20 Franklin Street - Jean McDonough Arts Center
The success of the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts demonstrated the demand for downtown cultural offerings. Worcester has had a long history of small community theaters which have not been able to sustain operations due to the high facility and maintenance costs. The WBDC partnered with the Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC) to construct a 3,400 SF versatile gallery, the Worcester PopUP, and a 10,000 SF performance venue, the BrickBox, to add an additional cultural amenity for downtown Worcester. Collectively, these spaces are housed in the Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC). The PopUP opened its doors in 2016 and serves as a critical pipeline to identifying emerging creatives and connecting them with the City’s resources to support their work. The BrickBox seats up to 300 people and can accommodate multiple art forms including theater, dance, film, and even live podcasting. The BrickBox was completed in 2020, however due to the pandemic, the BrickBox has not been able to open its doors to full capacity but the WCC has produced content in other creative ways.
WBDC Project
State & Local Permitting Assistance
Grant Research, Writing & Administration
Planning - Market Readiness & Implementation
Environmental Assessment & Remediation
Construction Management
