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Date: 12/19/2022
LUDLOW/BELCHERTOWN – The Baker-Polito administration granted awards for Underutilized Properties Program and Massachusetts Downtown Initiative.
The Underutilized Properties Program awards totaled approximately $21 million to 49 projects.
The Belchertown Community Alliance Inc. received $50,000 to help reutilize the State School property and Westmass Area Development Corporation in Ludlow received $495,000 to continue work at the Ludlow Mills.
The Belchertown Community Alliance, in partnership with the town of Belchertown, is working to reutilize 6 Berkshire Ave., once a dorm on the former Belchertown State School campus.
The overall project will create a new cafe, food services incubator, community meeting and gallery space, as well as affordable, attractive and convenient commercial space for local creative businesses.
The first step for the redevelopment is obtaining a full building assessment to include a broad spectrum of services.
Currently, an embroidery business occupies the building on half of the second floor, while the first and third floors are vacant.
To learn more about the project, visit btowncommunity.org/redevelopment-6-berkshire-ave.
In the Ludlow Mills complex, there are 22 original, one-story, brick stockhouses.
The funding will be used for roof replacements on eight of the stockhouse structures and one connecting annex structure to improve their suitability for new and existing commercial and industrial tenants.
The Underutilized Properties Program was created through the Economic Development Legislation signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker in January 2021.
The program targets underutilized, abandoned, or vacant properties by supporting efforts that eliminate blight, increase housing production, support economic development projects, or increase the number of commercial buildings accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Through two rounds the Underutilized Properties Program, $29.7 million has been awarded to 69 projects.
Reminder Publishing reached out to Westmass Area Development Corporation and the Belchertown Community Alliance but did not hear back before press time.