Ray Mariano: Worcester has a secret development partner

In much the same way that Batman always seems to show up when he’s needed most and then leaves quickly and without fanfare, Worcester has a superhero partner helping with dozens of development projects that have been vital to the city.

Founded in 1965 by a group of civic-minded leaders, the Worcester Business Development Corp. has helped the city and a range of developers create thousands of jobs and generate millions of dollars in annual tax revenue in Worcester and nearby towns.

On some of the most complex and important development projects, the WBDC has answered the city’s call for help. And yet, to most people, it remains out of sight, anonymous, standing in the shadows.

A nonprofit corporation, the WBDC provides communities with a wide range of economic development and consulting services, including environmental remediation, construction management, land assembly and property management. It also provides state and local permitting assistance, grant writing, tax credit approvals and planning.

For years, the WBDC was best known for its signature project, the Massachusetts Biotechnology Park. The work started in 1975 and today more than a dozen businesses in five buildings occupy 1 million square feet of space and employ 700 to 800 people.

More recently and in partnership with WPI, the WBDC developed Gateway Park, located near the old Vocational School, transforming 11 acres of underused, contaminated manufacturing buildings and land into an $80 million gateway for the city’s biotechnology and life sciences industry. The park features WPI’s spectacular $42 million Bioengineering and Life Sciences Center along with several pad-ready sites for future development.

Even more impressive, The Reactory, a WBDC project located on 46 acres of abandoned land that held the former State Hospital, will now house WuXi’s nearly 200,000-square-foot, $300 million manufacturing facility and Galaxy Life Sciences, which is on its way to developing up to 500,000 square feet in several new facilities. A WuXi executive said its Worcester facility will be the largest bioreactor in the world.

The WBDC efforts extend well beyond manufacturing and industrial development. It has also worked closely with a number of developers helping to create hundreds of new apartments, both affordable and market-rate. In the downtown area, it was involved in the Voke Lofts, the redevelopment of 332 Main St., and the incredibly challenging reimagining of the former Worcester County Courthouse into exciting new housing units.

Outside of downtown, the WBDC has worked on Boston Capital’s project to create affordable housing next to Polar Park and the transformation of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel site into hundreds of new apartments.

Perhaps the most notable recent WBDC project involves the transformation of the former Loew's Poli Palace Theater into The Hanover Theater for the Performing Arts. The brainchild of Ed Madaus and Paul Demoga, the WBDC helped with funding, professional services, and overseeing the design architect and contractor. It’s hard to imagine the theater’s opening without the expert help of the WBDC.

WBDC projects also includes the development of the former Telegram & Gazette building at 20 Franklin St. into a gallery and performance venue for up-and-coming young artists and the development of the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center, transforming abandoned and contaminated property into a recreation destination used by colleges and the general public.

Even with the WBDC’s impressive portfolio of accomplishment, some of its most important local projects still lie ahead. Foremost among them is the Greendale Revitalization Initiative. The WBDC bought 51 acres of contaminated land containing 45 empty structures for $1 from Saint-Gobain. The manufacturer also provided the nonprofit with $12 million toward the cleanup. The WBDC raised an additional $20 million to reclaim and clean up the property.

Now the WBDC is working with local businesses and residents to craft a development plan for the property. It anticipates unveiling some of the details for the layout of the property toward the end of this year, including a plan to open up traffic to West Boylston and Ararat streets. The master plan for the site will focus on development that fosters job creation.

For years, the city tried to find a way to move its DPW facility off Shrewsbury Street and replace it with something more suitable to the neighborhood. A few months ago, the city put out a call for help. Working with a developer that has completed several other very successful projects in the city, the WBDC will be assisting with a project that would relocate the DPW facility while investing $50 million bringing 300 units of housing to the area.

In addition to all of its other services, the WBDC also partners with the Small Business Administration, local banks and other professionals providing nearly $100 million in loans to 196 different growing businesses creating over 5,000 jobs throughout Central Massachusetts. For local businesses these loans can be used for to the purchase of land and buildings, for new construction, renovation and for the acquisition of machinery or equipment.

According to Chamber of Commerce President Tim Murray, “The WBDC has been a catalyst in the economic development of Worcester and Central Massachusetts…taking on the most difficult projects.”

Today, as you drive around the city it is impossible not to pass a number of important projects that likely would not exist without the expert help of the WBDC. A superhero partner toiling almost anonymously, it did its work, the city flourished, and then the WBDC walked back into the shadows waiting for the city’s next call.

Email Raymond V. Mariano at rmariano.telegram@gmail.com. He served four terms as mayor of Worcester and previously served on the City Council and School Committee. He grew up in Great Brook Valley and holds degrees from Worcester State College and Clark University. He was most recently executive director of the Worcester Housing Authority. His column appears weekly in the Sunday Telegram. His endorsements do not necessarily reflect the position of the Telegram & Gazette.