Baker-Polito Administration Awards $1.5 Million in Brownfields Funding - July 27, 2017

On July 26th, the Baker-Polito Administration announced nearly $1.5 million in Brownfields Redevelopment Fund awards to support the environmental assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites across the Commonwealth. Awards were made to 9 projects that will support over 132 units of affordable housing. For the Governor’s press release on the awards, please click here.

The following municipalities and organizations received Brownfield Redevelopment Fund awards in FY17:

Brockton’s NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts, $26,000

NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts will use the award to conduct environmental assessment at this highly visible, vacant site in Brockton’s TDI District. NeighborWorks of Southern Massachusetts plans to redevelop this site into 48 units of affordable and market-rate housing with ground floor retail.

Lawrence CommunityWorks Duck Mill project, $334,365

Lawrence CommunityWorks will use this award to perform environmental clean up at the Duck Mill site to transform the former mill building into 10,000-square-feet of retail and 73 units of affordable rental housing.

Lawrence CommunityWorks Union & Milford Street projects, $160,509

Lawrence CommunityWorks will use the award to perform remediation required to build five units of single-family, owner-occupied affordable housing on five vacant lots in Lawrence.

Gardner’s Newvue Affordable Housing Corporation, $18,000

Newvue Housing Corporation will use the award to conduct soil and air testing at a two-story downtown block building in Gardner. Once the property is safe for occupancy, NewVue, a community development corporation, will open a career and homeownership center on the ground floor and create three units of affordable housing on the upper floors.

City of Gardner Theatre Project, $490,475

The City will use this award to demolish and perform hazardous abatement of the former Orpheum Theatre in downtown Gardner, which the City will transform into a public park and parking lot useable to downtown businesses and residents.

Town of East Bridgewater, $99,400

The Town will use this award to perform assessment and find a permanent solution for the Eastern States Steel site, a contaminated, blighted, and highly visible site.   

Town of East Bridgewater, $99,700

The Town will use this award to perform environmental assessment at the Precise Engineering site, which it ultimately plans to redevelop into a commercial or light industrial use. 

Town of Seekonk, $99,800

The Town will use this award to assess the former Attleboro Dyeing and Finishing site, which it is seeking to redevelop into mixed-income housing and retail that will provide access to the Ten Mile River on which the property sits.

Worcester East Side CDC, $125,000

Worcester East Side CDC will use this award for assessment of a site that will become eight units of garden-style, handicap-accessible housing for extremely low-income or potential homeless residents while they continue to receive supportive services from the Department of Mental Health.