Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 8, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 7 CELEBRATING OVER OF PROVIDING EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT WORCESTER COUNTY 508.459.8000 | FletcherTilton.com WORCESTER | BOSTON | FRAMINGHAM | CAPE COD | PROVIDENCE '60 alumnus Carl Karlsson, who passed away in 2023. e gi supports WPI's Beyond ese Towers campaign: a fundraising campaign launched in 2021 with the goal of raising $500 million. "is is a shining example of the extraordinary generosity and dedication of our alumni to give back and help WPI continue to thrive," Grace Wang, president of WPI, said in an August 28 press release. WPI plans to use a cut of the gi to establish the Carl H. Karlsson '60 Early Career Professorship, an endowed professorship. "Carl Karlsson's remarkable gi will impact the university by supporting faculty excellence, fueling research and innovation, and enriching the student experience. His legacy will empower future generations to achieve, discov- er, and lead in ways that ensure WPI's enduring excellence and global impact," Wang said in the release. WPI will award the endowment to up to three early-career STEM faculty members in a move the university says will support forthcoming breakthroughs in research and student mentorship. "Endowed professorships like this one allow us to attract and retain outstand- ing faculty and are essential to WPI's ability to remain competitive among top-tier research institutions. ey pro- vide faculty with the resources to pursue bold ideas, attract external funding, and contribute to a dynamic learning envi- ronment," Andrew Sears, WPI senior vice president of academic affairs and provost, said in the release. e Karlsson estate's gi follows 40 years of annual donations given by Karlsson before his passing. Aer graduating from the university with a chemical engineering degree, he had worked at Praxair: a Connecti- cut-based industrial gas manufacturer that merged with Linde in 2018, accord- ing to a Linde press release. "We are deeply grateful to Carl Karls- son for making this remarkable oppor- tunity possible, which will strengthen our faculty and benefit our students well into the future," Sears said in the release. Mill Street apartments, renovated after 2022 roof collapse, sold for $8.6M e 32-unit apartment building at 267 Mill St. — site of a 2022 roof collapse which sparked a legal battle between tenants and the then-owners — has been sold to a new owner for $8.64 million. Michael Ermani, a Worcester prop- erty developer and head of Premier Investment Properties, purchased the five-acre property. e sale finalized on August 28, according to Worcester District Registry of Deeds records. Ermani purchased the property from an entity managed by Bechara and Michelle Fren of Fren Management in Billerica. e pair bought the property for $5.8 million in June 2022 from Minh and Robert Mailloux of Worcester. A month later, construction materials collapsed the roof, displacing around 80 residents. Fren Management then sought a housing court order allowing them to remove or discard items le in the building by residents. is was fol- lowed by countersuits by tenants, who objected to how Fren Management was handling them and said they felt rushed to collect their belongings in unsafe conditions, according to e Worcester Telegram & Gazette. e three-story building has since been transformed since, according to Ermani, a complete renovation involv- ing new sprinklers and elevators. is is what sparked his interest in the site, he said. "ey went through the whole entire building, it's pretty much a new build." Ermani said. "My ownership will be pretty much just like the other proper- ties we own in Worcester. We take care of these properties." Ermani said he is on track to pur- chase around 200 units in 2025, which includes residential buildings at 2 Dell- dale St., 201 Dewey St., and 13 Elizabeth St., purchased in June. He said he aims to provide high-quality apartments which are still more affordable than the larger new developments in Downtown Worcester. Ermani said he has a few more deals in the works for this year. Originally constructed in 1989, the building is about 36,000-square-feet. e site received a 2025 tax assessment value of $5 million, according to City of Worcester property records. Safe Exit Initiative opens Baltimore drop-in center for individuals impacted by the sex trade Almost exactly five months aer establishing a harm reduction and outreach program in Baltimore, the Worcester-based nonprofit Safe Exit Initiative has increased its services, launching a drop-in center for those involved in the sex trade. Opened on July 17, SEI's new center is similar to the nonprofit's flagship shelter, named Harbor, in Worcester. 8 million Members of Marlborough-based BJ's Wholesale Club, as of the second quarter Source: BJ's Wholesale Club $1.6 million Value of defrauding scheme linked to Bernice Codjia, who plead- ed guilty to related charges in August after being accussed of fraudulently billing MassHealth's group adult foster care program. Source: Massachusetts Attorney General's Office $3.5 million Federal funding received by the West-East Rail project to study the feasibility of a Boston-to-Albany intercity passenger rail route Source: Gov. Maura Healey Administration Business Confidence Index score Massachusetts business owners returned in August, a figure 0.4 points higher than in July, but still one sitting in pessimistic territory. Source: Associated Industries of Massachusetts 49.0 Continued from previous page W

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