- target an area downtown, or anywhere in need of development, and clearly delineate the boundaries
- lock in current assessed values for any approved project for ten years
- waive all permitting fees and water & sewerage connection fees
- if there are any monies from the State or Federal Gov't that require any portion of the project to be low income, the project is not eligible
- 80% of the project must be residential
- require minimum size for the project
- encourage the colleges and other non-profits to provide down payment assistance for anyone buying into any of these projects
Something like this would truly give someone a reason to Buy Worcester.
2 comments:
Bill,
A lot of your criteria sounds a lot like the Public/Private partnership called City Square. I noticed that the Berkeley Investments web site now lists the City Square project and our fair city as their featured project. Here is their website (http://www.berkinv.com/) and then click on the link for Projects. I have visited this site in the past and you had to dig for any information concerning this project; although there is an excellent separate website maintained for City Square at http://www.newcitysquare.com/. I believe we’re very close to fulfilling the amended lease requirements to release the funds for the wrecking ball to finally swing. As to your comments in the previous thread about what downtown investment from private developers in the last 20 years; here is some food for thought.
•New England Development’s rebirth of the Outlet Mall (Before the volley comes at me for this one, they did make a significant private investment in spite of it’s failure)
•Not to beat a dead horse again but The Mayo Group’s significant investment in purchasing/renovating buildings in the Franklin, Portland, Salem Street areas
•Picknelly’s Development of the Hilton
•With all due respect to Jahn, we have had a new first class office building built since the 70s - The 1st class office building at the corner of Elm & Chestnut Street completed in 1991 (home of the Fallon Community Health Plan’s Corporate Offices)
•The private money developing the Canal District (Officially considered part of the definition of Worcester’s downtown)
Dave:
I agree it sound exactly like Hanover Theatre actually..
Why not open the same benefits to Dave Zimage, Paul Collyer, Gabe or me if you were to invest in areas that we need investments.
Do a google search on Philadelphia. This is exactly what they did there.
Dave, the past 20 years. You prove my point this is is not a good track history.
Bill
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