Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | November 2, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 9 HUDSON Data center pause heads to Nov. 16 vote Hudson will host a Special Town Meeting on Nov. 16 to vote on a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center facilities, giving the town time to develop local regulations addressing power use, water consump- tion and noise. e Planning Board voted Sept. 15 to recommend adoption of the measure. e proposed pause would not apply to 75 Reed Road, the former Intel site, which holds an eight- year zoning freeze secured through a 2023 definitive subdivision filing. Planning Director Kristina Johnson said no data-center applications had been submitted as of September. LEOMINSTER Data center moratorium approved e Leominster City Council voted on Sep. 28 to enact a temporary moratorium on new data center ap- plications through July 31, 2027. e Planning Board and building commis- sioner supported the measure, which city officials said will give Leominster time to establish regulations address- ing data center impacts and distin- guish those facilities from existing local businesses. Officials said no data center proposals had been submitted to the city. MILFORD State auctioning land for housing e state will auction 2.62 acres of undeveloped land behind Milford District Court at 161 West St. on Dec. 2 for housing redevelopment. Offered through the Gov. Maura Healey administration's State Land for Homes initiative, the parcel carries a min- imum development density of four housing units per acre, according to the Massachusetts Division of Cap- ital Asset Management and Mainte- nance. e auction begins at 11 a.m. More information can be found here: www.mass.gov/info-details/state-land- for-homes NATICK Mixed-use zoning flexibility Natick is weighing flexibility in its downtown mixed-use zoning, including allowing some required commercial space upstairs and poten- tially counting outdoor patios toward nonresidential requirements. e Planning Board opened hearings Oct. 21 on changes affecting the Down- town Mixed-use and Center Gateway districts. Other options include allow- ing ground-floor amenities serving upstairs residents, such as gyms. e hearing continues Nov. 4. UPTON Upton weighs church sale Upton officials are seeking voter authorization to sell, lease or other- wise convey the former Holy Angels church property at 3 Milford St. e Select Board unanimously voted to sign and post the warrant for the Nov. 12 Special Town Meeting, including an article addressing the property's disposition. Article 18 would rescind an authorization approved at the 2019 annual Town Meeting and allow the board to determine the price and conditions of a transaction based on the town's best interests. e board's vote advances the proposal to Town Meeting; it does not approve a sale or lease, select a buyer or authorize a redevelopment project. WORCESTER Lodging on Norwich Street Landlord Daniel Stroe received unanimous Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals approval on Oct. 19 to operate a 22-bed lodging house at 16 Norwich St., allowing four unrelated adults to share each of five existing four-bedroom apartments. Stroe, who represented the property's ownership company Wallachia, said the change would allow him to use all four bed- rooms rather than limit each apart- ment to three unrelated tenants under city zoning rules. He cited soening rents and weaker rental demand as reasons for seeking the additional flexibility, while saying he intended to continue renting to groups of room- mates under one lease per apartment. e six-unit, mixed-use building also contains a two-bedroom apartment, and no construction is proposed. A lodging house license from the Worcester License Commission is still required. Give your business the best in payment solutions, fraud prevention and more. Get the experts in treasury management. Member FDIC | Member DIF REAL ESTATE INSIDER | B R I E F S W

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