Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | May 16, 2022 | wbjournal.com Amazon Robotics expansion approved in Westborough Amazon's footprint in Westborough will expand with an addition to the Amazon Robotics' manufacturing facility in the town, which opened in October. e Westborough Planning Board on May 3 approved a site plan for a 100,000-square-foot building next to the 350,000-square-foot Amazon Robotics facility on 50 Otis St., which is a research-and-development subsidiary of Seattle-based retail firm Amazon. e new building will be located next door at 54 Otis St. and will be developed by Atlantic Management Corp., the same Framingham-based firm that developed the Amazon Robotics site. Atlantic's proposal includes an 80,000-square-foot high-bay warehouse space and 20,000 square feet of office space. ere will be 186 parking spaces, with 55 employees projected at each daytime shi. e entire project is situated on about 11 acres of land. Atlantic Management bought the 54 Otis St. parcel in September 2020 for just over $1 million, according to the Town of Westborough assessors' database. e site consists of a single-family home, which will be demolished. In late 2019, Amazon announced its plans to develop Amazon Robotics at the former site of AstraZeneca in Westborough, promising to create 200 jobs. e space opened in October and is still hiring soware and robotics engineers, according to Amazon's website. Atlantic Management also purchased a 93-acre parcel about five miles down the road in Westborough, which is slated to become an Amazon Last Mile Delivery Station. Fast $5K "We are pleased to launch this new loan program as part of our commitment to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs to grow or expand." B R I E FS C E N T R A L M AS S I N B R I E F V E R BAT I M Joining forces "We are really excited about the expanded opportunities this will provide our members as our organization grows." Elizabeth Cruz, board president of the Latin American Business Organization, which on April 30 became the sixth affiliate of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Rising confidence "The Federal Reserve's half- point interest-rate increase last week could have a dampening effect going forward, but companies in the survey remain confident in their prospects during the next six months." Timothy Murray, president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, on the rise in optimism among the region's businesses in the Central Massachusetts Business Confidence Index Roy Nascimento, president and CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, which is offering two-day FASTrack loans up to $5,000 for small businesses Heywood Healthcare seeks to join UMass Memorial Health BY ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL WBJ Staff Writer H eywood Healthcare, one of the last independent community healthcare systems in Central Massachusetts, has agreed in principle to join the UMass Memorial Health system, seeking to become part of the network with facilities in Worcester, Marlborough, Leominster, Clinton and Southbridge. UMass Memorial Health, which is based in Worcester and has $2.9 billion in annual revenue, has signed a non- binding letter of intent to fully explore affiliation options with Heywood and its facilities in North Central Mass. e proposed affiliation, which has been approved by both sides' boards, looks to bolster the healthcare services in the region, with Heywood gaining increased access to capital resources for investing in technology, improved facilities, and medical equipment. Heywood, which has $150 million in annual revenues, has two main hospitals in its system: Heywood Hospital in Gardner with 134 beds and Athol Hospital with 25 beds. Heywood Healthcare also operates the Heywood Medical Group, the 86-bed Quabbin Retreat for mental health and substance abuse recovery in Petersham, and eight satellite facilities. ey would join UMass Memorial, with its largest facility as the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, which has 842 beds. "During the past two years, we have managed both the challenges of COVID-19 and an increasingly complex health care environment," said Winfield Brown, president and CEO of Heywood Healthcare. "In order to assure continued access to outstanding local health services, we must consider new strategic models that strengthen and enhance the viability of services for our community." e proposed affiliation is expected to take up to one year to complete, following a regulatory review and approval process. e proposed affiliation does not impact current patient care services. Heywood would be the latest to join the UMass Memorial system, which last completed an affiliation in July, bringing Harrington Healthcare of Southbridge into the fold. UMass Memorial Health's president of community hospitals, Doug Brown, said the Heywood affiliation was a way to improve the outlook of North Central Massachusetts, a region which has oen struggled economically. "We look forward to working with Heywood Healthcare through the due diligence process, to include a clear understanding of the health and economic landscape of the North Central and North Quabbin communities," said Brown. Winfield Brown, president and CEO of Heywood Healthcare, is seeking for his organization to join UMass Memorial Health to provide more services for North Central Mass. W PHOTO | EDD COTE

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