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18 Worcester Business Journal | January 12, 2026 | wbjournal.com BY MICA KANNER-MASCOLO WBJ Staff Writer J ust off of the west-end tip of Worcester's bustling Shrewsbury Street stands Alta on the Row, a 370-unit luxury apartment complex that almost wasn't. Wood Partners, the Atlanta-based developer of the community, had been eyeing Worcester for a few years, wait- ing for the right opportunity to start a new build. When the site at 22 Mount Carmel Way opened up, the developer threw in its bid, but lost out to a fellow competitor. But that deal ultimately fell through, and Wood Partners jumped at the opportunity to purchase the site, one that is unparalleled in both its scale and location, said Jim Lambert, develop- ment director for Wood Partners. "We're right across the street from the MBTA station. We're a short walk to the downtown. We're a short walk to what is now Polar Park and the other ame- nities down in the Canal District," said Lambert. "We felt like it was the best site in Worcester." With the location se- cured, Wood Partners' next challenge was to build an apartment complex to attract residents of New England's second largest city, in a post- COVID world. e country's mass pivot to working from home greatly impacted the way Wood Partners designed Alta. e developer built an entire work from home area in its club room, outfitted with multiple private office rooms and a larger com- munal work space. e complex offers one-bedroom apartments with dens, a feature Lambert said has been especially requested to better accommodate work- ing from home. Separate from its plethora of ame- nities, which include a professionally equipped fitness center, a pool, two courtyards, grills, and a fire pit, Lambert believes it's Alta's welcoming and engag- ing environment that really attracts new residents. "It's more about people feeling like they're at home," he said. B E S T O F B U S I N E S S E V E N T S & V E N U E S Alta on the Row used post- COVID amenities to attract residents Alta on the Row lobby BEST NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT Winner: Alta on the Row, in Worcester Website: www.woodpartners.com Top executive: James "Jim" Lambert, managing director of Wood Partners Founded: 1998 Employees: 325 nationally, 39 in Massachusetts Notable runner-up: The Revington