For Immediate Release: 5/2/2019 3:41 pm
The Worcester Redevelopment Authority (WRA) reached an important milestone today by voting to acquire all of the additional properties needed for the Canal District Ballpark Project, except for the former Wyman Gordon properties that are part of the project, subject to the approval of the Commonwealth’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
The four acquired properties are: 69 Washington Street (Worcester Ambulance LLC), 62 Washington Street (Worcester Ambulance LLC), a portion of 2 Plymouth Street (Bafaro Realty Company LLC) and 90 Washington Street (Herbert R. Rasnick and Joseph Bafaro, Trustees of 85 Green Street Trust).
“With the authorizations adopted today, the Worcester Redevelopment Authority continues to move the Ballpark Project forward in an expeditious manner,” said WRA Chair Vincent Pedone. “Assemblage of the properties needed for construction of the ballpark is a critical first step. The WRA is now poised to own all the properties needed in addition to the Wyman Gordon properties which will be conveyed by Madison Properties.”
Last month, the WRA voted to acquire the following three properties: 50 Washington Street (Serena E. Massey, Trustee of Holden Hill Realty Trust), 127 Washington Street (Paul J. Harrington) and 134 Madison Street (Grady Holdings LLC).
As part of the acquisition of a portion of 2 Plymouth Street and 90 Washington Street, the WRA today agreed to acquire additional properties that are related to and used in connection with those properties but are outside the limits of the ballpark site. The total acquisition price of all these properties is $5.8M. The additional properties were part of the negotiated sale for the identified parcels that were needed for the project.
This agreement permits the WRA and the City to better control and manage the impact to the occupants of the properties, and avoid any potential litigation, a commitment that was made at the start of the project.
The additional properties are: the remainder of 2 Plymouth Street (Bafaro Realty Company LLC), 5 Gold Street (Joseph J. Bafaro), 7 Gold Street (Joseph J. Bafaro), 85 Green Street (Herbert R. Rasnick and Joseph Bafaro, Trustees of 85 Green Street Trust) and 8 Gold Street (Herbert R. Rasnick and Joseph Bafaro, Trustees of 85 Green Street Trust).
“From the start, the City has been working in partnership with us and is executing the project in a sensitive and humane way, taking into account our mission and the social services we provide,” said Michelle Smith, executive director of AIDS Project Worcester (currently located at 85 Green Street).
