Voke Lofts housing OK'd in downtown
OLD WORCESTER SCHOOL TO BE RESHAPED
Thursday, October 25, 2012
By Nick Kotsopoulos TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
nkotsopoulos@telegram.com
WORCESTER — The Planning Board has given a green light to the redevelopment of the former century-old Worcester Vocational High School building in Wheaton Square into an 84-unit mixed-income housing development.
The $30 million project, known as Voke Lofts, is being developed by WinnDevelopment, a division of WinnCompanies.
Upon completion, the 116,306-square-foot former school building will include 42 market-rate apartments and 42 “affordable” units — low-income rental units restricted to households with incomes between 30 and 60 percent of the area's median income.
Most of the apartments will have one or two bedrooms, while a small number will have three bedrooms.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year and take about 14 months to complete. The first units are expected to be available to rent in the spring of 2014.
The project is predicted to create about 100 construction jobs.
http://www.telegram.com/article/2012...WS/110259859/0
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Historic Elm Park building to be transferred to bank
Renovations are planned on old Fire Alarm
Saturday, January 19, 2013
By Nick Kotsopoulos TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
nkotsopoulos@telegram.com
WORCESTER — The city is preparing to transfer ownership of the former historic Fire Alarm & Telegraph building in Elm Park to Spencer Savings Bank, as well as execute a ground lease with the bank for more than 77,400 square feet of land around the building.
Ownership of the 6,735-square-foot, two-story English Tudor Revival-style brick building at 230 Park Ave. will be transferred to the bank at no cost, as stipulated in a deal the city struck with Spencer Savings and Preservation Worcester in fall 2011 for the redevelopment of the property.
Meanwhile, the ground lease will be for an initial term of 70 years, with an option to the bank for three successive 10-year extensions.
City Manager Michael V. O’Brien is seeking authorization from the City Council to take both actions. The council will take up his recommendation Tuesday night.
The Fire Alarm & Telegraph Building, built in 1925, is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been identified by Preservation Worcester as one of the city’s “Most Endangered Structures.” Spencer Savings intends to establish a retail banking office on the second floor, while Preservation Worcester will lease most of the first floor, which will contain community space and related amenities.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20130119/NEWS/101199929
I'm so glad something is finally being done with this building. It should be quite a gem when it gets fixed up again, but its rather forlorn at the moment.
http://goo.gl/maps/rOFJb
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