August 10, 2004
HEALEY COMMITS $114 MILLION FOR SMART GROWTH DEVELOPMENT
$830,000 of those funds awarded to Lynn to revitalize downtown and boost the arts
LYNN – In an ongoing effort to support statewide sustainable development, Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today announced that the Romney Administration will commit $114 million for smart growth projects in Massachusetts.
“Governor Romney and I are committed to targeting state capital resources to save open space and encourage development in the Commonwealth where there is already existing infrastructure in place, and where there is access to public transportation,” said Healey. “Of the $114 million announced today, $73 million will be awarded within this fiscal year, and approximately half of that amount will be dedicated to the preservation of farmland and open space.”
Healey made the announcement in Lynn where she awarded $830,000 of those funds to help revitalize downtown housing and boost the redevelopment of the city’s Gateway Artisan block.
The funds announced today come from the Commonwealth Capital program, which coordinates existing programs in the state’s housing, transportation and environmental agencies. Lynn’s $830,000 award was issued from one of those programs through an Executive Office of Transportation’s Public Works Economic Development (PWED) grant.
“Commonwealth Capital provides the flexibility and inter-agency coordination necessary to help towns and cities throughout the Commonwealth develop in a reasoned, sustainable way,” said Commonwealth Development Secretary Douglas Foy.
Governor Romney will set aside $15 million of this year’s capital funds for “smart growth awards,” an expedited, cross-agency program to recognize the very best submissions among smart growth project proposals. The Office of Commonwealth Development will issue eligibility and funding guidelines for that program within the month.
To assist municipalities in applying for Commonwealth Capital funds, the Romney Administration is setting aside $750,000 for technical assistance grants, and the quasi-public agency MassHousing is providing $3 million from its Priority Development Fund for technical assistance to support the development of smart growth projects.
Improvements through the City of Lynn’s PWED grant is part of a broader effort to revitalize downtown housing, unite the city’s cultural offerings, promote smart growth, and boost the local economy. Within the artisan block, the city is redeveloping eight former mill and office buildings into 130 artist lofts and retail and restaurant space. The Lynn commuter rail station is within a block of the housing, allowing residents easy access to public transportation.
Lynn’s PWED grant will help fund roadway resurfacing and reconstruction, new sidewalks and curbing, walkways, antique street lighting, fencing, and trees on sections of Spring Street, Exchange Street, and Broad Street. In addition, two vacant lots will be cleaned, paved, and transformed into parking areas.
“From our perspective, this redevelopment project includes several elements – such as economic growth, a focus on a walk-able downtown and the reuse of existing infrastructure – that make it a worthwhile investment,” said Transportation Secretary Daniel A. Grabauskas. “We are pleased to be able to offer the city of Lynn a PWED grant to this winning initiative.”
The Artisan Block project was funded with a combination of federal, state, and private grants and is expected to bring 58 new, permanent jobs to Lynn, primarily in the retail sector. Temporary construction jobs will also be created.
“This investment of state PWED funds into our downtown coupled with the private investment of over $35 million in the next 12 months is very important in our effort to continue the revitalization of Lynn’s downtown,” said Lynn Mayor Edward J. “Chip” Clancy, Jr. “We are confident that through these efforts we will create a downtown that will offer exciting housing opportunities.”
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