Worcester council OKs tax break for park to attract manufacturers

The Worcester City Council has unanimously approved a proposed tax break for a manufacturing and industrial park that is trying to attract tenants.

The vote means that the council adopted City Manager Eric D. Batista’s recommendation to create a tax increment financing zone for GreenTech Park, a 51-acre campus for advanced manufacturing companies.

The property’s owners, the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC), are trying to entice manufacturing companies to invest in the campus.

Restaurant Depot, a company that sells bulk food, equipment and commercial supplies to restaurants, could become its first tenant. The Worcester Planning Board approved the company’s plans for a 50,000-square-foot wholesale warehouse at the park in July.

Under the TIF structure, developers or businesses get a temporary break on some of the new property taxes that are created on a project.

The proposal written by Peter Dunn, the city’s chief development officer, calls for a 35 to 50 percent average tax exemption over 10 to 15 years. The number depends on the size of a building within the campus, according to a memo from Dunn.

Before the council’s approval, the Economic Development Committee approved the proposal on Sept. 16.

“Establishing these 30 acres within GreenTech Park as a TIF Zone is another significant milestone in our efforts to bring this important property to a competitive, pad-ready status,” Craig Blais, the president of the Worcester Business Development Corporation, said.

“We are grateful to the City Manager, the City Council’s Economic Development Committee and Worcester City Council for recognizing the potential of this project and for continuing to partner with us as we work to attract new investment and jobs to the Greendale neighborhood,” Blais said.

Last month, a groundbreaking was held for the park’s infrastructure.

The groundbreaking marked the first step of a multiphase infrastructure project for the park, according to the WBDC. The first phase involves rebuilding a roadway and upgrading utilities required to support the redevelopment of the site, which used to be owned by Saint-Gobain.

The redevelopment project also includes creating campus sites for manufacturing and technology companies. The next phase of infrastructure improvements will focus on New Bond Street by the campus.

The road and infrastructure improvements have received $12.8 million in public funding. In a previous statement, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said he, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-2nd District., supported $8 million in federal funds for the project.

As part of the redevelopment, the WBDC is overseeing comprehensive site preparation through cleanup efforts, infrastructure upgrades and creating new public roads. Plans are also underway to reconnect Ararat Street, New Bond Street and Norton Drive as part of the project.