Mayor Perry announces MassWorks grant

 

Mayor Neil Perry is pleased to announce that the City has received state funding to further enhance the economic development of the downtown area by improving the transportation and parking infrastructure on Charles and Lawrence Streets.

Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and Secretary Mike Kenneally of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development announced on Thursday, November 19 that the City of Methuen will receive $990,000 in the form of a MassWorks Infrastructure Grant to re-build the Charles Street retaining wall and improve the transportation infrastructure along these streets including upgrades to the Lawrence Street public parking lot.

This project is expected to help bring new housing to the area as well as support for small businesses in the neighborhood that rely on public parking. This project proposes to directly support the continued success of Downtown Revitalization efforts through the rebuilding of the damaged retaining wall in the heart of Downtown Methuen.

The stabilization of this critical infrastructure will lead directly to the creation and preservation of 54 parking spaces in the Lawrence Street Public Parking Lot and along Charles Street, 8 units of housing on Charles St. and Osgood St., and 6,000 square feet of new commercial space for small businesses and a restaurant. It will also result in the continued economic development of the historic downtown by relieving the increasing stress that new development is placing on the dwindling supply of public parking.

Methuen Representative Linda Dean Campbell whose office has been instrumental in bringing many public dollars to the City was very happy to hear of the successful application. “This very significant state grant is both very exciting and important to the City of Methuen as it gives us even more momentum to continue downtown redevelopment.

The MassWorks grant program is one of the most important programs funded by the Legislature as it provides the funding to launch excellent programs that have been well planned by our communities. Congratulations to Methuen for presenting a great application!”

The MassWorks Infrastructure Program is a competitive grant program for municipalities, and other eligible public entities, investing in public infrastructure projects. MassWorks is the largest and most flexible source of capital funds the Commonwealth makes available to municipalities. The goal of the program is to provide State support to infrastructure projects that also achieve economic development by accelerating housing production, spurring private development, and creating jobs throughout the Commonwealth.

The Department of Economic and Community Development expects that construction will begin in summer 2021 and will be complete by the fall of 2022.

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