audi- torium to residents and developers to try to drum up some enthusiasm and/or ideas for the vacant space. at work extended across the street to the Lincoln Square Boys Club. In Au- gustus' first year as city manager in 2014, via a grant from MassDevelopment, the city held what he called a speed dating event where the city invited developers and possible tenants to tour all three buildings. A race against time For about three years, WinnCos. has been working to find the right adaptive reuse for the Lincoln Square Boys Club as the city's preferred developer. e property represents the most time-sensitive project, as the 104-year- old building is in dire need of repairs. e building, vacant since 2007, was pegged for a $20-million renovation to become the next home of Worcester autism school Summit Academy, but the school pulled out of the project in May. Edward Augustus, Worcester city manager PHOTOS/TMS AERIAL SOLUTIONS

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