Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal • June 20, 2016 www.wbjournal.com What is the goal? Marotta and Lord are seeking to retain the artists currently in Worcester who are bursting at the seams of the city's current studio space. According to Marotta, many artists are leaving for Boston and Providence where there is more studio and even live-work space. This effort is aimed at not only retaining the artists who are from the area and contributing to the economy, but recent college graduates. "Artists responded to a Creative Space Survey (from the city) about how they wanted more affordable and accessible artistic spaces in Worcester," Marotta said. "We're going to be creating jobs." Why do I care? One of Worcester's main differentia- tors and attractions is its artistic bent, with events like Start on the Street draw- ing tens of thousands to the city every year and numerous murals around Worcester now reinforcing that artistic bent. With Fitchburg planning for an artist live-work space, Worcester might soon have even more communities enticing its artists to move. Even if you don't care about art, see- ing a historic building that is located close to the Voke Lofts upscale rentals being put to a higher use than self-stor- age, which was the original plan, should easily be seen as a positive. n T he Creative Hub Worcester is already under construction at the former Ionic Avenue Boys and Girls Club and the two co-founding art educators Laura Marotta and Stacy Lord see it as a way to keep Worcester's artists in the city through more studio space. How much space? We are talking 30,000 square feet with approximately 25 studios and offices, but the renovations to the building go beyond studio space. Marotta said it will be a hub for all artists, with an outdoor event space planned for the roof as well as a gallery and classroom space. The space will be built out by 2 Ionic Ave.'s owner Peter Heaney with everything expected to be completed in nine months with some of the space coming online as soon as six months. Worcester approves $104M down- town urban revitalization Worcester's city council has voted to approve both a $104 million Downtown Urban Revitalization Plan that targets 24 properties for redevelopment and possible taking by the city. The revitalization plan created by the Worcester Redevelopment Authority would guide Worcester's development efforts over the next 20 years, covering over 118 acres of land, including some that can be taken from owners by emi- nent domain. The area covered by the plan includes 118 parcels and 380 prop- erties covering approximately 67 busi- nesses and 214 condominium units over a 118.4 acre area. City councilors approved the plan on Tuesday night, according to city officials. One of the most controversial and essential portions of the plan is the tar- geting of 24 properties for redevelop- ment assistance or taking by the city. City officials have said they would use the power to take the land for a higher use. UMass Memorial names new presidents UMass Memorial Health Care has announced that Lisa Colombo will be the president of UMass Memorial – Clinton Hospital and Nicole Gagne will become president of UMass Memorial – Community Healthlink. Both had been serving in interim president roles with the institutions. Colombo, who has served as interim president since last November, has a history with UMass Memorial, having formerly served as corporate vice presi- dent for clinical operations and chief nursing officer at UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Hospital in Leominster from 2009 to 2013. Before taking on the role as interim president, she was senior vice president and chief nursing officer of Lahey Hospital and Medical Center. Gagne began serving as the interim president of Community Healthlink in January after longtime president and CEO Deborah Ekstrom retired at the end of 2015. A member of the UMass Memorial Health Care system, Community Healthlink helps adults, children and families to recover from the effects of mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness. Westborough firm sells Korean facility for $8.1M Westborough wearable tech provider Kopin Corporation has completed the sale of its Korean assembly facility and land to an undisclosed buyer for $8.1 million, or 9.5 billion Korean Won, before taxes and fees. The facility, which employed 40 peo- ple and supported the packaging of displays for camcorder and digital still camera products, ceased production in 2013. The sale strengthens the compa- ny's financial position and reduces operating expenses at the facility, John C.C. Fan, president and CEO, said in a press release. A strong capital base is key as the company refocuses its wear- ables strategy from development to partnerships and sales, Fan said. Forty people worked at the Korean facility, according to Richard Sneider, treasurer and chief financial officer. Kopin will maintain its small sales office in Korea, he said. Fitchburg woman pleads guilty to embezzling $1.3M from employer A former office manager from Fitchburg pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Boston to embezzling over $1.3 million dollars from her employer over a ten year period. The release from the Office of United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said that Dawnmarie Prince, 47, pleaded guilty to eight counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Her sentencing will take place on Sept. 16. Prince worked as an office manager at a Woburn-based life science technol- ogy firm where she was responsible for handling the firm's accounts payable. According to the release, at least between 2005 and 2015 Prince used her position to steal hundreds of checks that she made payable to herself or her son. Prince then forged her boss's sig- nature on the stolen checks, and depos- ited them into her personal bank accounts. MetroWest Medical Center invests $7.6 million in upgrades MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham will undergo $7.6 million in renovations starting this month, upgrades the hospital said will improve clinical care, patient flow and ultimate- ly satisfaction for patients and staff. The renovations will include sub- stantial physical and equipment upgrades in cancer care, including a new $3 million in a state-of-the-art linear accelerator in radiation oncology for better radiation treatment. The machine will be able to provide some radiation treatments more quickly than the current model. It should be up and running by November, according to Denise Schepici, chief operating officer of MetroWest Medical Center. Electronic medical records will also be adopted by radiation and medical oncology, to make care more efficient, and the medical oncology unit will undergo construction. All construction should be finished by the end of the summer. REGIONAL BRIEFS Verbatim "It is probably in some respects one of the biggest looming problems ... and it's one of those chal- lenges where you can't just make a decision today about what you're going to do tomorrow." Gov. Charlie Baker, on replacing the state's closing energy plants >> "This $2.75-million award is a big win for our local econo- my ... I am so proud to support innova- tive Massachusetts businesses like Aspen Aerogels." U.S. Rep. James McGovern (D-MA), on the company's award from the U.S. government to developing window insulation technology >> "Electricity ... has to be generated and consumed at the exact same time. If you have storage, you can store the energy when the sun is shining and the wind is blow - ing, and use it at times when it is not." Judith Judson, state Department of Energy Resources commissioner, on the need for the state to invest in energy storage >> In Review CENTRALMASS >> Continued on next page Creative Hub aims to retain artists; build creative community BY SAM BONACCI Worcester Business Journal Digital Editor

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