Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/730599
wbjournal.com | September 26, 2016 | Worcester Business Journal 7 P&W Railroad gets $2.38M for Gardner improvements The Providence and Worcester Railroad Co. has been awarded $2.38 million in federal grant funds for track improvements along its Gardner branch rail line, a project that will reduce the risk of derailments that could impact Worcester's drinking water supply. Approximately 12 miles of track along the Gardner branch will be reha- bilitated with the U.S. Department of Transportation funds, and new continu- ous welded rail and ties will be installed, according to Congressman Jim McGovern (D-Worcester). The grant will improve safety and pro- tect drinking water, and also create new jobs in construction and engineering. The railroad is set to be acquired for $126 million by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc., which operates rail lines in Massachusetts and Connecticut. WBDC to develop biomanufacturing facilty The Baker Administration has select- ed the Worcester Business Development Corp. to redevelop 44 acres of land on the former Worcester State Hospital Campus into a biomanufacturing facili- ty that could employ up to 500 people. The proposed 500,000 square feet of biotechnology facility space is expected to attract companies moving from the research sector to commercialization sector of biomanufacturing. At full capacity, the new site will have the potential to create more than 500 jobs. Autism services provider opening Fitchburg site Behavioral Concepts, Inc., an autism assistance provider with a center in Worcester, has announced plans to open an additional office in Fitchburg. The new location at 207 Authority Drive will open later in September. It will feature intensive day, after-school, and weekend social skills training. The location comes after an intense period of hiring for the organization. In the first two months of 2016, the com- pany hired 26 applied behavior analysis therapists, who work individually with children on the autism spectrum. Milford Regional facing $9M loss The Milford Regional Medical Center is exploring all options – including changes to personnel and operations – as the healthcare system faces a $9 million loss. Terri McDonald, the nonprofit's director of public relations and market- ing, confirmed the healthcare system's $9 million loss and said that all options were on the table to make up the defi- cit. She said several factors contributed to the loss, most significantly patient volume, which surpassed the last year but wasn't enough to offset expenses. A factor driving the loss was the opening of the $54-million, 78,000- square-foot Meehan Family Pavilion, the hospital's largest expansion to date. The pavilion includes a new emergency department, intensive care unit and pri- vate patient rooms. W Devens employment growth Devens, the 4,400-acre community in north Central Massachusetts managed by MassDevelopment, has experienced a 55-percent increase in total jobs since 2012 and is looking to expand development on 312 more acres. Source: University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute Knowledge + Experience + Trusted Advice. It all adds up. Large enough to serve the needs of most businesses and individuals; small enough to offer the personal attention you expect and deserve. Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull & Bitsoli, PC Certified Public Accountants 306 Main Street, Suite 400 • Worcester, MA 01608 508.791.0901 • www.grkb.com 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 '12 '13 '14 '15 4,977 Number of people employed